Alumni Members

It’s come as no surprise that Aaron has wound up in a job where talking is the number one requisite.  After gaining NCEA Level 1 and 2 at school, Aaron headed for the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and gained his National Certificate in Radio and followed that up with a Bachelor of Broadcast Communications (Journalism), from the New Zealand Broadcasting School in Christchurch.

Since she completed college in Matamata, Ailsa has had the privilege of a rich and varied experience in the fields of health, humanitarian assistance and higher education.  In New Zealand, her health-related work involved working in Thames and Palmerston North Hospitals, as well as a public health nurse in Pukekohe.   A long-standing interest of living in developing countries led Ailsa to Thailand in the 1980s, where she worked as a public health nurse in Khao I Dang refugee camp near the Cambodian border, and then as public health/nutrition advisor with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangkok.  Further public health/nutrition assignments took her to Bataan refugee transit centre (Philippines) and Geneva to carry out specialist consultancies for UNHCR and the World Health Organisation (WHO). These were followed in the late 1980s by public health assignments for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sudan and Namibia.

Alex was a high achiever and left school with Level 3 NCEA.  He had a passion for soccer and captained the 1^st XI.  He also helped out with and took part in school productions and stage challenges.

On leaving Alex studied Chemical and Process Engineering and has graduated with an Honours Degree from Canterbury University.  He has a very interesting job lined up in New Castle, Australia starting in 2013.  His job description is “blast design, instrumentation and measurement”.  – In his words – “should be interesting!”

Born in Matamata and attended Matamata College. Finest moment was playing and beating Te Awamutu College in the curtain raiser to the 1956 Waikato (who won) Springboks (who lost) match. Was Dux of the College in that year.  Although I grew up on a dairy farm it was always my ambition to be an engineer – whatever that was.

Alison had many ‘strings to her bow’.  She was an extremely talented sportswoman with a physical presence envied by many budding sportspeople.  She was a school champion swimmer  – 1983 Junior Girls.  She was a member of the tennis team – runner up Junior Girls doubles at Waikato Secondary School Champs – netball 3rds A (GK).

Alison was a great all-rounder.  She arrived at Matamata College from Walton and soon made a mark in the classroom and on the sports field.  Sport was a high priority in the “Wills” family with all kids (and parents) reaching the “top” in whatever they participated in.  It was interesting that Alison’s first netball team was “3rds Red”.  This team seemed to win all their association games (easily), many against teams that would have been considered “better”!  It wasn’t long before the team selectors realised that this “Alison Wills” was the reason that 3rds Red were being so successful.  Naturally she loved the success, as did that team, (I think they beat 3rds B that year) but it only took one year for her to be elevated to 4ths A and then quickly into College A.  Alison was a very skilful GA – in fact, she was successful in whatever position she found herself in.  As we will read further on, success in netball didn’t finish at Matamata College.

Allan was a great all-rounder.  He was a high achiever in the classroom and a whizz in the sporting arena.  Hopsons’ all had a flair for games – twin sisters Diane and Karen were in the era of Matamata College Netball dominating in the Waikato and the North Island Champs.  It was with great sadness that Diane lost her life in a tragic accident.  Allan’s parents were very prominent in the dairy farm and horse industries in Matamata.  Not only were they busy with their interests they were always on the sidelines supporting their kids and later their grandkids with their sports.

I left school at the end of the 6^th form with my University Entrance.  Can barely remember anything significant from my school days – probably because I was fairly insignificant!

I remember doing fairly well with my School Certificate Exams, played netball in a less than spectacular manner, was part of the choir when the school performed Jesus Christ Super Star.  Walked out of a Biology Class at the beginning of the year in my 5^th form (because I thought it was going to be too much work) and walked straight into Sheelah...

Not only was Andrea an academic gaining an A Bursary and Scholarship in Geography, she was a very accomplished sportswoman and an artist.

At school Andrea was involved in many sporting and cultural activities including:

Andrew left school after his 5^th form year and completed his education with a corporate-sponsored tertiary program under David Levene’s management, culminating in a diploma of Business Management.

At school Andrew played basketball and was the team captain of the cycling team which was a new initiative at that time.

The story of a school day romance.  These two have been together since early on in their school days and both have accomplished so very much.

As a real youngest Andrew was always at golf – that was inevitable as Mum, Dad, Richard and Paul were almost permanently on the course.  Andrew started playing regularly at the age of 10 and showed real promise from the outset.  It wasn’t long before he was winning titles and playing off a single-figure handicap – all before he reached college.

It is not surprising that Angela has reached dizzy heights in her career.  As a school students Angela was always extremely active.  She was involved in most sports and reached the highest level in Netball.

Writer, Researcher, Historian

Current:      Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand

IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law

Freelance Writer

Education:  University of Auckland

Matamata College

I asked Angela of her memories of Matamata College.  Surprisingly she didn’t mention anything

Ann gained School Certificate and University Entrance and in her final year at school she became an American Field Scholar and spent the year in the United States.

Anne (No 3 of the Downey sisters) had no option but to play netball from a very young age.  And of course Anne went on to play in the New Zealand team for three years.  At primary school Lesley and Graham recognised her talent and with their encouragement, parents who were sport mad, sisters who were both prominent netballers, Anne was predestined to be a success.

Annie (or Anne as she was generally known) Sutherland attended Matamata District (Junior) High School along with some of her elder brothers and one younger brother in the 1920s.  The third daughter and eighth child of Hector and Margaret Sutherland of Okauia she returned to farm life after leaving school.  Anne was a keen sportswoman and captained the Piako B Hockey team at the Auckland Hockey Associations Country Week Tournament (year not known).

Anthony came from a family who were competitive waterskiers.  Although water skiing was not a school sport, his family and others attended Year 9 (Form 3) Camp every year to teach kids how to ski.  It was always one of the highlights of camp.

David was an outstanding all-round student.  He was academically exceptional and a terrific sportsman.  He gained School Certificate, University Entrance and an A Bursary before heading to Waikato University to study.  At the completion of one year at Waikato, David gained entrance to Otago Medical School.

Barry is one of this schools most successful athletes.   He went on to coach a number of New Zealand athletes who competed at Olympic and Commonwealth games.

Like the other members of his family Beau was destined to be a scholar and a sportsman.

He won the school tennis championships, often in tough duels with Travis Scott who was also a talented player.  Beau played tennis for Waikato age group teams and during his last two years was a member of the Waikato senior men’s team.  His club team, Walton, won the Waikato interclub competition on five occasions.  Beau was awarded the Sportsmanship for Waikato Junior tennis in his final year.

Bob started at Matamata Intermediate when it was on the college campus and continued his Secondary education here for five years.  He passed School Cert in 1956, University Entrance in 1957 and Higher School Certificate in 1958.  Bob won a scholarship to Lincoln University in 1958.

WAITING FOR THE NEXT “CRASH ON WALL STREET”! (Written by Brian)

Most people have been told about the Crash on Wall Street….Well I caused it! The day I was born people started jumping out of windows.

Bruce and his twin brother (Colin) attended Matamata College from 1965-1969.  He completed 6A and gained Higher School Certificate, having earlier been accredited UE and gained top marks in School Certificate.

Headboy:  1965

On leaving school with University Entrance Bruce studied medicine and graduated with a MB ChB Dip Obst (Univ of Auckland) M Pal Care (Flinders Univ Sth Australia).

Caroline completed five years at Matamata College in 1987.  As well as achieving at the highest level academically, Caroline was a member of the College Orchestra playing the flute.  Owen Workman was the music teacher at that time.  She was also a member of the 1^st XI Hockey team and in her own words “Excelled at Cross Country Avoidance!”  (Like many others!)...

This young lady has put Matamata on the map!  Captain of the New Zealand Silver Ferns and rated as the best defence in the world!  Casey carries a lot of responsibility.  From a netball family – Mum, Aunties, Sisters – all of whom attended Matamata College, this young star was born.  Casey had so much talent, plus being blessed with height and a great physique, that from a very young age she was destined to go places!

Catherine Anne Maclean was born to Scottish immigrants, Neil and Helen Maclean, and grew up in Waharoa, near Matamata, in the Waikato region.^[1] Neil was a factory worker at the local Waharoa diary factory.^[2] She attended Matamata High School, and she gained a University Bursary in her final year, 1948.^[3] In 1949 Catherine enrolled at Auckland University College in Zoology.^[3]

In 1989, Dame Catherine was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II as the first female Governor-General of New Zealand on the advice of Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer and took office on 13 Dece...

Dynamic, purposeful, energetic, vibrant and quite silly – there are not many adjectives that don’t fit this young lady!  Cat – (Cathy at school).

During her five years here Cat was involved (in her own words) “in anything going”:  choir, music lessons (one of my memories was Cat and a group singing ‘Cecila’ at assembly),...

Charles started at the Intermediate when it was part of the College before it shifted across the field to its present location.

He was accredited UE and gained Higher SC in Form 7 before going work for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and to study Accounting while working.  He gained a Chartered Accountants qualification and has worked in this field for most of his working life.

Chris is a highly qualified Environmental Planning Consultant.  At school he was a member of the International Committee and was Head Boy for the last term of 1984.  He was also Proxime Accessit and gained an A Bursary in 1984.  On leaving school Chris worked in the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park for a year before going to Lincoln University for three years to gain a qualification as a Park Ranger.  He worked as a Park Ranger at Shakespear Park, Whangaparaoa from 1989-1990.

Claire was born in Christchurch and when 4 months her family moved to Matamata for her father Peter to take up a position on the College staff in 1966.  Claire attended Matamata Primary School and the Intermediate where she competed in speech and poetry contests with fellow pupil James Eldridge always ‘winning by a whisker’! Participating in productions with her friend Alison Chambers was fun.

Colin attended College from 1965 to 1969 and taught at the College in 1976. Post school Colin attended Waikato University graduating in education and geography.  Later he attended Unitec to study educational leadership for four years part-time.  After leaving the relaxed life of university he taught at a number of intermediate and secondary schools before being appointed Principal of West Harbour School in West Auckland. This was followed by two years as Principal at Kaikohe West and then twelve years as Principal at Gladstone Primary – a large inner city school in Mt Albert.

Colin completed his final two year’s schooling at Matamata College.  As his Dad was the postmaster, they moved around every few years.  Colin made an instant impression at Matamata College.  In his final year he was a School Prefect, won the Senior Athletics Championship and was the Captain of the 1^st XI Hockey Team....

Colleen is yet another successful ex-student of Matamata College.  She completed four years schooling before leaving for America as an (AFS) American Field Scholar.  Colleen spent a year in Wisconsin and keeps in regular contact with her AFS family.

It all started in 1999. As a mediocre student at Matamata College who excelled in the core subjects of mischief making and merriment I made the decision to take my unusual learning style to University. This decision was supported by my parents. But when it came to paying for this decision their idea of support was an introduction to reality and the world of user pays  – and an appointment with our friendly Studylink Advisor. Congratulations son, you now have a student loan.

Darrin has a very interesting, varied and stimulating work history.  He left school in 1990 after the 7^h Form and joined the 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (1 RNZIR) where he completed his training at Linton Camp, Palmerston North and completed exercises overseas – Australia and Malaysia.

From  1997-1999 Darrin joined the 2^nd Regiment Etrangere de Parachute which is an airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion – (military...

David has had a very interesting work life.  From his days at Matamata College where he gained School Certificate, played hockey in the 1^st 11 and was a Sargent in the Military Training Corp, he went on to become a registered electrician.  Over the years he has had numerous interesting occupations.   David started as an electrical contractor.  Then he was employed by Air New Zealand as an electrical aircraft engineer.  He has done a stint as a manager of an aluminium joinery factory.  When the Kaimai tunnel was being built David worked as an electrician on that project.  At one stage he was the co-owner of the Opal Hot Springs.

David has been in the forefront of research and development into chemical free weed control.  He has designed and developed machines to accomplish this venture.  It has taken him to many countries (England, Holland, Denmark, Germany, USA and Canada) to successfully market his product.

Deane’s first response was that he was not the most driven student while attending college, but he has been presented with many great opportunities over the years which have been enough to give him an exciting life to date.

Doug has had 50 years in Joinery and Cabinet Making business.  He completed his apprenticeship in Te Awamutu on leaving school.  Doug returned to Matamata and worked for C & M Mckenzie Ltd for a time.  During this period he joined the local volunteer fire brigade.  Doug shifted to Auckland and joined the Auckland Metropolitian Fire Brigade.  He worked for them for three years.  On his days off he worked for a Mt Wellington based Joinery Company.

What years were you at school? 1987-1991

Qualifications gained at school: A Bursary

Involvement in sports/cultural activities at school: First XI Football 1991, Executive Committee member

Qualifications post school:

MBChB (Otago) 1997 – Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery 

Eileen attended Matamata College from 1961-64.  She left school after gaining School Certificate.  Eileen is now a world-renown translator.  She gained her qualifications from Georgetown University, Washington DC.

Elearnor has had a very successful and interesting career.  Her initial schooling was at Waharoa Primary School then Matamata Intermediate before attending Matamata College for four years.
At school Eleanor gained School Certificate and University Entrance, and then went to Hamilton Teachers College and Waikato University directly from the sixth form....

Erin is a recent prodigy of Matamata College.  She grew up in Walton, attended Matamata Intermediate and then Matamata College from 2005 to 2009.  As well as contributing in numerous fields while at school, including being Deputy Head Girl in 2009, her true claim to fame is her golfing stardom.

Ewen commented that his academic and sporting achievements at College were not particularly memorable.  However he went on to graduate with a BA and a Dip Ed.

Fiona attended school from 1973-1979.  She was involved in the choir, acquired life saving qualifications and played hockey.  Fiona gained a Bursary and then went on to train as a nurse.