Noni Gabb (2005)
With no idea what she wanted to do after school, Noni headed off to work on a sheep station on the Nullarbor. She went on to a cattle station in Queensland’s Channel Country. “I loved the freedom, learning new skills and working with livestock— riding motorbikes and learning how to ride while breaking in a horse! I also made incredible lifelong friends.” This led her to the University of New England where she studied a double degree (Arts/Science majoring in Crop and Animal Science and Peace and Development Studies). After university Noni worked for Rice Research Australia before moving to Central West NSW where, unable to find Ag Science work, a friend convinced her to retrain as a teacher.
In 2017, Noni returned to Grammar as a teacher. She taught Year 9 Science and Yr 11 and 12 Agriculture and Horticulture, was a Year 9 Level Coordinator, and a Tutor and MOD in Hayhoe House. “A highlight of my career was my first Year 12 Ag/Hort class at Grammar. Four of my girls got an ATAR above 40, they were four of only eight students in the state to achieve above 40 that year. I was so proud of them. Another highlight was teaching Year 9. Working out of the Heinz Centre was amazing; we had such a great team and the program was a blast to teach. The Melbourne Experience was also always great, especially having done it as a student.”
Noni’s current chapter
"In 2020 I took a year’s leave from Ballarat Grammar to travel the world. With my plans disrupted by COVID, I ended up locked down in Queenstown, New Zealand where I found my place—trail running, mountain biking, ski touring, packrafting and hiking through the mountains. My love of all outdoor pursuits, the environment and mountains led me to stay and here I still am six years later, living my best life. These days I spend my free time up mountains or packrafting down rivers. I’ve been teaching Biology at Wakatipu High School in Queenstown for five years, and this year I re-introduced Ag/Hort for the Year 12s and 13s. While there’s no space for animals or an ag plot like at Grammar, we’re really lucky to be close to a wide range of agricultural and horticultural enterprises and I'm hoping I’ll be able to develop the program and facilities over the years."
Noni’s time as a student at Grammar
"I loved it. Of the things that stand out, one is my school camps, especially the snow camp which I did three times as a student and another three times as a teacher. This sparked my love of being in the mountains. The opportunity to go to Kenya as part of a Round Square service project was instrumental in me wanting a career that was about helping others in some way. These experiences also opened me to my love of travel. Even though I was quite academic, I really wanted to do VCE Ag/Hort. I also did Year 12 Biology and had the most incredible teachers in Alan Ford and Nola Squire. At the time, I never considered that one day I would be doing what they did, but I absolutely love that I am."
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.
