Balwyn High School 1957 to 1962 Reunion
Balwyn High School 1957 to 1962 Reunion
  • Welcome
  • About our 50 year reunion
  • FEEDBACK on Get-together 27 October 2012
  • Photos from 2012 Reunion Dinner
  • Lost and Found
  • Vale
  • Students' Stories: What have you been doing for the past 50 years?"
    • Andy Blunden
    • Anne Hawker (Jubb)
    • Brian Stagoll
    • Diane Kerr (Davidson)
    • David Slater and Dorothy Fergusson
    • Carol Poon
    • Dorothy Vietz (Gibson)
    • Gerd Kratzer
    • Gisela Olbrich
    • Helen Vallack
    • Ian Priestly
    • Ian Stavely
    • John Sinclair
    • John Willis
    • Kath Semmel (McKay)
    • Lindsay Cook
    • Michael Alston
    • Otto Rehak
    • Pam Heath
    • Paul Barnard
    • Peter Barter
    • Peter Thomas
    • Peter Winford
    • Phyl Coath
    • Ray Walker
    • Robyn Dalziel
    • Roger Schnagl
    • Sue Foster (Jones)
    • Sylvia Garnham (Geddes)
    • Tim Green
    • Val Brooks (Bennett)
    • Warren Pill
  • Mac Ronen: A 1962 Teacher's Story
  • Photos and Memories of our time at BHS 1957 to 1962
    • Personal reminiscences >
      • Brian Stagoll Memories
      • Gerd Kratzer
      • Kath Semmel (McKay)
      • Lindsay Cook Memories
      • Michael Alston
      • Paul Barnard
      • Peter Barter - Nostalgic Memories
      • Peter Thomas reflections on BHS
      • Sylvia Garnham (Geddes)
      • Val Brooks (Bennett)
    • 1957 Group photos
    • 1958 Group Photos
    • 1959 Group photos
    • 1960 Group Photos
    • 1961 Group Photos
    • 1962 Group photos
    • 1963 Group Photo
    • 'Feeder' Primary Schools
    • Biology Field Trip
    • Broken Hill and Canberra Excursions 1961 and 1962
    • School Social May 1962
    • 1962 teachers
    • The Voice of the Three Per Cent
    • A student debate
    • Speech Night 1962 program
  • 1962 School Statistics
  • 'Organising mob' Contacts
  • Share your thoughts and comments Blog
  • Forum
  • 14 July 2013 gathering
  • 16 August 2014 Gathering
  • 11 November 2017 Gathering
  • 10 November 2018 Gathering
  • 70 YEARS OF BALWYN HIGH
  • 1962 Group photos

Ian Stavely

I have lived in WA for 42 years now,  mostly in Perth,  but for the past 13 years in the small, but beautiful coastal town of Denmark which is about 430km south of Perth.

I married a West Australian, Moya, 40 years ago and have two great "kids" - Renae (38) who is an oboe player with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra who brought to us a love of classical music and Daniel (34) a horticulturalist, who brought to us the world of native plants. We have 3 grandchildren in Adelaide, so we go there quite often.

After leaving school I was with the mining company Conzinc Rio Tinto ( CRA ) for 7 years and during that time had a transfer to Darwin and another to Perth / Kalgoolie with the exploration division of the company.  During my time at CRA I was a committee member and President of the CRA Staff Social Club which had a huge membership and I guess it opened my eyes to the hospitality industry through organising staff social events - the company was very supportive and it could have been a full time job.

 I left CRA and was fortunate to land a job with Commodore Motels  - initially at the Sandringham Hotel and then with an Opening Operations Team , whereby 4 of us moved around setting up Annabels in Melbourne and then the Chateau Commodore chain of motels in Sydney and Perth. It was a great experience - challenging and demanding, but good fun when you're young.  It was in Perth that I met and married Moya. I was being transferred back to Melbourne to be involved with the setting up of the Old Melbourne and the Chateau Melbourne, but we decided to stay in Perth as we were offered  the position of assisting in the management of the new West Sands Motor Lodge in West Perth - a suite of mining offices, accommodation and a restaurant, "The Grubstake Room".  It was a very successful business and we were involved in that for over 4 years when the career change bug bit me again.

The WA State Govt. decided to open the doors to "mature age" students to do a  teaching degree full time at the new Churchlands Teachers' College campus. So, at the ripe old age of 29 I was accepted. College was a fantastic experience for me and upon graduating I went on to teach for the next 25 years which I found to be most rewarding. A couple of highlights for me were being an Advisory Teacher for the NW Regional Office for several years and my 16 years at Floreat Park Primary School where for many years I was the Phys. Ed. and Sports Specialist Teacher, but I basically just loved being a classroom teacher.

We embraced country life when the "sea change" was made and left all our city attitudes behind and have been kept very busy. I worked for 6 years at the Albany Farmers Market with a local honey company and from that came additional work on an asparagus farm and a mushroom farm - all terrific experiences that I would never have found in the city.  Moya works for a doctors' surgery in town and for the past three years I have worked part time for "South Coast Woodworks Gallery" -  if you are a "woody", have a look at us on          (www.southcoastwoodworks.com.au )  It is one of the most recognised wood works galleries in Australia and I often have to pinch myself that I work there.  I got into woodturning over 20 years ago and supply local galleries with my work and have an annual exhibition with the Bendigo Bank Southern Art and Craft Trail.

I enjoy good health (touch wood) and have thoroughly enjoyed and valued my working life and life in general and put that down to the fact that I have been very lucky along the way with very supportive employers, wife and family.

               

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