THE GRADUATE UNION
NEWSLETTER December 2023
Join Us
Live Here
Meet Here
CONTENTS 3
What’s on in December
GU Promotion 4 5 6 7
End-of-Year Private Function Menu - Christmas BBQ menu End-of-Year Private Function Menu - Traditional Christmas menu Christmas-themed Lunches in December Graduate House Summer Specials
GU Collegiate 8
End-of-Year Celebration
Our Members 9
Members Interview Series An interview with Associate Professor Michael Menden
Reciprocal Club 12
University Club of Western Australia, The University of WA
Review 14 17
October Luncheon with Professor Mary Galea AM FAHMS November Dinner with Brigadier Bob Slater AM
Graduate House News 21
Organisations’ patronage
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Congratulations Rosie: 30 years of dedication and loyalty
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Master Class series
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Valete: Tribute to former Graduate Union Secretary-Warden: Geoffrey R. Fairhall
Editor: Shirley Ho Email: shirley.ho@graduatehouse.com.au/ publications@graduatehouse.com.au All images used in this publication are the resources of The Graduate Union and public sourced domains.
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WHATS ON IN DECEMBER
Dear Members, Our End-of-Year Celebration will be held on Friday, 1st December. Please see details on page 8. We aim to strengthen and broaden the spirit of our community, by bringing together our members from different backgrounds in this fun celebration. At 8:00pm, there will be a performance by Helen Kerr-Lawley, a renowned singer of opera, operetta, cabaret and musicals. The evening will include excellent canapes and drinks in a convivial atmosphere, as is the tradition of The Graduate Union. Please RSVP no later than Monday, 27th November 2023, to assist with the planning.
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Friday
END-OF-YEAR CELEBRATION 6:30pm for 9.00pm With entertainment at 8:00pm with acclaimed singer Helen Kerr-lawley. Free for Members. RSVP by Monday, 27th November 2023.
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Friday
SPECIAL BARISTA BEVERAGE 7:30am – 8:30am Special breakfast beverage for inhouse Residents at Graduate House, served from 7.30am to 8.30am only. Free for Resident Members.
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Wednesday
WOMEN’S FORUM
10:00am for 10:30am start Bring in any clippings from publications that have amused you and share the laughters with the friendly ladies!
06, 13
Wednesday
BRIDGE NIGHTS 7:15pm – 9:30pm Join us for Bridge Nights every Wednesday evening. All levels of bridge players welcome. Player fees: Members $2, non-Members $5. Food and beverages at bar prices.
FOR BOOKINGS: phone: (03) 9347 3428 email: admingh@graduatehouse.com.au website: www.graduatehouse.com.au 3
GU PR OMOTI O N
Book you End-of-Year Private Event with us!
Function Menu Christmas Barbeque Menu Available 6th November to 18th December 2023 Set menu for lunch or dinner In the Graduate House Courtyard
Main Course
Porterhouse steak (gf) (df) Marinated lamb skewers (gf) (df) Gourmet sausages Lemon garlic chicken (gf) Vegetarian burgers (v) Grilled haloumi cheese and summer vegetable platter (gf) (v) Onions (v+) (gf) Baked potatoes with herb sour cream (gf) (v) Spicy grilled tofu (v+) (gf) Selection of summer salads (v) (gf)
Desser�
Blueberry pavlova (v) (gf), Fruit salad and cream (v) (gf)
$67.50 per person Minimum 25 Guests (df) dairy free (gf) gluten free (v) vegetarian (v+) vegan 4
G U PRO M OT IO N
Book you End-of-Year Private Event with us!
Function Menu Traditional Christmas Available 6th November to 18th December 2023 Set menu for lunch or dinner / Table service is 50/50
Ent�ée
Prawn, mango and avocado salad with lime (gf) (df) Asian squash salad with crispy duck (gf) (df) Goat cheese, grilled eggplant, capsicum and sundried tomato salad (v) (gf) (vegetarian option)
Main Course
Seasoned turkey breast with apricot and roasted macadamia nuts stuffing served with roasted vegetables and gravy (gf) (df) Grilled salmon with fennel, red pepper, green olives and saffron orange vinaigrette (gf) (df) Vegetarian filo curry with mushroom sauce (v+) (vegetarian option)
Desser�
Plum pudding with custard brandy sauce (v) Mixed berry pavlova (gf) (v) Summer fruit salad (v+) (gf) Two courses $64.50 per person Three courses $75.50 per person Minimum 15 Guests (df) dairy free (gf) gluten free (v) vegetarian (v+) vegan 5
GU PR OMOTI O N
Christmas-themed Lunches Available every Wednesday in December ( 6th, 13th, 20th ) Lunch 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Members $14/ Non-Members $20. Booking is required for larger groups
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G U PRO M OT IO N
Graduate House Summer Specials As the weather heats up, why not reach out for something refreshing to cool off on hot summer days. Available for a limited time only, from now till mid-December, at Graduate House
Healthy smoothies Choose from three flavours 1. Very Berry blueberries loaded, fresh mint, plant-based milk, ice
2. Sunshine in a Glass fresh lemon, plant-based milk, ice, fresh mint
3. Heavenly Chocolate cocoa, banana, chia seeds, ice, plant-based milk *Very Berry and Sunshine In a Glass are vegan friendly. *Dairy option available for all flavours.
$6.50 each
$6.50 each also available
Affogato
espresso coffee, vanilla ice cream. *Vegan option available.
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GU COL L EGI ATE
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O U R M EM BERS
Members Interview Series
Councillor and Vice- Chair of The Graduate Union Council, Emeritus Professor Martin Comte OAM, interviewed Resident member, Associate Professor Michael Menden recently.
Resident Member, Associate Professor Michael Menden I’m most grateful to you, Michael, for agreeing to be interviewed. I know that you, your wife and young daughter stayed with us for some months this year. How did you choose Graduate House? My wife, Emma Carter and I, along with our daughter Isabelle, re-located from Germany and needed to find temporary accommodation until we could find a permanent place. Graduate House has been perfect for us, and it offered so much flexibility. Also, we didn’t have to take care of breakfast and dinner! Particularly when you have a child, having the flexibility that Graduate House afforded was great; we especially needed to consider her. Further, we are close to the university and everything is within walking distance. There are some nice parks and playgrounds around, some wonderful running tracks, and it’s not far from Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Museum and IMAX. Our arrival in mid-July coincided with Open Day at The University of Melbourne and
my six year-old daughter found this very exciting; for example in one of the laboratories, there was a machine that measured body surface temperature which you could see in a heat camera, and she had fun with that!
Which German city had you been working in before coming here? I worked in Munich for the last four-and-a-half years.
The school terms and school year here are different from those in Europe: was adjusting to the differences difficult for your daughter? Children start school at a later age in Germany, and the school year starts in September, so we wanted to move here before my daughter would have begun school. My wife and I did some home schooling for her in Germany to prepare her for school here.
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OUR ME MBE R S
And I understand that you had a position at The University of Melbourne to take-up here. Yes, I took-up an Associate Professor position in the Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology in the School of Biomedical Sciences.
Your wife, Emma Carter, is also highly credentialled and has a position at The University of Melbourne. What is her field? Emma’s PhD was in Education and Psychology and she is now working as a Senior Post-Doc at the University of Cambridge in the area of international development looking at schooling systems in African countries, particularly in Ghana and Rwanda. She was also fortunate to secure a McKenzie Fellowship at The University of Melbourne, which is a highly prestigious Fellowship that aims to recruit researchers who have the potential to build and lead cross-disciplinary collaborative research.
Since I began this series of interviews you are the first person I have interviewed who has come with a family. As you have already indicated, there are many more things that need to be considered compared to coming here alone. What led you to Graduate House? When I received the job offer in the School of Biomedical Sciences, two places were suggested as possibilities for temporary accommodation: Graduate House and one of the other colleges. Graduate House was more appealing because it especially caters for graduates and academics; we preferred this to living as a family with younger undergraduates.
You indicated that you recently found a house and have now moved out. Yes, we have found a place that is closer to my daughter’s school; whilst we were living at Graduate House she had to commute by bus and also had a long walk and was finding this difficult. So, moving closer to her school made sense; her happiness was a prime consideration. She is attending a small German school which we are very pleased with; it is much smaller than schools in Germany. I’m most impressed with the fact that it is so different from the ‘rigid’ system of schooling that I experienced in Germany.
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Your PhD is from Cambridge University? Yes, and so is my wife’s; that’s where we met. Computational Biology was my field, and hers was Educational Psychology. She is Australian with a British born father.
When did you graduate with your PhD? In November 2016, but I stayed on in the UK working as a Senior Scientist for Astra Zeneca for two-and-a-half years. After that I moved back to Germany as Group Leader at the Institute of Computational Biology in Helmholtz Munich. I remain a Principal Investigator there, supervising 12 PhD students and 2 postdocs. Already, some of my research students from the laboratory there are now working with me here in Melbourne. I’m also continuing to work with others who could not come here because of family reasons. So I’m having a lot of night meetings – and a lot of night supervision – because of the time difference between the two countries.
What was it about the position here at The University of Melbourne that appealed to you? First of all, my wife and I were seeking places where we could both work in our respective research interest fields. We were looking for excellent research hubs in her field and mine. There were a few on our list, but we found the one in Melbourne really interesting. The medical precinct here is just amazing and is producing a wealth of data sets. And on top of this you can just go ‘next door’ and talk to the researchers: “Can we start a collaboration?” or “Can we explore data sets together?”. I can regularly interact with them, jointly driving hypotheses and customising algorithms to disease biology.
Michael, how would you describe your current research? We use advanced computational methods, including machine learning, biostatistics and artificial intelligence, to find better ways to stratify patients to enable precision medicine, and for this we customise our algorithms to disease biology knowledge and prior knowledge from experts which we obtain by tight collaborations with partners who produce the data. We come from a cancer biology background, but have also been extending our expertise in other
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disease segments which are driven by good data sets and good collaborations. As scientists we work together so that we can develop joint hypotheses and get something into clinics where you can get more customised treatments for the patient. In essence, I am working in a concentrated hub for biomedical research which brings together diverse research expertise and is thus an incubator to deliver novel treatment strategies and address unmet clinical needs.
I always like to ask the people I interview if there is anything that Graduate House can do better for our members and residents. You have a lovely reading room, and the table tennis is very nice: I think having some board games that you could borrow and play would be nice as well.
Board games are not normally things that you bring with you. They can be fun for socialising. And we love having the piano – in fact both pianos. I should also mention that the staff, including the kitchen staff, are super nice. We had one of the flats in the Stella Langford Wing which was very quiet.
Michael, on the occasions when I went to Graduate House during meal time it was also a pleasure to see you, your wife and your daughter in the dining room. Thank you for the special things that you all brought to our Graduate House community in the months that you lived here. I wish you all the very best in your new city.
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Emma, Isabelle and Michael Menden 11
REC IPROCAL CLUB N EWS
University Club of Western Australia The University of Western Australia
Contact: 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009 Phone: +61 8 6488 8770 www.universityclub.uwa.edu.au/ Address: Entrance 1 Hackett Drive, Crawley, WA About The Club Situated just eight minutes drive from the Perth CBD on the banks of the Swan River, The University Club of Western Australia is positioned on one of the world’s most beautiful university campuses with breathtaking views overlooking the pristine Matilda Bay and the Perth city skyline, making the Club the perfect place to relax or entertain in style. Boasting one of the best locations on Hackett Drive in Crawley, the multi-award-winning University Club of Western Australia blends the luxury of a first-class conference and event facility with the intimacy of a Club environment. In addition to that, The Club is surrounded by heritage-listed buildings and magnificent landscaped gardens, and offers unparalleled photographic opportunities along the water, with giant trees and flowers. It offers beautiful ceremony and wedding receptions. The fine cuisine, impeccable service and five star facilities that the Club offers its corporate clients, Members and their guests ensures a truly memorable experience.
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Club Facilities Conferences and banquets - The University Club's blend of award-winning cuisine and impeccable service has earned it a reputation as Perth's premier conference and event destination. Weddings - Situated on the Matilda Bay foreshore by heritage listed building and lush landscape makes it for a perfect venue for a spectacular wedding. The following settings are available: • The Garden ceremony with two magnificent locations options - .either in the Tropical grove or the Sunken garden with its grassed terraces. and caters to 40 guests. • The Banquet hall offers natural daylight with massive floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the magnificent Matilda Bay. It caters to 300 cocktail-style guests and 250 seated guests. • The formal Dining room also overlooks Matilda Bay with its full-length windows. It also offers flexible seating arrangements. • Balcony and terrace are perfect for cocktail weddings with views of the landscaped terrace and lush gardens. The balcony caters to 60 guests, while the terrace caters to 150 guests.
R EC IPR O CA L C LU B NEWS
The Club Café & Bar is located on Ground floor
The Club Café & Bar is located on Ground floor
Club restaurant
Lounge Bar
Club Dining - Visitors to the Club are spoilt for choice with a selection of stylish venues and award-winning cuisine. • Located on the ground floor, The Club Café & Bar is a relaxed and contemporary space which overlooks UWA’s historic University Arts precinct and the beautiful Matilda Bay. Boasting spacious, contemporary interiors and surrounded by wide verandas and terraces, the Café & Bar was designed with casual dining in mind. The Club Café & Bar offers an extensive àla carte menu, a range of delicious daily specials and a busy calendar filled with special events and regular dining promotions. The Club Café & Bar is the perfect place for a quick, healthy meal or relaxing break with friends and colleagues. • The Club Restaurant and Lounge Bar on Level 1 offer diners a casual elegance, boasting a modern, contemporary décor with casual and more formal dining spaces. The menu features items that are perfect for sharing and a delicious àla carte menu. Those interested in a less formal dining experience can enjoy a casual drink, cocktail, or coffee and share plate in the beautiful Lounge Bar overlooking Matilda Bay. Events and Promotions - The club plays host to a variety of social, professional and educational activities designed to engage members, guests and visitors to the Club.
Accommodation Options While there are no accommodation facilities in The Club, there are a number of accommodation options within walking distance or a short drive to The University Club Western Australia. UWA's Residential Colleges - commonly referred to as College Row - provide hassle-free student accommodation in Perth. The accommodation includes meals, wi-fi, all utilities and a great community of friends. Crawley Village is a group of residential houses, units and studio apartments owned and operated by the University. All of the properties are close to campus, local shopping and entertainment areas and only a short bus ride away from Perth's city centre.
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Crawley Village
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October Luncheon 'Advances in stroke rehabilitation and the continuum of care' with Professor Mary Galea AM FAHMS Department of Medicine, (Royal Melbourne Hospital) The University of Melbourne Chair, Stroke Association of Victoria
Background Advances in stroke rehabilitation is important because stroke is a very big deal in Australia and around the world and is one of the leading causes of disability. In Australia, one stroke occurs every 19 minutes which is a shocking statistic and in all the time that I have been in this area, the actual number of incidents have not decreased despite much effort to prevent stroke e.g watching diet, getting exercise, and having regular blood pressure check ups. Almost half a million Australians are living with the effects of stroke, which can be multiple and treatment depends on the area of the brain that is affected. Some victims faced: — difficulty with communication — restricted movement, balancing and long term disability. — losing their ability to be employed — mental health challenges — reduced participation in society. The other shocking thing is that 30% of victims are of working age. Stroke also affects young people and children - the numbers are increasing. 65% suffer some disability that affects mobility, communication, independence, quality of life and ability to return to work. The financial cost of stroke is $5 billion; $2.2 billion are financial burden on individuals and $222 million are due to caregiver costs.
Acute management of stroke has great strives in recent times and more people are surviving now because of the care available. If a stroke is caused by a clot that impedes blood flow to the brain, there are two types of treatment available: — Thrombolysis (clot-busting) which involves the infusion of a drug (tPA – tissue plasminogen activator) within 4-5 hours of a stroke. — Thrombectomy where blood clot in a major artery that’s affecting blood flow to the brain is captured by this stent device which is fed through an artery, captures the clot and then pulls it out, thus removing blood clots and helps restore blood flow to the brain. Thrombectomy is only effective at treating ischaemic strokes caused by a blood clot in a large artery in the brain. These treatments are time-limited and only suitable for selected patients. They have improved survival rates after stroke, and extent to brain damage is reduced. This highlights the importance of mobile stroke units, they provides rapid diagnosis and treatment for patients suffering a stroke. A Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) is a fully-equipped, custom-built specialist Ambulance Victoria vehicle that comes equipped with a built-in CT scanner and carries acute stroke specialists
Rehabilitation after stroke is important because this is the key that improves the outcomes and the 14
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in the brain can be altered or enhanced with environmental input, e.g. someone who uses their fingers a great deal, such as a violinist will have a greater representation of their fingers in the brain than a non-violinist.
immediate and long-term function. The only way that they can get better and get back to their lives is to get appropriate rehabilitation which can increase independence irrespective of their age, severity of the stroke or the type of stroke. You need a therapist to be able to carry out these rehabilitation technics and personalised medicine because every individual is different. and it needs to be tailored to a patient's needs.
A number of devices (e.g. the ableX and ReJoyce) use computer games to assist stroke survivors improve the use of their affected arm and hand. These are being used in the Hand Hub at the Royal Park Rehabilitation Centre. The ArmMotusTM is a new rehabilitation robot developed by engineers at The University of Melbourne in collaboration with clinicians.
However, many patients do not receive sufficient rehabilitation. Nowadays, the period of inpatient rehabilitation period to get a patient back to their optimum has been significantly reduced to an average of 21 days, resulting in patients being discharged with significant disability.
Specificity of training: Rehabilitation is tailored to each individual, as a stroke will affect everyone differently.
While rehabilitation in the Home is provided to eligible patients, this is less intense than in-centre rehabilitation. There is an increased burden on informal carers and social care services to manage stroke-related chronic disability with little or no support. There are no coordinated framework to support ongoing recovery of function. there is a great need for a coordinated post-stroke continuum of care.
Exercise /Fitness Exercise is the best thing anyone can do to the brain; it is really important for the repair of the nervous system, it can stimulate and aid with recovery as well as maintain the brain. Exercise can favourably influence brain plasticity. Animal studies have shown that:
How does recovery occur after a stroke? ̶
Early treatment after stroke is a very important factor. Spontaneous recovery immediately following a stroke is a reparative process occurring immediately following the injury. In the end, recovery is accompanied by significant structural brain reorganizations so there is a shift in the control of movement, such as the ability to speak. Training is a critical factor in promoting brain reorganisation and recovery of function. ̶
Aerobic exercise upregulates BDNF (brainderived neurotrophic factor) near the injury. This is a key molecule involved in changes in the brain to improve memory and learning. Stroke survivors demonstrate low cardiorespiratory fitness levels. ̶ This may contribute to a lack of progress in rehabilitation. ̶ Aerobic exercise in stroke survivors improves cardiorespiratory fitness, cholesterol levels, and glucose tolerance.
Factors that influence change: •
•
The environment - this is one of the most important factor that influences change because an enriched environment involves social interaction, stimulation of sensory and cognitive function, movement, and variety. An enriched environmental program during inpatient rehabilitation has been found to lead to significant improvements in functional and cognitive ability compared with usual ward activity programs. Training and personal factors Uses/Practices: The adage “use it or lose it” is very important with regard to nervous system function which continuously remodels its neural circuitry in order to encode new experiences and enable behavioural change. Neural circuits that are not biologically active will degrade in function. Representations of the body
Low intensity aerobic exercise reduces lesion size, cell death and inflammation.
•
Neuromodulation This is the alteration of nerve activity through targeted delivery of a stimulus (e.g. electrical stimulation) to specific parts of the nervous system). Examples include: ̶
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) ̶
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) - used to treat depression The evidence to date is poor, there are few studies, small sample sizes and inconsistent findings. Other forms of neuromodulation are: Translingual nerve stimulation. ̶ Involves stimulation of the tongue.
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328 went on to further study. ̶
Patient-reported outcomes using standardised questionnaires showed significant improvements in stroke outcomes (strength, hand function activities of daily living, mobility, communication, emotion, memory and thinking and participation in society), psychological well-being, and occupational self-efficacy. ̶
Based on estimates from Deloitte Access Economics (The economic cost of stroke in Australia 2020), the estimated productivity gain was over $12 million. ̶
Unfortunately, despite these positive outcomes, no further funding was provided for the Stroke Support Centres and they have been closed down.
Can lead to long-lasting functional improvement when coupled with specific training of balance and walking. ̶
A pilot study in stroke survivors conducted by Professor Mary Galea showed that the combination of translingual stimulation with intensive physiotherapy was superior to intensive physiotherapy alone in improving walking and balance. Transcutaneous spinal cord neuromodulation ̶ Used most extensively in spinal cord injury to improve upper or lower extremity function. A trial to improve upper limb function in people with spinal cord injury led by Professor Galea is currently underway. ̶
Has not yet been used in stroke.
The continuum of care: Stroke Support Centres The Stroke Association of Victoria established Stroke Support Centres as a novel, non-clinical, equitable, low-cost and sustainable model to meet the needs of stroke survivors and their families; and are designed to complement existing health services and bridge the gap between discharge and return to the community. These centres are staffed by part-time coordinators and supported by trained volunteers and they provide welcoming and accessible community spaces that support engagement, socialisation, and opportunities to engage in a broad range of activities.
Summary Rehabilitation is the key to improving outcomes after stroke. For the continuum of care, Stroke Support Centres have the following advantages: ̶ Are embedded in and supported by the local communities. Provide peer support and act as a vehicle for coordination of services to facilitate stroke survivors’ ability to manage their health, participate fully in society, and obtain support for their ongoing recovery. ̶
Provide the ideal structure to resolve the current fragmentation of stroke care in the community and address key unmet needs: self-management skills, secondary stroke prevention strategies, ongoing support for recovery, and vocational support. ̶
Have the potential to improve survivorship, physical and mental health, communication, and quality of life of stroke survivors and their families. ̶
Are an economically scalable solution to a national problem. ̶
Ought to be funded!
The Stroke Association initiated a successful pilot study of the Stay at Work Initiative (supported by the AMP Foundation and Deakin University), which led to the development of a Vocation Support Program.
̶
There were initial establishment of two centres in Geelong and Bendigo in 2017-2018. With funding from Safer Care Victoria, three further centres were established in regional areas of Ballarat, Shepparton, Morwell (2021-2022). There is also the implementation of a Vocation Support Program in all five Centres. A formal evaluation of the Stroke Support Centres showed that over the period July 2021- May 2023:
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5,125 new stroke survivors accessed the Centres. ̶
3,298 stroke survivors accessed financial support. ̶
2,320 were referred for further clinical support. ̶
962 stroke survivors resumed paid work (456 returned to their current employer). ̶
387 commenced volunteer work.
If you have any questions on 'stroke rehabilitation and the continuum of care, please send them to publications@graduatehouse.com.au. Professor Mary Galea has very kindly consented to answering any queries you may have regarding this subject. Thank You Mary, for the interesting and informative presentation on Advances in stroke rehabilitation and the continuum of care'.!
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November Dinner George Selth Coppin: a shaper of Victoria. The colourful life and the exemplary legacy he left for Victoria
told by Brigadier Bob Slater AM
Overview: George Coppin was one of the great characters of the 1900s. He was a man of many talents. – establishing many businesses and buildings in the southeast of Australia. Referred to as the ‘Father of the Australian theatre’ and the ‘Father of Sorrento', it was the toss of a coin that brought the extraordinary George Coppin and his partner, Maria Burroughs to the Australian shores. He built theatres, owned hotels, became a member of the Victorian Parliament, helped form the St John Ambulance, established Old Colonists’ for retired actors and developed the seaside resort of Sorrento where he built his country home, The Anchorage plus much more. Born in 1819, Sussex, England, Coppin’s parents, were people from the stage. He came from an educated family line, his grandfather was a Vicar of Norwich. His father was disowned by his family for abandoning his studies for the medical profession at 19 to join a group of strolling players, and marrying one of its members who was twice his age. George grew up in the uncertain world of the itinerant theatre, first appearing on the stage as an infant. He attended village day schools between demands of the theatre and early learned to play the violin. He performed at the age of 6. He was always on stage all through his teens. At 16 he became his own master, and for the next seven years had a variety of jobs connected with the
theatre, mainly in the provinces. In Dublin, acting for the Abbey Street theatre, he met Maria Watkins Burroughs, an actress nine years older than himself. They lived together from 1842 till 1948. In 1842 they decided to leave England for Australia, arriving in Sydney in 1843, where Coppin secured a season at the Royal Victoria Theatre within a fortnight. In Launceston in 1844, Coppin organised his own theatrical company.In 1846 he went to Adelaide where he converted the billiard room of the Temple Tavern, Gilles Arcade, into the New Queen’s Theatre capable of holding 700 people. The theatre is still used today as a performance space. During his time in Adelaide, Coppin was a theatre owner, a racehorse owner, breeder and hotelier. As a young
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hospitable hotelier, Coppin was often seen serving his patrons at the bar, dressed in costume, during the interval of his own performances. Personal tragedy struck Coppin in 1848 when Maria died after a brief illness. She was just 38 years old. With the unforeseen exodus to the Victorian goldfields and the collapse of his copper speculations, Coppin was unable to meet his financial commitments. Insolvent, he left for the goldfields but only lasted two days on the diggings. He soon returned to Adelaide and paid his creditors in full before leaving for England. During his brief return to England, Coppin purchased a prefabricated iron theatre in Manchester and prepared to equip it with special scenery and a lavish wardrobe. In Birmingham he met Irish actor Gustavus Vaughan Brooke and engaged him for an Australian tour. Back in Melbourne by 1855, the prefabricated theatre was erected on the corner of Lonsdale and Stephen Streets (now Exhibition Street). This was officially the Olympic Theatre but known as ‘The Iron Pot’ which was uncomfortably cold in winter and unbearably hot in summer. The following year he purchased the Theatre Royal in Bourke Street. Coppin and Brooke went into partnership and jointly owned the Olympic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Cremorne Gardens Amusement Park, Astley’s Amphitheatre and four hotels. Coppin married Brooke’s sister-in-law, Harriet Hilsden. They spent 10,000 pounds on the renovation of the Cremorne Gardens on the Yarra River. When the site opened in October 1856 it was the premier entertainment destination. Features included - a maze, a bowling saloon, rifle gallery and a menagerie of exotic birds and animals. An open-
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air theatre known as the Pantheon was used for concerts and stage performances, some starring Coppin himself. Fireworks displays and a 70ft high model re-enactment of Mt Vesuvius, complete with lava oozing forth were popular attractions. When managing the Cremorne Gardens he had brought out the first balloon to ascend in Melbourne and hordes of Melbournians witnessed its ascent. Astley’s Amphitheatre was originally a barn-like structure used for equestrian entertainment. It featured a central ring and a stage at one end for dramatic performances. To suit the new owners’ needs, the Amphitheatre was extensively renovated and the façade extended, re-opening as the Princess Theatre and Opera House. Coppin entered politics in 1858, firstly to Richmond Municipal Council and then the Legislative Council of Victoria. He had retired from the stage, but it was his public duties that led to the break-up of his partnership with Brooke. Brooke took charge of the Royal Hotel and Theatre Royal and Coppin the Olympic Theatre and Cremorne Gardens. This proved costly for Coppin as the Theatre Royal had carried the other two ventures. He converted the Olympic Theatre into Melbourne’s first Turkish bathhouse but Cremorne Gardens continued to drain his resources.
Behind the scenes, Coppin was a dedicated family man. That said, marriage to Harriet was short lived when she died in 1859. In 1861 Coppin married his step-daughter, Lucy from Harriet’s earlier marriage. Coppin built the Haymarket Theatre, under financial difficulties and assistance, which was opened in September 1862. Coppin resigned from politics in 1863 and returned to the stage, touring the Victorian goldfields, Sydney and New Zealand. He managed to engage the famed Shakespearean actors, Charles Kean and his wife Ellen Tree, from New York for an Australian tour. In 1864 Coppin accompanied the Keans, by being their agent, from San Francisco to New York. Arriving three months earlier, Coppin was determined to host a season of Shakespeare’s plays with the eminent British tragedians. It was a time during the civil war in America and England was very unpopular. Coppin and the Keans travelled extensively throughout America for a year, and parted ways with more wealth. 'Mr Coppin', wrote Charles Kean (a renowned actor) to his daughter Mary in May 1864, 'is a good businessman and I believe a truly honourable and upright man but he is a common man and possesses a certain rudeness of manner which is very unpleasant when things do not run smoothly and at the present time he dives both hands deep into his side pockets and looks both blank and black and gives short and curt answers … a well bred man of the world has the art to hide such feelings'.- Extract from an article by Sally O’Neill, biographer, published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3, (MUP), 1969 Back in Melbourne, Coppin returned to the stage at the Haymarket Theatre and was welcomed back with much adulation. In April 1872 his uninsured Theatre Royal was consumed by fire - another devastating blow to his finances. It was immediately rebuilt, was bigger and better with a 4,000 people capacity, over four tiers. It opened in November the same year.
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George Coppin entered the Legislative Assembly as an independent representing East Melbourne in 1874 – a position he held until 1889. During his political career he instituted and assisted with establishing: the Victorian Humane Society; the St John’s Ambulance Service; the Homestead Bill (enabling land owners to provide for their family in old age); the Post Office Savings Bank Act; the Statute Book of Victoria and the Torrens Act; as well as a 40 men’s dwellings; a model Lodging House of 900 beds (Gordon House) with unique courtyards that maximised light and air.
The Anchorage
Coppin was opposed to the payment of members of Parliament, and when the act passed to pay them, he gave his salary to charity. Coppin built a family home in Lennox Street Richmond, named Pine Grove. He took great interest in the development of the seaside town of Sorrento and built his holiday resort, The Anchorage, there. He also named a beautiful little inlet on Victoria's West coast, Apollo Bay, after his ship, The Apollo. After an illness at Sorrento in March 1906 he returned to Pine Grove, Richmond, where he died on 14th March 1906, survived by his wife and their two sons and five daughters, and by two of the three daughters of his first marriage. He left an estate valued at £9709. Many thanks to Brigadier Bob Slater AM, for a very interesting insight into the life of George Coppin. Your time spent on researching the archives of the 1800s-1900s, putting together the images into a slide file and then presenting it to us, is very much appreciated.
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Indigenous En
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We thank the following organisations for their event bookings at Graduate House in September and October 2023
an Trust
ralian & New Zealand Association of ry Psychologhy & Law (ANZAPPL)
Melbourne Law School - MLS Strategy Development Workshop Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
n Society for Music Education (ASME) Chapter - Council Meeting
Melbourne School of Professional and Continuing Education
n Academy of Technology and ing (ATSE)
Melbourne Soroptimists International Melbourne Soroptimists International
n Urban Research Infrastructure (AURIN) Board Meeting
Melbourne State College Group
Parkville Probus
Rotary
ction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Union (CFMEU) Manufacturing Division
ery Research Team Day Foundation Lunch
Mental Health First Aid Michael Quinn - Ex-Pav Group Office of the Provost - Clinical Research Lunch Opticum Pty Ltd - Laser Safety Course Opticum & edVirtus Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller Incorportated
Health Services Victoria (DHSV)
Parkville Conference of St Vincent de Paul
ent of Chemical Engineering - PACBER
Per Capita Inc. - The John Cain Luncheon
ent of Infrastructure Engineering- Staff
Peter Doughty - Italian Conversation Luncheons Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
ent of Medical Education ative Practice Centre
Phoenix Australia - Centre for Posttrauamtic Mental Health, Board Meeting
ent of Social Work - UoM Social work ent
RACI Health Safety and Environment Group
Dispute Resolution Collective Pty Ltd t ator Hub - Standard Mental Health First rse
Retired Secondary and Technical Principals
of MDHS (Medicine, Dentistry and ervices
RIC Business Development and Innovation
of Business and Economics - Women in cs Lunch
Stroke Association of Victoria
ngineering Initiative Dinner
Researcher Developer Unit Retired Veterinarians Group Luncheon Sir Peter MacCallum Dept Oncology, UoM The Graduate Union Collegiate Events and Governance Meetings
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Congratulations Rosie 30 years of dedication and loyalty At the Monthly luncheon on 4th October, a very special presentation was held to acknowledge a highly valued staff member who has made a significant contribution to The Graduate Union for the past thirty years. Rosie Ellul started working at Graduate House in October 1993 as a casual staff member for the housekeeping team. With two young children still in school, she was looking for a few hours of shift within the school hours. She attended a quick interview and was hired immediately. Since then she has retained a position with The Graduate Union. Rosie quickly learnt about many of the departments of Graduate House, and though officially assigned to housekeeping, has worked in all areas, including in administration, in the dining room and in the kitchen. In 2011, Rosie took on the role of Hospitality Manager where she manages all bookings related to conferences and events. Staff of The Graduate Union came together on Monday, 9th October for a special morning tea to celebrate Rosie's achievement and dedication. Below is a recap of Rosie's speech. Thank you everyone for this recognition. I would like to share some memories I have had during my time at Graduate House. My mother Nina worked at Graduate House in the early 1970s as a breakfast cook and domestic help until her retirement in 1993. When I was little she would occasionally bring me with her to work and would give me a feather duster to dust the stairs and to keep me out of mischief. I remember when I was 17 years old, on L plates, I would drive mum to work, help her set up the breakfast, then get rewarded with a toasted cheese and hot canned tomato on top - this was her specialty, and then I would catch the tram into the city to my full time job. One time in October 1993 when Mum was on sick leave, she said to me to call the then Assistant Warden and House Manager Fran O'Brien to see if they needed my help as they were short staffed. I said to my mum, I don't know what to do - and Mom said; don't worry its like being at home - cleaning and making beds. I was 29 years old with a young family
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and was actually looking for casual work. So I called Fran and she said yes if you could help out it would be greatly appreciated. I thought it was going to be for a day or two. When I started work 30 years ago, the main entrance was via 224 Leicester Street. At that time, Graduate House had around 40- 50 residents who were housed in the 40 rooms in the William Berry Wing Terraces and 15 rooms in Annexe (currently called the Stella Langford Wing). I began to pick up lots of casual shifts as I work in all areas of the 'House' -wherever I was needed - in the kitchen washing dishes, housekeeping, waitressing, breakfast cooking and in the office. In early 2000s The University of Melbourne had planned to build the university underground car park and to do so they needed to dig beneath Graduate House. This was when big changes was starting to happen as the University then gave $5 million dollars to The Graduate Union. These were exciting times with plans being made for the main building to have a large industrial kitchen,
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huge dining room, meeting rooms and 58 en suite rooms. I remember the floor plans being hung up on the Johnson Library walls for everyone to view. There was a great vision and it also created new job opportunities. In this actual position where we are standing right now was a warehouse in between the terrace houses which was demolished to make way for the new building. As a momenta of Kidd's warehouse, the main entrance gates are currently hanging at the entrance of the car park. Here are some milestones during my time •
2004 - Preparation for the opening of the new building. All staff were involved in the selection of furniture, crockery, cutlery, glassware, doonas, pillows (just about everything you can think of). The main building opened in 2005.
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2008 - Redevelopment of the Stella Langford Wing. The terrace facade were kept while the rest of the building were demolished to make way for new conference rooms, 10 apartments and multi-storey car park. This new building opened in 2010.
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2016 - The purchase of 13 apartments at Barry street, Carlton.
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2018 - The purchase of 18 apartments at Barkly place, Carlton.
In 2020 & 2021 Covid 19 had a large impact on businesses in Australia and around the world. It was sad to see many Graduate House residents leaving so quickly to get back home. It was also very sad to see a diary full of meeting and function bookings for the year being cancelled. 2022-2023 saw some uplifting scenes at Graduate House when the accommodation and function rooms began to fill up again, when international borders opened and things slowly got back to precovid times.
Photo taken in 1995, at a cocktail party to farewell Mr Ian Barrah who was retiring from his position as Secretary-Warden. From left: Rosie with former staff of Graduate House, Brenda Greaney, Margaret Blair and Margaret Schintler
Photo taken in October 2013. At the October Monthly Luncheon in 2013, Rosie was recognised for completing 20 years of service. A surprise presentation was held and Rosie's family were invited to join in the celebration. From left: the late Nina Brincat (Rosie's mother), Matthew Ellul (her son), the late Carmelo Brincat (her father), Rosie and her husband, Ray Ellul.
Over the years, I have held varies positions. In casual positions, I have done waitressing, housekeeping and breakfast cooking. I went on to become the Catering and Conference supervisor in a casual shift before moving on to a full time position. My current role is Hospitality Manager I have gained knowledge and friendships over my time at Graduate House. I have experienced changes and challenges, exciting and sad times, laughter and tears and some 'fawlty towers' moments. I have met so many members, residents and staff who all have contributed to The Graduate Union and made it what it is today.
Photo taken in October 2013. From left: ex-staff Margaret Schintler, Honorary Life Member Barbara Funder (deceased), Rosie and her mom, the late Nina Brincat.
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Master Class Series In the months from August to October 2023, The Graduate Union held a series of free Master classes. These classes, held from 7:00pm to 8:00pm at Graduate House, were tailored to assist students undertaking a Higher Degree by Research (i.e., PhD and Masters candidates) and were open to students across residential colleges associated with The University of Melbourne. We are very thankful to our presenters for taking part in this Master classes series. Below is a summary of their topics.
Emeritus Professor Martin Comte OAM RMIT University; Graduate Union Council.
The Doctoral/Research Journey: An Introduction. In addition to introducing the series, Professor Comte discussed: ̶ Things to consider before embarking on the doctoral journey. ̶ Choosing your university and supervisor. ̶ What to do if you wish to change your supervisor. ̶ Choosing your topic and research design. ̶ Conducting the research. ̶ Writing the thesis.
Dr. Max Stephens Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne; Graduate Union Council.
Supervision: Getting the most out of your supervision journey. Topics at this session were: ̶ Choosing the right supervisor. ̶ What your supervisor can or should cpntribute to. ̶ Your committee - different commitees and their contribution. ̶ Intellectual property Policy. ̶ Explanding your team to include other researchers.
Professor David Forrest School of Art; RMIT University.
Some thoughts, considerations and advice on writing for publication.
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Included in this session were the following topics: ̶ Introduction/Background. ̶ Types of publications. ̶ Publication in a journal. ̶ Journal/publication guidelines. ̶ Review processes. ̶ Writing.
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Emerita Professor Heather Fehring School of Education , RMIT University.
When and why do I need ethics approval in my HDR degree? The topics in this session included: ̶ Ethics Approvals in an Historical Context. ̶ Melbourne University Ethics Procedures. ̶ National Health Medical Research Council (NHMRC) National Statements. ̶ Two Case Studies to illustrate the issues.
Associate Professor Neryl Jeanneret Principal Fellow, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne.
Presenting your work.
These topics were discussed in this session : ̶ Candidature Review. ̶ In-Progress Presentations. ̶ Conference Presentations, Papers and Posters.
Dr. Eleanor Spencer-Regan Principal, Janet Clarke Hall , The University of Melbourne.
'Oh, the Places You'll Go!': International Opportunities for Early Career Academics. Topics included: ̶ Gain Experience. ̶ Academic Opportunities. ̶ Career Development. ̶ Study Abroad and Exchange. ̶ Scholarships and Post Doctoral Opportunities.
Professor Jane Southcott Faculty of Education, Monash University.
Introduction to Thesis including Publishable Work. Some general points were: ̶ Needs to be well conceptualised as different lenses on an issue. ̶ Good if can accommodate the unexpected finding. ̶ Importance of the framing exegesis and conclusion. ̶ Considerable flexibility. ̶ Diagrams are always good (goes for all theses).
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Vale
Tribute to Former Graduate Union Secretary-Warden: Geoffrey R. Fairhall The Secretary-Warden, Mr Geoffrey Fairhall with Sir Ian and Lady Potter. This photo was published in The Melbourne Graduate, November 1988
Mr Geoffrey Fairhall was appointed as the SecretaryWarden of The Graduate Union Melbourne in 1985, serving until 1991. The first Secretary-Warden, Mr William E.F.Berry who had began work with The Graduate Union in 1948, retired in 1984. Prior to coming to The Graduate Union, Geoffrey had established, over more than twenty years, a reputation as an outstanding educator, an enabler, and an innovator. Appointed in 1966 as Lecturer in Humanities at the then Ballarat School of Mines, he progressed to Head of Department, where he is remembered for initiating an Asian Students Association and for the creation of the Mt Helen campus, that involved working with Federal Minister The Hon. Brian Howe and State Minister, The Hon. Evan Walker, both former colleagues. Then in 1974 Geoffrey, with wife Anne and their two children, moved to NSW, Victorian border area to create an Adult Education unit that flourished and became part of Charles Sturt University. This educational development was part of the Australian Government's vision for the twin city that was
the Albury Wodonga Development area during the Whitlam period. It was during these years that Geoffrey and his family relished the outdoor life abundantly accessible in the region, and the opportunity while on Sabbatical leave to travel in North America and Europe. Geoffrey was born in Warracknabeal, just at the beginning of the Second World War. He was the eldest of two sons, born to a bank manager father and a school teacher mother. His parents were strongly committed to their children acquiring a full experience of outdoor life and adventure. His schooling was completed in Hobart Tasmania, where he then started his Arts degree. From the University of Hobart, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Melbourne, living for 6 years at Queens College, completing an additional degree in Theology. He met Anne, his future wife in March 1961 and following his ordination as a Methodist minister, their first home was the Methodist Parsonage in Noble Park.
This tribute from The Graduate Union was published in the Herald Sun on 28th October 2023.
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It was here that he became convinced that working inside church structures was not the way to go. But before long he had resigned the Methodist ministry, so that he could concentrate on working with young people in other ways.
Dr Robin Sharwood (President from 1986-1989), was quoted to the effect that Fairhall as SecretaryWarden was faced during his term, by a problem his predecessor insisted on playing the role of leader of a Government-in-Exile!
Faye Broberg's 'A Short History of the Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne' for the University's 150th anniversary, discretely shows the background to certain difficulties that arose during Geoffrey Fairhall's years with The Graduate Union despite much support including from Mrs Shirley Horne, Graduate Council President 1987-1990.
It is is good that with the passage of time it has been possible for The Graduate Union to acknowledge Geoffrey Fairhall's gifts as an educator and his part in steering the enterprise into the new century.
Chapter Seven 'The People of the Graduate Union', Page 63, says simply "After the retirement of Bill Berry, "Geoffrey Fairhall held the post for the next six years and consolidated the membership". However as Chapter Six 'The First Secretary Warden' notes, Fairhall's term encountered a series of difficulties. One was that even after Berry's retirement "his individual spirit often lead him to question Union and University policies".
Geoffrey Fairhall died after a long struggle with frontal lobe dementia. Both he and his wife Anne were activity in advocacy for increased community understanding of the condition, especially through Dementia Australia. Geoffrey's funeral was held at Tobin Brothers, North Melbourne on Friday, 27th October 2023. This tribute was prepared by member Sheila Byard OAM who was first a member of The Graduate Union during the later Berry & early Fairhall years. Acknowledgement also goes to Anne Fairhall, her daughter Renata Fairhall and Life member Dr Max Stephens for helping in the preparation of this tribute.
Graduate House is closed during the festive season. Our last day of operation is Wednesday, 20th December 2023 and we reopen on Monday, 22nd January 2024. We thank you for your support and look forward to welcoming you back in 2024.
The Graduate Union 27
THE GRADUATE UNION of The University of Melbourne Inc.
220 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia Telephone: +61 (0)3 9347 3428 Australian Business Number: 55 610 664 963 Incorporated Association Registration Number: A0023234B
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