Peter Hutchinson YHS 1969 - Brigadier Peter Hutchinson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the Queen's Birthday Honors in June 05. His award was for distinguished command and leadership in the Middle-East Area of Operations as the Commander, Joint Task Force 633 during Operation Catalyst in 2004. Peter joined the army at Duntroon Military College 30 years ago after graduating from YHS in 1974. He is currently director General Infrastructure Asset Development for the Dept of Defence based in Canberra.

Graeme Kitney YHS 1950: I particularly liked the article submitted by Peter Wallace, an old class mate, as it was only a couple of months ago that we were wondering what had happened to him. I was saddened to read in his article that both Don Munro and John Sundquist had died as they were close friends while we were at school. On a brighter note, I phoned May Hill last week, who I think is our "Senior Member". May has been back home for some time now after spending around 18 months at her daughter's house in Canberra, recovering from a broken hip.

Geoff Esler YHS 1944 - Even when I was a child on a Closer Settlement Block at Callignee Sth, I was aware of the existence of Yallourn, the lights of which were visible from many places in the hills. Of course, I did not then dream of my future association of the place the district children then referred to as "You Learn at Yallourn". Living in an area that depended on kerosene lamps and wood-burning stoves, I had no inkling of the dependence of most of the country on electric power.

Ernie Jeffrey YHS 1949 Wrote: I transferred from Devonport State High School in Tasmania to Yallourn High School in October 1949 as my father, an excavator driver, followed his work to Morwell at the start of the Open Cut Coal Mine. Devonport High School was very similar to English Grammar Schools with the rules and regulations of dress code, manner, and how you presented yourself in the school ground and public places. My mother enrolled me at YHS with the Principle, who I think was Mr Pullen, whilst Mr Finlayson was the Head Master.

Betty Jenkin (Veitch) YHS 1953 Congratulations once again on an excellent YOGA Newsletter. I did enjoy it. Could you please pass on two messages for me: 1. To - Judith Dolan (Dickson) on Page 6. Dear Judith, I was delighted to see the photo of the YHS Choir. I never had that one. However, I am in the back row, third from the left, just behind Jenny Scott. My name was Betty Veitch. The first of the G&S shows that we did was "The Pirates of Penzance". I was in the Chorus. I was in third form at the time.

Lachlan McPherson YHS 1962 : We get the Swimming Pool. My family moved to Yallourn in 1955, after spending the preceding years in leafy Kew in Melbourne's inner east. It was here that I first found out that I couldn't swim. At the ripe age of three, I thought I could, and jumped into the deep end of the Kew pool. Dragged out by lifesavers. (Pity, some would say, could've saved us a lot of bother later). To Yallourn. Beck's Bridge on the Latrobe. Yep, straight in again. Hauled out again. (Pity, again). It happened on a regular basis. (Pity again and again).

Crackers! - Lachlan McPherson YHS 1962

Judith Dolan (Dickson) YHS 1954 sent some photos and said:-

Jim Hazen (ex-teacher YHS 1963-1966) Jim wrote "It is now 40+ years since I first taught at Yallourn High School. It was the second High School I taught at after completing my university studies. My first was Drouin High School from 1961-1962. Yallourn has remained very fondly in my memory as I found the town, staff and students there very friendly, open and welcoming. Drouin had been much less so, especially the town and staff. The students at Drouin were great however. The four years I spent at Yallourn were very special.

Irma Esler (Verrall) YHS 1947 passed away peacefully in her sleep at home in Foster on Sunday, 10th October 2004. Irma’s passing was very sudden and totally unexpected, even though her heatlh had not been good for a number of years. Irma was very proud of her Yallourn Old Girls’ Association and didn’t miss too many reunions over the years, and as far as husband, Geoff, is concerned, she was the best thing ever to come out of Yallourn High School. Following is a poem Irma wrote some years ago and requested it be read at her funeral:-