'The Final Fling'

It was Tom Stankovich’s idea. He said schools in Sydney held end of year formals — black tie events. We had the experience of organising a farewell to Rick Burns when his family temporarily returned to America earlier in the year. On that occasion we hired the Chapter One discotheque, booked a band and held a very enjoyable dance party.

So the Carlton Lounge at the Hotel Ainslie-Rex was booked for Thursday 19th October. Tickets were printed and the event was called ‘The Final Fling’. The cost was set at $4.00 a single and dress called for ‘black tie’. The evening was scheduled to run from 8.30pm until 1.00am. The price for the ticket included a three course meal and the band.

Hopefully, someone reading this will remind us who the band was and what music they played. Drinks were extra. A photographer had been booked and again I hope some of you who have kept your photos can submit them for inclusion on this page.

It was deemed necessary to have a suitable ‘prank’ such that this 6th Form group of Telopea students should be adequately remembered. I had built a junk sculpture from railway tracks while in 4th Form and the boys were keen to ‘gift’ it to Narrabundah High School. It was more precious to me so I declined the donation and it remains with me. A purpose built sculpture was created by Lindsay Plumb and others and on the night of ‘The Final Fling’ it rode on the back of Tom’s Volkswagen Kombi Utility.

At around 2.00am after the festivities at the Carlton Lounge had concluded a convoy of cars made their way stealthily to Narrabundah. A spot was chosen at the front of the school and the sculpture was unloaded. It was somewhat bizarre to see a group of tuxedo clad boys digging a hole and filling it with quick-setting concrete. Into this went the sculpture and we beat a hasty retreat.

It was expected that when news of this prank broke it would send Mr McPherson on one of his explosive rages and line up everyone to find the culprits. It never happened. Feedback indicated that the Narrabundah people weren’t unhappy at all and thought the sculpture had sufficient artistic merit to warrant its place at the front of the school.

Please let me know your memories of this event so I can add to the story.

Jim Gillespie