The Forest High School (New South Wales)

The Forest High School, (abbreviation TFHS) is a government day school located in Frenchs Forest, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on Frenchs Forest Road. It is a co-educational secondary school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education with students ranging from grades 7 to 12. The school was established in 1961 as a secondary school for the Northern Beaches area. Students at the school come predominantly from Frenchs Forest, Oxford Falls, Beacon Hill, and Allambie Heights.

The Forest High School
Location
Frenchs Forest , New South Wales Australia
Coordinates	33°45′0.88″S 151°13′49.59″E
Information
Type	Public, secondary, co-educational, day school
Motto	Latin: Spectemur Agendo (Let Us Be Judged By Our Actions.)
Established	January 1961[1]
Principal	Rosemary McDowall
Enrolment	~718 (7–12)[2]
Campus	135 Frenchs Forest Road
Colour(s)	Green, gold and red
Website	www.theforest-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

History

The formation of The Forest High School was the result of a campaign by a representative body known as The Forest High School Promotion Committee formed on 1 November 1958. The committee members were anxious to have established a co-educational high school that would cater for the educational needs of the suburbs of Frenchs Forest, Forestville, Beacon Hill and Terrey Hills and Narraweena.[3]

On 31 January 1961, Stage One of construction was completed and The Forest High School opened with an initial enrolment of 318 students and a staff of 14 teachers under the principalship of Edward George Bell, who had been headmaster of Fairfield Boys' High School.[4][5] The latin school motto Spectemur Agendo - let us be judged by our actions - was chosen by the pioneer students and staff, while the school crest was designed by the art teacher. Originally called "French's Forest High School", on 2 August 1961 the Minister for Education, Ernest Wetherell announced the name had changed to "The Forest High School".[6]

By 1963, Stage Three of the building program was completed with the three major buildings and enrolments had increased to 963 students. 1963 also saw the completion of the Assembly Hall in time for the second annual Speech Night on 9 April. The School magazine, "Yarrabee", was first issued in the same year.[3]

By 1964 it was considered that the school had reached the level necessary for an official opening. This occurred on Saturday 24 October 1964, attended by the Director-General of Education, Harold Wyndham, the state Member for Wakehurst, Dick Healey, and the Minister for Education, Ernest Wetherell, and was officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Woodward.[3]

The 1960s witnessed the beginnings of the musical program with the formation of the school orchestra, band and choir. The Forest high won the 1963 trophies for Inter-Zone junior athletics and swimming. In 1969 D block and the gymnasium were opened to accommodate the growing number of students. The final stage of building was completed in 1976 with the opening of the Library.[3]

Potential school move

In late 2016, it was revealed that the site of The Forest High School was being considered for rezoning by the Department of Planning and Environment, which would see the school replaced by a new high-density Frenchs Forest town centre next to the Northern Beaches Hospital and the school moved to a new site in the suburb at or near the Warringah Aquatic Centre on the other side of Warringah Road.[7][8] However, this draft plan remains in public consideration and no decision has yet been made as of March 2018.[9]

Principals

Years	Principal
1961–1965	Edward George Bell BSc Dip.Ed.
1966–1977	F. Bailey B.Ec.
1977–1983	L. R. Woods BSc Dip.Ed.
1984–1985	J. Hensley B.A. Dip.Ed.
1986–1992	M. Armstrong B.A. Dip.Ed.
1992–2002	Patrick Kidd B.A. Dip.Ed
2002–2008	Peter Gillam MEd B.A. B.Ec. Grad.Dip.Ed.
2009–present	Rosemary McDowall B.A. BEd Dip.Ed.

Notable alumni

• Garry Gary Beers – Musician, best known as a member of INXS.[10]
• Ditch Davey – Actor from Australian Drama 'Blue Heelers'. Attended 1987–1992.
• Peter Debnam – NSW Liberal Party politician, Leader of Opposition 2005-2007
• Tim Farriss – Musician, best known as a member of INXS.[10]
• James Kerley – TV and radio presenter
• David Koch – Seven Network Journalist and Financial Commentator
• Bill Leak – editorial cartoonist for The Australian.[11][12]
• Ian Martin – Rugby Leaguer, 1972, 73, 76, 78 premiership player, played for Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.[13]
• David Musgrave – prize-winning poet and publisher
• Matthew Myers – Judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales.
• Nadine Neumann – Olympic breaststroke swimmer
• Shelley Oates-Wilding – Olympic sprint canoer
• Kirk Pengilly – Musician, best known as a member of INXS.[10]
• David Ronson – Rugby Leaguer, 1987 premiership player, played for Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
• Tracey Dale (nee Pearson) – former winner of the Miss Australia title
• Andrew Speight – Award winning jazz saxophonist
• Anna Wood – schoolgirl who died after taking ecstasy.
• Jane Caro, social commentator
• Amy McCann - Australian Baseball Team 2002-2014, dual All-World Team selection, dual World Cup medallist, 2006 Baseball Australia Player of the Year

See also

• List of Government schools in New South Wales
• Northern Beaches Council
• Electoral district of Wakehurst
• Division of Mackellar

References

1. "The Forest High - Cumberland". History of New South Wales government schools. NSW Department of Education. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
2. "The Forest High School". School Locator. NSW Public Schools. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
3. "A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FOREST HIGH". The Forest High School. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
4. "Annual prize-giving day at Fairfield High School". The Biz (2870). New South Wales, Australia. 7 June 1961. p. 8. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "RETIREMENTS—TEACHERS". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (14). New South Wales, Australia. 4 February 1966. p. 539. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "NEW HIGH SCHOOL". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (81). New South Wales, Australia. 11 August 1961. p. 2351. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
7. Patterson, Robbie (29 October 2016). "Frenchs Forest zoning: High school to be rezoned for units as part new town centre around hospital". Manly Daily. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
8. Brown, Michelle (1 December 2016). "Frenchs Forest high school may relocate to make way for high-rises in new northern beaches town centre". ABC News. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
9. "NB Hospital Precinct Plan". The Forest High School. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
10. "Revealed: Sydney spots where INXS got its kick". Manly Daily. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
11. Bennett, Rod (29 November 2013). "Leak draws on reality for show: Portrait guru to hit gallery". Manly Daily.
12. Summary of Interview with Bill Leak, painter and cartoonist by interviewer, Ann Turner, 1998
13. Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 (ISBN 1875169571).

External links

• The Forest High School
• New South Wales Department of Education - The Forest High School