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
    • Greer Larsson (Allica)
    • 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
  • 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

Sylvia Geddes (Garnham)


Following Balwyn High School there were a few false starts.  I found that nursing (at the Alfred Hospital) wasn’t the career for me and I finally joined the Commonwealth Public Service so that I could study part time!  I matriculated at the end of 1968 and after moving to Sydney with my first husband, graduated in Arts Honours from Sydney University in 1974.  Moving to Canberra after graduation I worked in the then Public Service Board and the then Department of Social Security.  I was fortunate in achieving senior positions and having very interesting policy and program work which involved travelling widely in Australia and overseas.  I was involved in the negotiations and establishment of both the Supported Accommodation Assistance (SAAP) Program (which lasted until the end of 2008 when it was replaced by a new national agreement) and the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program which is still in operation.  The 1970s and early 1980s were good times to be a young person in the Public Service in Canberra.

In the mid-1980s I returned to Melbourne as the first Victorian State Director of the then newly formed Commonwealth Department of Community Services.  Subsequently I joined the Victorian Public Service and after a period working in senior positions and undertaking a number of major reviews, I established my own consultancy business.  I was fortunate to have interesting work with all three levels of government and the non-government sector.  After another period working in Sydney, I returned to the Australian Public Service to head for three years the then Office for the Aged in Canberra.

In 1997 I returned to Melbourne with my second husband to become Manager, Charitable Services, ANZ Trustees.  After three years I became CEO of The RE Ross Trust (www.rosstrust.org.au), a major Victorian Charitable Trust.  This was a wonderful opportunity to bring to bear my years of experience with governments and non-government agencies to contribute to reducing disadvantage and inequity as well as to build and share new knowledge and assist with environmental conservation.  I retired from the Ross Trust in 2008 after eight years.

During my career I served on Victorian and Australian Government advisory committees for vulnerable children, young people, families and those who are homeless and was a council member of the Australian Red Cross Victoria, including a period as Vice-Chair. 

After my retirement I spent three years as a Board member of VACRO (www.vacro.org.au) a non-government agency which supports Victorians who have come into contact with the criminal justice system and their families and helped to establish the Sounding Board of the Flinders Quartet, a Melbourne-based string quartet (www.flindersquartet.com).  I am presently a Board member (Trustee) of both the State Library of Victoria (www.slv.vic.gov.au) and Trust for Nature (www.trustfornature.org.au), both a great privilege.

I have two step daughters and four grandchildren and am very involved with the Melbourne family.  I cycle weekly with a group of COTA “oldies” and walk a lot.  Attending chamber music performances (sadly not playing), reading and travelling are the luxuries of a life retired from paid employment.

October 2012


(Click on this link to read Sylvia's memories of Balwyn High School)
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