OSCA
LEFT TO RIGHT : GEOFF SMITH (’ 58 ); JOHN STEWART (’ 68 ); DONALD WARD (’ 79 ); EAMONN BEAMISH (’ 79 ); BILL BORRIE (’ 80 )
Science at the University of Melbourne in 1985 , DONALD WARD (' 79 ) first worked in Clifton Hill . After living in various places he settled in Clifton Hill about 13 years ago .
He worked in Melbourne for a few years , including time at the Lost Dogs ' Home , and then moved to Scotland and lived just outside Edinburgh , in Dunfermline . ‘ I enjoyed Scottish life for seven years ,’ he told Great Scot , ‘ but then decided to return to the beaches and food of Victoria . I was lucky enough to continue working in Scotland during their summertime for 15 years after my return to Melbourne .’ Donald now works in a small veterinary practice in bayside Melbourne , and spends his weekends in Anglesea .
In partnership with his wife , Julie , EAMONN BEAMISH (’ 79 ) owns and operates Alliance Owners Corporation Management , located in Glen Iris . Eamonn and Julie have been married for 33 years , and have three children : two boys and a girl . Outside of work and family life , soccer , and in particular the Old Scotch Soccer Club , play an important part in Eamonn ’ s life . He has taken on many roles with the club , including as a player and later as a coach . Eamonn is currently Senior Coach of the club . He is a former coach of the 1st XI Soccer team at Scotch , a role he performed for six years .
Before joining the Old Scotch Soccer Club , Eamonn played for South Melbourne in the State League , and he was also selected in the Victorian under 19 soccer team . Although always preferring an active role as a player , coach and administrator , Eamonn does enjoy following the fortunes of Chelsea Football Club in the English Premier League .
1980s
After nearly 25 years teaching in the College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana USA , where he was a professor , BILL BORRIE (’ 80 ) is now with the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at Deakin University in Burwood .
While in the US , Bill was a long-time director of Clearwater Credit Union , a mutual savings bank with assets of around half a billion dollars . He was also a well-known broadcaster with the local affiliate of National Public Radio , an American non-profit media organisation .
Back now in Melbourne , Bill says it ’ s great to be able to rediscover the local parks and bushland reserves ( as well as more regularly catching up with old school buddies ). Just prior to leaving the US , he travelled to Scotland , where a coast-tocoast walk included crossing the ancestral lands of his forebears in the Tay River valley .
NICK HARPER ’ S (’ 89 ) working life has covered the full spectrum . He first worked in sales at Cadbury Schweppes for eight years , then ran his own wholesale / retail business for 11 years , and he now works for a medium-size firm , Martin & Pleasance , as Chief Operating Officer .
Nick and Katlin , his wife of 23 years , have a daughter , Olivia , and a son , Jonny , who is in Year 10 at Scotch . Nick enjoys camping and four-wheel driving with the children and friends . In 2017 he completed a Simpson Desert trip with two classmates from 1989 , TOM ANGLISS and ANTHONY WARNER .
Nick and his family holiday at Lorne every summer where they are involved with the surf club . Nick told Great Scot : ‘ Besides running a marathon each year ( very slowly ),
I ’ m also back into rowing with PETER FINDLAY (’ 89 ), PETER MILLINGTON (’ 88 ), JUSTIN NEGRI (’ 84 ) and NICK INGLIS (’ 90 ) at Yarra Yarra Rowing club . Although not as fit as in our younger days , we still enjoy pulling an oar and having a beer afterwards .’
1990s
Associate Professors JAMES MCMAHON (’ 92 ), STEVEN TONG (’ 92 ), SAM HUME (’ 93 ) and DOUG JOHNSON (’ 90 ) are all infectious diseases physicians working in Melbourne . Having all graduated within a few years of each other , they remain close colleagues and have been busy with the COVID-19 response over the last two years , with patient care , clinical research and infection control .
After leaving Scotch , Professor ANDREW METZ (’ 94 ) undertook medical training in Melbourne and Sydney before moving to Cambridge University Hospital in the UK , where he became Head of Endoscopy and a Consultant Physician . Six years ago , he returned to Australia to take up the same role at the Royal Melbourne Hospital . He is also Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne , and practises as a gastroenterologist at Epworth Hospital , Richmond .
Last year , Professor Metz was appointed the inaugural Director of the Jreissati Family Pancreatic Centre , a clinical , advocacy and research centre aimed at early diagnosis and improved quality of life and outcomes for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer . Despite the lockdown this year , the centre has raised over $ 3 million , and has commenced over 20 investigator-led clinical trials .
Andrew enjoys surfing at Anglesea , and travelling overseas with his wife Felicity ,
76 Great Scot Issue 164 – December 2021