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Asquith Boys High School, 1960 - 2021
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DetailsThe first European landowners where Asquith Boys High School now stands were brothers Hugh and Jeremiah Fear. Hugh owned the smaller southern portion, that now consists of the playing field and industrial arts block, and Jeremiah’s 22 acres, purchased in 1862, is where most of the present-day school buildings are sited.
Jeremiah cleared his land and while doing so lived in a bark and pole hut before constructing a more permanent weatherboard home. This home was demolished in 1946.
When the route of the Northern railway line was constructed in 1887 it bisected Jeremiah’s property as well as the south eastern corner of Hugh’s land.
Jeremiah died in 1899 and his two sons William and Frederick inherited equal shares of the property. Frederick sold his half share to William for £100. In 1902 it was reported that William’s property included a 10 acre orchard with citrus fruits, apricots, peaches, plums and apples. After William died in 1934 the orchard was not maintained and became a cattle and horse paddock with a portion used as market gardens.
The originally intended site for the new boys’ high school was in Hornsby where the TAFE is today. However, in late November 1957 a huge bushfire devastated that area badly damaging and destroying a number of buildings along that ridge. It was decided the threat from a bush fire was too great, so a new site was found for the school.
An interesting aspect is that the Hornsby Council Works Committee originally recommended to Council that the school be built on Commonwealth land adjacent to the gates of the Ku-ring-gai Chase at Mt Colah. However, councillors did not agree with this proposal and the site at Asquith, as proposed by the Department of Education, was endorsed by Council in a recommendation sent to the Cumberland County Council in September 1959.
In the last school term of 1959 construction commenced on the original 4 hectare site at Asquith. When it became clear that the new buildings would not be ready for the start of the 1960 school year it was decided to temporarily use other buildings. This included the fire damaged buildings at the former School of Arts site in Hornsby, which is where half of the 343 students (all first form) were located. The other half were put into some new school buildings at Chatswood High School. There were obviously difficulties staying in touch with the classes in Chatswood so after a few weeks those students were relocated into other sites more local, including some students being sent to classrooms at Asquith Girls High School, which opened in 1959.
The student catchment area for Asquith Boys High School in that first year was enormous. It went from the Hawkesbury River (around Brooklyn) to Normanhurst and Galston up to Lindfield.
The first principal was Mr Mervyn Brown, and the first P & C President was Mr J Davies who was from St Ives. For those initial 343 students there was a teaching staff of 19.
On 24th June 1960, the entire school moved into the new buildings at Asquith. The school was still partially a construction site with Block E and the school hall still being built, which were not ready for use until 1961. This was a much better result than the sister school, as Asquith Girls High School had to wait until 1984 for their school hall (25 years after it first opened).
By 1961 the school student numbers rose to 660 as the new first form students joined the returning second formers. In 1962 this went up to a total of 957 students and in that third year the school joined the North-Western Metropolitan Zone to play sport against Normanhurst, Epping, Meadowbank, Drummoyne and Homebush (Meadowbank and Drummoyne were later replaced by Ashfield and James Ruse). That year the school’s sports field was formed and constructed, but it was not ready for use until 1963.
1964 saw 30 prefects and the inaugural school vice-captain and captain, Dave Wilson, elected from amongst the fifth formers. There were 1,073 students by then and the school could finally be officially opened, which happened on the 7th August 1964 by the Director General of Secondary Education, Mr A.W. Stephens. The following year saw G Block opened mainly for additional science and art classrooms.
The school P & C committee was very active in the first few years and funded a number of improvements around the school. This included installation of the school cricket nets in 1965 and paying for a groundsman.
Over the years the subject of co-education has been passionately discussed and debated. In 1979 a survey of local parents revealed 75% were in favour of coeducation but AGHS and ABHS have both remained single sex high schools.
It is interesting to note that the same year (1979) Asquith Boys High School student Peter Robinson topped NSW with a result of 495 out of 500! This was in fact the second time the school had produced a student who topped the State with Jim Richardson, in 1968, achieving 874 out 900, the highest ever mark under the old system. Jim went onto to become a Professor of Mathematics and Peter became a highly successful scientist.
In the first few years the ABHS sports houses were established and all named after native trees; Kurrajong (green), Wandoo (blue), Myall (yellow) and Cooba (red). This was in line with the school’s logo of a tree and the school’s moto, “GROW IN WISDOM”.
There has always been a strong focus on sport at Asquith and the school has produced some incredible sporting achievements and outstanding sportsmen throughout its time. This has always been strongly encouraged by the school principals particularly Austen Hughes (principal from 1976 to 1985) who always went out of his way to support all the school’s sporting teams and individual sportsmen. He also made sure that the school always had access to the best sporting equipment available. During his time leading the school Mr Hughes was also President of the local Sydney Grade Cricket Club, Northern District, a position that he held until 2002 (31 years in total). He was awarded Life Membership of NDCC (1983) and NSW Cricket Assn (1984), and recognized for his services to sport with an OAM in 2002.
Students during his time at the school remember the wonderful passion he passed onto the boys, many of whom were not the best academic achievers but went on to be positively influenced by their chosen sport. This positive culture regarding sport has continued in the school until today. Austen Hughes OAM passed away in August 2016 aged 90. He was widely respected and remembered as a real “people” person, a principal who cared passionately for both his students and staff.
Some of the school’s best sport achievers over the years are included in the list of ABHS NSW CHS Sporting Blues;
1967 – Richard Temple - Hockey
1967 – Peter Reid – Swimming
1978 – David Carroll – Swimming
1979 – Graeme Carroll – Swimming
1985 – Brian Ellem – Football
1986 – Geoffrey Clarke – Water Polo
1988 – Quentin Peihopa – Rugby Union
1993 – David Brailey – Rugby Union
2001 – Peter Montgomerie – Swimming
2007 – Daniel Arnamnart – Swimming
2011 – Gordon Broome – Rugby Union
2014 – George Blackwood – Football
An early regular sporting event of note was a fundraiser organized by the prefects, the ABHS 50 MILE WALK. This was initially held in 1966 starting in Kurrajong (in the Blue Mountains) on a Friday evening and went through the night down to Penrith, along the Great Western Highway, through Blacktown and Parramatta, to Hornsby and arriving on the school in the Saturday morning. It was held during winter, and was over 80 kilometres in total, but attracted a significant number of participants (students and teachers). Unfortunately, the annual 50 mile walk event was stopped when a car load of thugs beat up a number of participants.
Another epic sporting event was held in 1979 on the school oval. The ABHS 50 hours of continuous touch football which broke an Australian record and helped raise much needed funds for Clarke Road School, for students with intellectual disabilities.
Over the past 60 years Asquith Boys High School has produced many students who have gone on to achieve impressive academic, cultural and sporting achievements. Some of these and the years they attended ABHS are listed below;
Peter Achterstraat AM (1967-72) – Appointed first NSW Productivity Commissioner in 2018. Formerly NSW Auditor General (2006-2013).
John Alexander (1963-68) – Consolidated Media Holdings executive (former CEO).
Daniel Arnamnart (2002-07) – Olympic Swimmer (backstroke) at 2012 Olympics.
Lloyd Babb (1979-84) – NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Graeme Carroll (1973-78) – Former National Breaststroke Champion & top swimming coach. Former Head Coach National Paralympic Swimming Team.
Geoff Clarke (1981-86) – Waterpolo Olympian (1988 & 1992).
Rolf De Heer (1963-68) – One of Australia’s leading filmmakers. Films include; Bad Boy Bubby, Ten Camoes & Charlie’s Country.
Garry Frost OAM (1973-78) – Songwriter & guitarist for Moving Pictures.
John Hartigan (1960-64) – Former CEO News Limited.
Adam Hawse (1987-92) – Sports Presenter with Fox Sports News.
Robert Hooker (1979-83) – Former Socceroo (22 matches & 2 goals 1990 – 1998) & former assistant coach of national team.
Dr Mike Kelly (1973-78) – Former Federal Member for seat of Eden-Monaro.
Gary McKay (1960-64) – Military Cross awardee: Vietnam conflict & prolific author on Australian History.
John Reynolds (1969-74) – Formerly officer-in-charge of CSIRO’s Parkes Radio Telescope. Currently a CSIRO scientist.
Dr Alan Roberts (1960-64) – Renown Australian historian and author of a number of books on Australian history.
John Westacott (1976-81) – Former Director of News & Current Affairs, Channel 9.
Paul Willis (1976-81) – Former Television Presenter: Catalyst ABC TV.
In its history ABHS has had 10 excellent principals: Mervyn Brown (1960-1968), Norman Bowles (1969-1972), Les Rodgers (1973-1975), Austen Hughes (1976-1985), Tom Mehigan (1986-1997), Frank Yardley (1989-1990), Chris Bonnor (1991-2000), David Short (2001-2005), Terry Griffiths (2006-2016) and the current principal Bryce Grant (since 2017).
Finally, a note of recognition of a former original ABHS student (1960-65), Chris Kent, who went onto to become a long-term ABHS teacher (1982-2005), retiring as Head Teacher of Creative Arts.
Today Mr Kent co-ordinates the ABHS Old Boys Club which includes, amongst other things, publishing a regular newsletter distributed to over 1,000 former students and teachers. Chris Kent is currently co-authoring a book on the history of ABHS and much of the information in this piece has been collated from information previously put together by him.CreatorNathan TilburyKeywordsAsquith Boys High SchoolSchoolsAsquith
DetailsThe first European landowners where Asquith Boys High School now stands were brothers Hugh and Jeremiah Fear. Hugh owned the smaller southern portion, that now consists of the playing field and industrial arts block, and Jeremiah’s 22 acres, purchased in 1862, is where most of the present-day school buildings are sited. Jeremiah cleared his land and while doing so lived in a bark and pole hut before constructing a more permanent weatherboard home. This home was demolished in 1946.
When the route of the Northern railway line was constructed in 1887 it bisected Jeremiah’s property as well as the south eastern corner of Hugh’s land.
Jeremiah died in 1899 and his two sons William and Frederick inherited equal shares of the property. Frederick sold his half share to William for £100. In 1902 it was reported that William’s property included a 10 acre orchard with citrus fruits, apricots, peaches, plums and apples. After William died in 1934 the orchard was not maintained and became a cattle and horse paddock with a portion used as market gardens.
The originally intended site for the new boys’ high school was in Hornsby where the TAFE is today. However, in late November 1957 a huge bushfire devastated that area badly damaging and destroying a number of buildings along that ridge. It was decided the threat from a bush fire was too great, so a new site was found for the school.
An interesting aspect is that the Hornsby Council Works Committee originally recommended to Council that the school be built on Commonwealth land adjacent to the gates of the Ku-ring-gai Chase at Mt Colah. However, councillors did not agree with this proposal and the site at Asquith, as proposed by the Department of Education, was endorsed by Council in a recommendation sent to the Cumberland County Council in September 1959.
In the last school term of 1959 construction commenced on the original 4 hectare site at Asquith. When it became clear that the new buildings would not be ready for the start of the 1960 school year it was decided to temporarily use other buildings. This included the fire damaged buildings at the former School of Arts site in Hornsby, which is where half of the 343 students (all first form) were located. The other half were put into some new school buildings at Chatswood High School. There were obviously difficulties staying in touch with the classes in Chatswood so after a few weeks those students were relocated into other sites more local, including some students being sent to classrooms at Asquith Girls High School, which opened in 1959.
The student catchment area for Asquith Boys High School in that first year was enormous. It went from the Hawkesbury River (around Brooklyn) to Normanhurst and Galston up to Lindfield.
The first principal was Mr Mervyn Brown, and the first P & C President was Mr J Davies who was from St Ives. For those initial 343 students there was a teaching staff of 19.
On 24th June 1960, the entire school moved into the new buildings at Asquith. The school was still partially a construction site with Block E and the school hall still being built, which were not ready for use until 1961. This was a much better result than the sister school, as Asquith Girls High School had to wait until 1984 for their school hall (25 years after it first opened).
By 1961 the school student numbers rose to 660 as the new first form students joined the returning second formers. In 1962 this went up to a total of 957 students and in that third year the school joined the North-Western Metropolitan Zone to play sport against Normanhurst, Epping, Meadowbank, Drummoyne and Homebush (Meadowbank and Drummoyne were later replaced by Ashfield and James Ruse). That year the school’s sports field was formed and constructed, but it was not ready for use until 1963.
1964 saw 30 prefects and the inaugural school vice-captain and captain, Dave Wilson, elected from amongst the fifth formers. There were 1,073 students by then and the school could finally be officially opened, which happened on the 7th August 1964 by the Director General of Secondary Education, Mr A.W. Stephens. The following year saw G Block opened mainly for additional science and art classrooms.
The school P & C committee was very active in the first few years and funded a number of improvements around the school. This included installation of the school cricket nets in 1965 and paying for a groundsman.
Over the years the subject of co-education has been passionately discussed and debated. In 1979 a survey of local parents revealed 75% were in favour of coeducation but AGHS and ABHS have both remained single sex high schools.
It is interesting to note that the same year (1979) Asquith Boys High School student Peter Robinson topped NSW with a result of 495 out of 500! This was in fact the second time the school had produced a student who topped the State with Jim Richardson, in 1968, achieving 874 out 900, the highest ever mark under the old system. Jim went onto to become a Professor of Mathematics and Peter became a highly successful scientist.
In the first few years the ABHS sports houses were established and all named after native trees; Kurrajong (green), Wandoo (blue), Myall (yellow) and Cooba (red). This was in line with the school’s logo of a tree and the school’s moto, “GROW IN WISDOM”.
There has always been a strong focus on sport at Asquith and the school has produced some incredible sporting achievements and outstanding sportsmen throughout its time. This has always been strongly encouraged by the school principals particularly Austen Hughes (principal from 1976 to 1985) who always went out of his way to support all the school’s sporting teams and individual sportsmen. He also made sure that the school always had access to the best sporting equipment available. During his time leading the school Mr Hughes was also President of the local Sydney Grade Cricket Club, Northern District, a position that he held until 2002 (31 years in total). He was awarded Life Membership of NDCC (1983) and NSW Cricket Assn (1984), and recognized for his services to sport with an OAM in 2002.
Students during his time at the school remember the wonderful passion he passed onto the boys, many of whom were not the best academic achievers but went on to be positively influenced by their chosen sport. This positive culture regarding sport has continued in the school until today. Austen Hughes OAM passed away in August 2016 aged 90. He was widely respected and remembered as a real “people” person, a principal who cared passionately for both his students and staff.
Some of the school’s best sport achievers over the years are included in the list of ABHS NSW CHS Sporting Blues;
1967 – Richard Temple - Hockey
1967 – Peter Reid – Swimming
1978 – David Carroll – Swimming
1979 – Graeme Carroll – Swimming
1985 – Brian Ellem – Football
1986 – Geoffrey Clarke – Water Polo
1988 – Quentin Peihopa – Rugby Union
1993 – David Brailey – Rugby Union
2001 – Peter Montgomerie – Swimming
2007 – Daniel Arnamnart – Swimming
2011 – Gordon Broome – Rugby Union
2014 – George Blackwood – Football
An early regular sporting event of note was a fundraiser organized by the prefects, the ABHS 50 MILE WALK. This was initially held in 1966 starting in Kurrajong (in the Blue Mountains) on a Friday evening and went through the night down to Penrith, along the Great Western Highway, through Blacktown and Parramatta, to Hornsby and arriving on the school in the Saturday morning. It was held during winter, and was over 80 kilometres in total, but attracted a significant number of participants (students and teachers). Unfortunately, the annual 50 mile walk event was stopped when a car load of thugs beat up a number of participants.
Another epic sporting event was held in 1979 on the school oval. The ABHS 50 hours of continuous touch football which broke an Australian record and helped raise much needed funds for Clarke Road School, for students with intellectual disabilities.
Over the past 60 years Asquith Boys High School has produced many students who have gone on to achieve impressive academic, cultural and sporting achievements. Some of these and the years they attended ABHS are listed below;
Peter Achterstraat AM (1967-72) – Appointed first NSW Productivity Commissioner in 2018. Formerly NSW Auditor General (2006-2013).
John Alexander (1963-68) – Consolidated Media Holdings executive (former CEO).
Daniel Arnamnart (2002-07) – Olympic Swimmer (backstroke) at 2012 Olympics.
Lloyd Babb (1979-84) – NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Graeme Carroll (1973-78) – Former National Breaststroke Champion & top swimming coach. Former Head Coach National Paralympic Swimming Team.
Geoff Clarke (1981-86) – Waterpolo Olympian (1988 & 1992).
Rolf De Heer (1963-68) – One of Australia’s leading filmmakers. Films include; Bad Boy Bubby, Ten Camoes & Charlie’s Country.
Garry Frost OAM (1973-78) – Songwriter & guitarist for Moving Pictures.
John Hartigan (1960-64) – Former CEO News Limited.
Adam Hawse (1987-92) – Sports Presenter with Fox Sports News.
Robert Hooker (1979-83) – Former Socceroo (22 matches & 2 goals 1990 – 1998) & former assistant coach of national team.
Dr Mike Kelly (1973-78) – Former Federal Member for seat of Eden-Monaro.
Gary McKay (1960-64) – Military Cross awardee: Vietnam conflict & prolific author on Australian History.
John Reynolds (1969-74) – Formerly officer-in-charge of CSIRO’s Parkes Radio Telescope. Currently a CSIRO scientist.
Dr Alan Roberts (1960-64) – Renown Australian historian and author of a number of books on Australian history.
John Westacott (1976-81) – Former Director of News & Current Affairs, Channel 9.
Paul Willis (1976-81) – Former Television Presenter: Catalyst ABC TV.
In its history ABHS has had 10 excellent principals: Mervyn Brown (1960-1968), Norman Bowles (1969-1972), Les Rodgers (1973-1975), Austen Hughes (1976-1985), Tom Mehigan (1986-1997), Frank Yardley (1989-1990), Chris Bonnor (1991-2000), David Short (2001-2005), Terry Griffiths (2006-2016) and the current principal Bryce Grant (since 2017).
Finally, a note of recognition of a former original ABHS student (1960-65), Chris Kent, who went onto to become a long-term ABHS teacher (1982-2005), retiring as Head Teacher of Creative Arts.
Today Mr Kent co-ordinates the ABHS Old Boys Club which includes, amongst other things, publishing a regular newsletter distributed to over 1,000 former students and teachers. Chris Kent is currently co-authoring a book on the history of ABHS and much of the information in this piece has been collated from information previously put together by him.
CreatorNathan TilburyKeywordsAsquith Boys High SchoolSchoolsAsquithRelated
LocationAsquith Boys High School
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Nathan Tilbury, Asquith Boys High School, 1960 - 2021. Hornsby Shire, accessed 04/04/2026, https://hornsbyshire.recollect.net.au/nodes/view/5662