OSA CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER

Dear Old Scholars

Welcome to our August edition of the OSA Connections newsletter.

The OSA Calendar is full of many wonderful opportunities to connect, network and enjoy a catch up with friends.

Please secure your ticket for the OSA Money Matters: Financial Literacy Seminar and Networking Event on Thursday 27 August. See more details below.

"(《世界人权宣言》) OSA Pin Presentation Assembly will form part of the Senior School Assembly on Monday 14 September, where many OSA families will be attending this special occasion with their daughters and granddaughters.

The fabulous OSA Art Exhibition Opening Night is on Thursday 17 September and the 欧空局艺术展 will run from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 September. Make sure you purchase your tickets for the Opening Night. Also, if you have a few hours free, please contact us to volunteer. It is such a fun event to get involved in. Thank you to Samantha Newall (Hamersley, 1993) for ensuring that this year’s OSA Art Exhibition will be another great success.

In celebration of the 130th anniversary of St Hilda’s the OSA co-sponsored the Perth Symphony Orchestra concert held at the School, honouring distinguished Old Scholar and a former Australian of the Year, Professor Fiona Stanley AC.

The annual OSA 70+ Morning Tea was attended by over 140 Old Scholars who enjoyed catching up with friends. Thank you to our wonderful attendees, volunteers, caterers, School staff for making this such a special occasion, and a special thanks to the Food & Technology students who made the most delicious cakes!

"(《世界人权宣言》) OSA Ammonite (Year 11 entry) Scholarship is open to applications. For more information on the scholarship and the application process, see below.

Continuing our series featuring former principals Sandra Naude and Pam Casellas (Greenway, 1970) have researched Una Mitchell’s years as Headmistress of St HiIda’s from 1947-1967. Please enjoy.

As always, we would love to hear from you. Please send us your news via oldscholars@sthildas.wa.edu.au, and if you need to update your contact details you can do so at the link below:

Click Here to Update Your Contact Details

致以最美好的祝愿、

阿曼达-伯特博士（科德，1989 年）
President of the GHS & St Hilda’s Old Scholars Association

There are a few days left to buy your tickets for OSA Money Matters.  This event is aimed at supoorting our younger Old Scholars as they study for degrees and start their careers.

The workshop will be presented by a senior advisor for TheWealthDesigners, Dawn Thomas.

This workshop is designed for young women (including non-Old Scholars) who want practical money knowledge which makes a difference for their futures. It is also an opportunity to enjoy a social drink and to network in the beautiful surroundings of St George’s College.

If you are an Old Scholar parent, please highlight this event to your daughter to help her to create early habits that will positively shape her financial wellbeing for years to come.  And she can invite her friends!

Do you know how to navigate your pay, superannuation, investing and building wealth early?

Financial literacy is more than just understanding dollars and cents. It’s about developing a mindset that values saving, investing, and making informed financial decisions. Early habits, whether good or bad, can shape financial wellbeing for years to come.

TheWealthDesigners’ workshop will cover:

• How career choices affect future wealth.
• Superannuation, investing and building wealth early.
• What is super, what do I need to know when I get my first super fund, why investing is powerful?
• Money mindset, money confidence, and goal setting.
• Receive free resources to help you stay on track.

Whether you’re studying, working, building your career or figuring out your next step, you’ll leave with some practical tools, fresh perspectives and resources to inform your financial decisions.

Date:    Thursday 27 August
Time:    6.30pm
地点：  The Ruth Rogers Room, St George’s College, Crawley

Cost:  $20 Old Scholars, and $25 Non Old Scholars. 

Buy Your Ticket Here

The session will be followed by drinks and refreshments (included in your ticket price).

We look forward to welcoming you to these upcoming events. Links to these events will be provided as the dates approach.

OSA MONEY MATTERS: FINANCIAL LITERACY SEMINAR & NETWORKING
Date: Thursday 27 August
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Venue: The Ruth Rogers Room, St George’s College, Crawley

OSA PIN PRESENTATION ASSEMBLY / LUNCH
Date: Monday 14 September
Time: 12.20pm – 2.00pm
Venue: Joy Shepherd Performing Arts Centre & Heritage Centre, Hope Nicholas House.

If you wish to check your daughter’s family connections to the School, please contact the Alumni Coordinator, Lizzie Warburton

OSA ART EXHIBITION OPENING NIGHT 
Date: Thursday 17 September
Time: 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Venue: JSPAC Foyer

OSA ART EXHIBITION 
Date: Friday 18 September
Time: 3.00pm – 6.00pm

Date: Saturday 19 September
Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm

Date: Sunday 20 September
Time: 10.00am – 3.00pm

Venue: JSPAC Foyer

OLD GIRLS’ GOLF DAY
Date:  TBA

OSA AGM & THANK YOU EVENING FOR OSA YEAR REPRESENTATIVES 
Date: Tuesday 13 October
Time: 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Venue: Gallery, Heritage Centre, Hope Nicholas House.

OSA SOCIAL GOLF DAY & LUNCH
Date: Friday 6 November
Time: 8.30am – 2.00pm
Venue: TBA

OSA CHRISTMAS CHAPEL SERVICE & REFRESHMENTS
Date:  Wednesday 2 December
Time: 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Venue: Whitby Chapel & Gallery, Heritage Centre, Hope Nicholas House.

On Wednesday 12 August, on a gorgeous sunny morning, we welcomed over 140 ladies from the Class of 1973 and earlier, back to the School Hall for the 2026 70+ Morning Tea.  Fiona Johnston gave an update on recent St Hilda’s news, and Father Philip Schonken delivered Grace.

The largest group in attendance was the Class of 1961, closely followed by 1963 and 1967. The Class of 1956 were also well represented and will be returning to School to celebrate their 70th Year Reunion in September.

Thank you to many people.  To the Technology and Commerce students who prepared the delicious traditional lemon and chocolate slices.  To the dozen Old Scholars who volunteered to help; setting up the tables and vases of native spring flowers the day before, serving coffees and teas, assisting on the shuttle bus,  and running the raffle on the day.

To the Facilities and Catering team, for driving the shuttle bus, assisting with set-up, coffee, teas and food.

This event has always been a highlight in the Old Scholar calendar and 2026 was no exception.

Date:  Saturday 19 December
Time & Venue: 4.30 – 6.00pm  Heritage Centre & Tour of School
Next Venue: From 6.00pm Mosman Park Bowling Club

Link: https://www.trybooking.com/DPDKO

Organiser: Sarah Wallace 

SAVE THE DATE

Date:  Saturday 31 October
地点：  4.00pm Heritage Centre & Tour
Next Venue: 6.00pm Claremont Yacht Club
RSVP:  Please RSVP via the link below.

RSVP Here

Organisers: Kate Buffham (Thompson), Cindy Kempton and Jane Barker

Date: Saturday 21 November
Time & Venue: 4.00 Heritage Centre & Tour of School
Next Venue:     5.30pm The Albion Hotel, The Boardroom.
Cost:  $100

在此注册

Organisers: Pia Rigby Marazzi, Sue Ransom (Clarke) and Jane Henderson (Dadour).

Date: Sunday 25 October 2026
Time & Venue: 3pm Heritage Centre
Next Venue: 4pm Reunion at 45 Keane Street, Peppermint Grove, WA 6011
Cost: $75

RSVP: Sue Gillett on sue.whms@iinet.net.au

Organisers: Sue Gillett (Wisbey) & Ann Treadgold (Cariss)

Date:  Friday 11 September 2026
Time & Venue: 

RSVP:  oldscholars@sthildas.wa.edu.au

Organisers: Deanne Newman (Benney) & Robin Creswell (Cummins)

The Class of 1969 are invited to an informal gathering at Jenny Fowler’s (Boyle) home in December.

Date: Friday 4 December 2026 at 6pm
地点： Unit 306, 4-6 Doepel Street, North Fremantle
RSVP by 1 December 26 to either:

(BYO drinks or canapés to be arranged upon RSVP).

Di Hann (Crane) 0431 379 451 divahann@gmail.com

or Trina Quinlan (Cameron)  0414 667 480 quinlan.catriona@gmail.com

The OSA Ammonite Scholarship provides support in Years 11 and 12 to a daughter, granddaughter or great granddaughter of a financial member of the Old Scholars Association.  This scholarship is intended to recognise a girl who is an all-rounder, rather than selecting a winner based solely on academic achievement.

OSA Ammonite Scholarship Application

The 20 year reign of Una Mitchell as Headmistress saw a considerable expansion of the school, in both numbers of students and the facilities to accommodate them. 

While some confess to finding her a rather formidable presence, there is no denying that she was a great advocate for women’s education, far-sighted in her views and she was dedicated to perfection in all she undertook. 

Born in 1900, Una spent her first 11 years in the Goldfields town of Menzies, where her father was a prospector. She was taught by her mother until she was able to begin formal education and then attended Perth College, where she was regarded as “a fine student and able leader”, ending her final year there as Head Prefect. 

Miss Mitchell in the 1940s.

Una initially studied science at the University of Queensland before returning to Western Australia to complete her bachelor’s degree in science. In 1922 she joined the staff of St Peter’s College, Adelaide, leaving twelve years later as the Senior Science mistress.

Una spent the next two years achieving her bachelor’s degree in education, with Honours, which enabled her to become the headmistress at the Canberra Church of England School for Girls in 1937; a decade-long position. 

Her wide experience in education meant that she was well suited to becoming headmistress of St Hilda’s in 1947. She realised that women’s education was changing and modernising and that women needed to be adaptable. 

Una Mitchell with Pauline Wright (McClemans, 1921)

In her 20 years she oversaw the expansion of school numbers from 220 to more than 600, dealing with the difficulties of the post-war period and the endless battle to balance finances. She also had to deal with the polio epidemic which brought attention to the need to provide more space in the boarding house, to allow for more isolation. 

The pressure on space was so great that at one point in 1948 the Goode family, living nearby, lent their dining room as a teaching space, while a new classroom was prepared on campus.  The new Junior School was opened 1951 and, by 1956, when the loan to build the St Hilda’s campus was repaid, the School was able borrow more to expand facilities further. 

In a landmark move for the School, the Council of the Church of England Schools ceased to exist, and St Hilda’s was able to form its own governing body with representatives from the Parents’ Association, the Old Scholar’s Association (OSA) and the archbishop’s appointees, thus having the ability to fundraise. 

Miss Mitchell with the Prefects of 1967.

School numbers increased to the point where a fourth faction house, De Grey, was created in 1954. By 1955 there were 592 students, including 115 boarders and there was an increased pressure on School facilities.  A building fund seeking £50,000 was launched with the OSA pledging £10,000 over 10 years. In 1958 a neighbouring house, Innerhadden, was purchased from the Bunning family, and added to the campus.

1962 Whitby House (formerly Innerhadden, and then Mitchell House) with Parnell House behind.

This building was renamed Mitchell House; its spacious rooms were much loved by boarders and the downstairs rooms were used as common rooms and for music practice, and speech nights were held on the lawns. In the 1970s, when the new Una Mitchell classroom block was built, it was renamed again as Whitby House.  The old house was eventually demolished for the new library.

In a move that was ahead of its time, Miss Mitchell instigated a plan to limit radio and television time, to encourage better reading and therefore better spelling! Boarders were allowed the use of their transistor radios only on weekends. 

Miss Mitchell also continued her decades-long ambition of building a school chapel, in the firm belief that a church school needed one. 

The opening of the two-storey Parnell House in 1960 was a major achievement for the School, allowing senior boarders their own cubicles. The OSA contributed £5,000 to its construction. 

The Science laboratories were opened on Sunday September 18 1960. The Science block was a gift from The Parents’ Association.

Miss Mitchell’s science inclination no doubt encouraged her to the building of the science block, after the School secured a grant of 60% of the cost. And in 1965 the swimming pool was built and in use. 

Una Mitchell retired in 1967 and a valedictory in that year’s Chronicle said: “Miss Mitchell is to be remembered for her selflessness, for her love of perfection – a thing done must be well done; her kindly guidance and tolerance, her understanding of adversity.” 

After retirement she was appointed Chairman of the Conference of Independent Girls’ Schools of Australia and was President of the National Headmistresses’ Association from 1965 to 1968. She was widely regarded as an inspiring Science teacher and highly respected principal, who had high educational and moral standards, encouraging girls to have ‘a high regard for personal integrity, to be adaptable and to have enquiring minds and the spirit of adventure.’ 

She died in 1983 after a long illness.

I never imagined in my wildest dreams, when I started at St Hilda’s in Year 7, as a very shy and quiet girl, that I would be writing an article for the OSA Newsletter about my career journey, from Washington, D.C., as a senior public servant and Australian Diplomat. How did I get here? A question that I often ask myself!

1986 Chronicle Committee.

I can vividly remember the uncertainty of selecting subjects in year 10 for years 11 and 12. I had no idea what I wanted to do, what my life after school would look like and what career I would have. I knew the subjects I enjoyed (definitely not Maths), English, History and Home Economics, not really earth-shattering career-making subjects. I was a slightly above-average student, worked relatively hard and scraped through my Tertiary Entrance Exam (Year 12) with enough points to get into university. Thinking I would be a Home Economics teacher, I started at Curtin University in an Applied Science degree and quickly discovered that wasn’t for me. Still not knowing what my career would be, I gave Primary Teaching a shot and moved to Edith Cowan University. I completed this degree, but knew deep down this wasn’t me either. After graduating, I didn’t teach and floated around doing different office jobs, including conveyancing and dental reception, and also dabbled in teaching ballet.

In the early 1990s, I became an entrepreneur! Completely unexpected and an experience that set the course for where I am now. My partner and I took the plunge (his idea) and established our own information technology company. I had no formal qualifications, was terrified a lot of the time, but loved it. We sold and installed enterprise resource planning software to medium-sized WA companies. We were quite successful, and our little company grew from the front room of our house to offices located in Perth and Melbourne with 22 staff. Unfortunately, the early 2000s saw the end of our company, and I was again back questioning what to do next.

Using the experience and knowledge gained from my company days, I enrolled into degree number two – Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at Murdoch University. I completed this degree at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) after relocating across the country. It was at the UTS graduate careers fair that I stumbled across the Australian Public Service as a viable career option when I found the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO). This sparked something within me that I had never contemplated or knew that I wanted to do: service to my country without putting on a uniform. I only applied for four jobs on graduation and put all my effort into getting one of the few graduate positions at the DMO. I really wanted it. A lecturer once said, “You spend 80% of your life at work, make sure it’s something you like and want to do”, and being an Australian Public Servant is something I really enjoy.

2011 Award Certificate.

My career in the Public Service has been entirely within the Department of Defence, a behemoth of an organisation that delivers some of the most complex and challenging acquisitions and asset management, procuring leading-edge capabilities which keep Australia’s Defence Force personnel safe.

I have had experiences that I am thankful for and have been able to explore and try so many different ‘careers’ in one organisation. I started as a finance graduate and have moved through commercial and contract management, diving and hyperbaric asset management, cryptographic asset management, supporting Defence ministers, and working with industry, both large and small. I have been fortunate to further my studies in fields related to my work, completing an Advanced Certificate in Diving and Hyperbaric Technology (Robert Gordon University, Scotland) and a Masters of Sustainment Management (University of NSW). So much for not liking maths! I have a much greater appreciation for the subject now.

Writing this, I have looked back on the “pinch me” moments I have been lucky enough to experience since joining the APS in 2006. I’ve flown a Boeing 707 (don’t worry, only in a simulator), I’ve learnt more than I ever thought I could about diving, from scuba to deep rebreathers and everything in between. My time working with Navy Clearance Divers and Special Forces divers gave me a different perspective on life. Supporting them in their very difficult and challenging job is something I will always remember. I entered the world of cryptography and other critical communications (HF, UHF, VLF), often in the realm of engineering and mathematics, and was privileged to oversee the Harold E. Holt facility in Exmouth, a breathtaking location that drew me back to my WA roots. I have represented Australia at NATO Headquarters. Sitting at the table with all NATO nations and interpreting via earpieces was an opportunity few get. I have walked the halls of the Pentagon and sat in meetings with a Danish prince. I have worked with former Prime Ministers, state Premiers, senior United States, Canadian and United Kingdom officials, supported current Defence Ministers and engaged with very senior global defence industry leaders. A job in the Public Service is not dull!

I hope my career journey demonstrates that it’s okay not to know what you want to do or be when you leave school. Take on unexpected opportunities, be open to new experiences, embrace life-long learning, failure is ok and be brave. I am no longer that very shy and quiet girl who started in Year 7, and I’m sure my time at St Hilda’s prepared me for where I am now.

We are very sorry to announce that the following Old Scholars have passed away.

17 September 1936 – May 2026

1954 Miss Mitchell and Prefects. Back L-R: Jill Maughan, Sally McConnell, Margaret Holthouse, Errol Moss, Toby Krantz. Second Row L-R: Margaret Irwin, Susan Rowan, Corinne Brand, Felicity Howill, Valerie James, Miss Mitchell, Judith Barrett, Judy Downing. Front L-R: Mary Reynolds, June Cruikshank, Berta Johnstone, Susan Beech, Junette Shepherd.

At school Toby Krantz was a great contributor as House Secretary in her penultimate year and House Captain of Gascoyne. In 1954 there was a big change to the house system and Toby graciously announced in her first report as House Captain, “the even tenor of our way was momentarily broken when De Grey was formed.  Many of our members left us and we would like to wish them – and all De Grey – good luck for the future”.

She was also a keen hockey player and enjoyed drama.

Toby went on to study history achieving a PhD and in 1980 co-authored a history book ‘The Beginning- European Discovery and Early Settlement of Swan River, Western Australia’. She also enjoyed cooking and was a very active life member of the West Australia Bridge Club, serving as President in 1997-1998.

Toby’s daughter Susan (Manford, 1976) attended St Hilda’s, as did her granddaughters Amy (2010) and Chloe (2012) Manford.

17 April 1946 – 11 July 2026

Jill,who lived on a farm in Beverley, became a boarder at St Hilda’s in 1969 together with her sisters, Lesley Barrett-Lennard (1962) and Sally Smith (Barrett-Lennard, 1968).

Jill made life-long friends especially amongst the boarding community and was affectionally known as Jillie Beans.  She was a school prefect in 1963 and represented the school in hockey and athletics. She was also a member of the library committee in 1962.

On leaving school Jill trained as a nurse at Princess Margaret Hospital along with a number of her school friends. She then travelled within the state and overseas before marrying Allan in 1974.

Her daughter Belinda attended St Hilda’s in the 1990s. Jill died on 11 July after a long illness and at her funeral, which was attended by over 200 people, we were able to celebrate a fulfilling and wonderful life. May she rest in peace.

• When and how an executor is appointed
• The probate process
• Record keeping requirements
• Fiduciary duties
• Legal compliance and potential liabilities

There are a number of positions being advertised at St Hilda’s.