Geography@Melbourne 50th Anniversary

The Geography department at the University of Melbourne was delighted to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2010 by welcoming back all graduates and staff to a dinner in October. Over 170 alumni and friends of Geography gathered to mark the occasion, for an evening of reminiscing, renewing friendships, and recognizing the achievements of the department and its graduates.

The evening was hosted by Natalie Jamieson, and guest speakers included the Provost John Dewar, Professor of Geography Ruth Fincher, with alumni guest speakers Brendan Gleeson, Mary Crooks and Sue White regaling their time spent in the department to much laughter and applause.  Dinner guests were then encouraged to share their memories and reflections, prompting many to pen short stories, compose limericks (!) and pictorially map out early field trips and MUGS activities – all valuable life skills that our Geography graduates have honed, no doubt, from their formative university years at the department!

It was a joy to see a room filled with so many Geographers, past and present, interacting and coming together in celebration of this anniversary. Certainly, the dinner celebration which strengthened old ties, renewed lost ones, and forged new networks was a testament to the strength of the department in research, teaching and in the wider working and social community that the Melbourne Geography Department has built over the past 50 years.

Read the speech at the dinner from the Provost, Prof John Dewar

Alumni Memories

1940s
Beatrice Fincher - 1946

1960s
Anne Marsden - Staff 1960s
Ian Bowie - Staff 1960s
Ken O'Connor - 1960s
Murray Wilson - Staff 1960s
Bill Stringer - 1962
Robin Pryor - 1962
Helen Freeman - 1963
Jennifer Bolton - 1967
Rodney Martin - 1967

1970s
Gordon Cowling - 1970
Therese Francis - 1971
Linda Huzzey - 1975
Robert Coffey - 1975
Pauline Bennett - 1976
Lyn Bouvier - 1978

1980s
Sue White - 1984
Michael Sofer - 1987

1990s
Joe Pickin - 1995
Helen Collins - 1987

2000s
Candice Boyd - Current Student 2010
Simon Batterbury - Current Staff 2010

Staff
Victor Prescott - Staff

Anonymous
Impromptu and Anonymous Memories from the Dinner Celebrations