Class Of - 1948

Max Spiller (as at 2003)

Max left Scotch in 1948, fifty-five years ago for heaven’s sake! Leaving the world of Mr Gilray, Miss French, ‘45’ and ‘Chesty’ Bond, what would lie in store...? The mandatory working holiday in the UK beckoned which turned into a four year exile from Australia. As was normal then he acquired an English wife, Jane, who, after all this time, still tolerates his many foibles.

Many years were spent in the lighting industry with Philips and Thorn, and then a twenty-year dream job with Varian Techtron, a Melbourne based scientific instrument manufacturer. Lots of travel and the highest levels of job satisfaction.
At 58 retirement beckoned strongly. He and Jane sold their East Ringwood home, put their belongings into storage and drove slowly up the east coast, looking for a new home, a sea change.

Several weeks later they drove into Bellingen, a rather special town just south of Coffs Harbour; they knew, without any doubt, this was where they wanted to settle. Buying two hectares, they built a dream home and worked at creating a five acre garden. Ten years later, in 2000, they moved into town and created a home on a superb block of land.

Max’s passions are computers and the internet (luckily this town has broadband), genealogy, exploring the spiritual side of life, and a rich social life.

The war years weren’t the best times to be at Scotch but it was a valuable time nevertheless – and no doubt the shortages of goods and teachers was, in line with Scotch’s philosophy, character building!