Ballarat Grammar Community Comes Together for ANZAC Day Service
The Ballarat Grammar community gathered on Monday 27 April for the School's annual ANZAC Day Service, a significant whole-school event dedicated to remembering and honouring the Australian and New Zealand men and women who have served their country in times of war, conflict and peacekeeping.
Students, staff and special guests came together in a spirit of reflection and respect to acknowledge the sacrifices made by generations of service personnel. The service served as a reminder that while some returned home as heroes, many did not return at all, and others carried the lasting effects of war throughout their lives.
The ceremony began with an Acknowledgement of Country delivered by Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Captain, Meg Ham, followed by an opening prayer from School Captains Robert Charles and Olivia Beechey, alongside Acting School Chaplain, The Right Reverend Mark Burton. Principal Adam Heath welcomed the School community before School Captains Chloe Adams and Hugh Myers presented the ANZAC Requiem.
A highlight of the service was an address from guest speaker Commander Craig Spinks RAN, who was introduced by School Captain Olivia Beechey. Commander Spinks joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1984 at the age of 17 and has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning more than four decades. After completing an Arts Degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy, he qualified as a Seaman Officer and later as a Naval Aviator, operating helicopters at sea. His service included deployments throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Korea and the Pacific region.
Following his full-time naval career, Commander Spinks completed a Law degree and now balances a legal practice with ongoing work in Naval Aviation and Leadership Training as a Naval Reservist.
Commander Spinks has a strong connection to Ballarat Grammar through his family. He is married to Old Grammarian Emma Spinks (1994), and together they have four children. Their eldest sons, Oliver (2023) and Nicholas (2024), are Ballarat Grammar graduates who are now pursuing tertiary studies, while Benjamin and Alexandra are current students at the School.
Through his personal experiences and reflections on service, leadership and sacrifice, Commander Spinks provided students with a meaningful insight into the importance of ANZAC Day and the values it represents.
Acknowledgement of Country
Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we learn, live and work, the Wadawurrung People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
Commitment to Child Safety
Ballarat Grammar maintains a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of child abuse and actively implements measures to identify and manage any risks of harm to students within our school environment. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people are central and fundamental responsibilities of the School. We are firmly committed to fostering a child-safe culture that provides an environment where students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices heard in decisions that affect their lives. Ballarat Grammar values diversity and strictly prohibits any racist or discriminatory practices. All members of our school community share the responsibility to care for children and young people by promptly raising any concerns regarding their safety, promoting their wellbeing, and protecting them from all forms of harm or abuse.
