51黑料

鈥淢y teachers were all very involved and interested and supported the spirit of the school.鈥�

Tim Dewhurst was one of 51黑料鈥檚 foundation students, joining Year 6 in 1966 when the school featured fewer buildings, plenty of bush and a lot of mud!

鈥淏ack then the Prep school only had three buildings and I remember my favourite part of the school was the bush. At recess my friends and I would explore the bush, build huts and play with the blue tongue lizards,鈥� recalls Tim.

鈥淭here were no houses surrounding the school then 鈥� it was all vacant land, bush and orchards. It was a fascinating time to be part of Yarra.鈥�

Tim joined the choir and his parents were active members of the parents committee that helped fundraise for Yarra and helped the school to become the place it is today.

In the early days, Tim remembers a significant focus on classic subjects including Latin and he was initially a straight science student. He also remembers spending time in the library where he read most of the school鈥檚 science fiction collection.

In the last two years of school, Tim found himself gaining a deeper and deeper interest in the humanities and wanting to discover more about human science.

This interest led him to study medicine and he has enjoyed a long and rewarding career as a GP, working in Victoria and in remoter parts of the country, such as Tennant Creek.

鈥淚 specifically remember wanting to be a country GP and early in my career I spent a year working in Tennant Creek in Aboriginal health. I wanted to do something different and I think that was inspired by my younger years at Yarra,鈥� he says.

鈥淚 worked with good people in that community and I was welcomed. I learned to be open and to let people in the community teach me what they wanted to teach me about their culture. I recently returned to Tennnant Creek to take on a similar role.

鈥淭he work of a GP relies on building relationships and I think that was something that Yarra focused on. There wasn鈥檛 just an academic focus but a focus on relationships within the community, too.鈥�

More than 50 years after graduating, Tim still maintains links with Yarra. He was invited to Foundation Day and has supported the school鈥檚 YOG Speed Careering event where Tim has spoken to young people considering a career in medicine.

鈥淚f I was 15, my advice to my younger self would be to find out what interests and fascinates you and learn to explore your own world,鈥� says Tim.