# Newcastle Boys' High School

Newcastle Boys' High School was a government-funded single-sex selective high school, located in Waratah, a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The school was active between 1929 and 1976, after which time it became a co-educational non-selective school.

## History

Newcastle Boys High School was established in 1929 when the Hill High School was split into two selective single-sex schools, the other being Newcastle Girls High School. Hill High School's campus was located on Newcastle Hill, at a site now occupied by Newcastle East Public School, and was referred to as "the School on the Hill". Newcastle Girls High School moved to a new campus in Hamilton, and Newcastle Boys High School moved to a new campus in Waratah in 1934, at which time Hill High School became Newcastle Junior Boys High School. Both Newcastle Boys and Newcastle Girls high schools carried on the traditions established by the original school, including use of the same motto and school colours.
Newcastle Boys High School became non-selective and co-educational in 1977 and changed its name to Waratah High School that same year. Later it became Waratah Technology High School, and then Waratah Technology Campus of Callaghan College in 2000.

## Headmasters

The Headmasters of Newcastle Boys High School were:
* 1930–31 Robert Frederick Harvey
* 1932–34 Charles Herbert Christmas
* 1935–44 Norman Ross Mearns
* 1945–47 William Pillans
* 1948–63 Frank Harold Beard
* 1964–74 Leonard Thomas Richardson
* 1975–76 Victor Huish Webber (relieving)

## School song

Newcastle Boys High School continued to sing the Newcastle High School song: words by a member of staff, R. G. Henderson MA set to the tune of "D'ye ken John Peel?", chosen by competition announced in 1913 in the school journal, "Novocastrian". When the boys moved to the plain at the Waratah site, they no longer climbed up The Hill and the first verse was re-written in 1943 by Mr Hodge.

## Science scholarships

The following Newcastle Boys' High School students won scholarships to the Professor Harry Messel International Science School:
| Year | Schoolboy |
| 1962 | Malcolm James Williams |
| 1964 | Peter Gordon Browne |
| 1965 | Ian Donald Henderson |
| 1966 | Grahame John Edgar |
| 1967 | Michael Duncan Daffey |
| 1968 | David Ian Cocking |
| 1969 | David Bruce Williams |
| 1969 | Graeme John Williams |
| 1971 | Danny James Llewellyn |
| 1971 | Ian Allen Watson |
| 1973 | Richard Kleeman |
| 1973 | Stephen Bruce Ticehurst |
| 1974 | John Ambler |
| 1974 | Dale Kleeman |

## Extra-curricular activities

The following Newcastle Boys' High School boys were awarded "Blues" by the New South Wales Combined High Schools Sports Association under the system which operated from 1957 to 1980:
| Year | Sport | Schoolboy |
| 1960 | Tennis | D Kelso |
| 1960 | Athletics | P Langley |
| 1961 | Tennis | P Marshall |
| 1962 | Basketball | D Collins |
| 1962 | Soccer | J Smith |
| 1962 | Soccer | J Thurlow |
| 1962 | Tennis | P Marshall |
| 1963 | Cricket | B Gibson |
| 1963 | Tennis | W Harrison |
| 1964 | Cricket | I Forrester |
| 1964 | Tennis | C East |
| 1965 | Athletics | P Wright |
| 1967 | Baseball | G Gilmour |
| 1967 | Rugby League | J Davis |
| 1967 | Rugby Union | J Davis |
| 1968 | Soccer | R O'Hearn |
| 1969 | Cricket | G Gilmour |
| 1970 | Rugby League | J Shield |
| 1970 | Soccer | G Valentine |
| 1971 | Basketball | T Antcliffe |
| 1974 | Basketball | G Logan |
| 1974 | Sailing | M Long |

## Notable alumni

* Michael Back – Freehills Brisbane managing partner
* Reginald Ian Barrett – jurist; Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales (2001–2015)
* Jonathan Biggins – entertainer, writer
* Leigh Blackmore – horror writer, critic, editor, musician
* Peter Cave – journalist; Current Affairs Foreign Editor, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
* Peter Robert Charlton (1946–2007) – journalist, soldier, military historian; editor at The Courier-Mail from 1996
* William T. Cooper AO – artist and ornithologist
* Phil Cousins OAM – community worker, surf life-saver, mines rescue leader; Venerable Order of Saint John (2004), Centenary Medal (2003), named Open Champion (First Aid) Surf Life Saving Australia (1994 and 1997), Gold Medallion NSW Mines Rescue Service (1993)
* Julian Croft – novelist and poet; Emeritus Professor of English, University of New England
* Howard Crozier OAM (1936–) – teacher, education administrator, CSIRO manager, shire councillor, grazier
* Roger Dean CBE – Federal Member for Robertson 1949–64, Administrator of the Northern Territory 1964–70, diplomat
* Robert Douglas AO – medical practitioner and academic; chair, SEE-Change ACT; emeritus professor and visiting fellow, Australian National University; chair, Australia 21
* Gary Gilmour – Australian cricketer
* Ross Gittins AM – author; economics editor of The Sydney Morning Herald
* Kevan Gosper – international sports administrator; company director
* John Harding – violinist; Concertmaster, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (2006–)
* Sam Jones – trade unionist, politician; Labor member of New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Waratah (1965–84)
* Ross Kerridge – Lord Mayor of Newcastle (2024- )
* Patrick McGorry – psychiatrist, academic, 2010 Australian of the Year
* Jeffrey Miles – author, jurist; Chief Judge, Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory (1985–2002)
* Arthur Morris – Australian cricketer
* Peter Morris – Federal Minister; Federal Member for Shortland 1972–98
* Gary Neat – journalist and author; Foreign Correspondent ABC Indochina/SE Asia; CEO of the Queensland Liberal Party; Senate Candidate & Federal Executive; National President – Australian Institute of Management
* Dick Tooth – Australian rugby union footballer, orthopaedic surgeon and sports science pioneer
* Ivan Welsh – politician; Lake Macquarie mayor and member of New South Wales Legislative Assembly (1988–91)

## Notable teachers

* Kelver Hartley