15 Bundaberg former high school duxes and where they are now
From Emmy winners to environmentalists, Bundaberg’s high school duxes continue to kick goals and make their hometown proud.
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Many people remember high school as one of the most challenging – and enjoyable – times of their lives and the years that defined them.
Perhaps none forged their future there more than the Bundaberg region’s top academic achievers, the Duxes of the schools, who were the beacons of educational success among their cohorts.
15 Fraser Coast’s former high school duxes and where they are now
Meet just 15 of the region’s impressive duxes below:
Harry Packwood – Shalom College 2020
At Shalom College Harry Packwood not only represented the school on a local stage as its school captain, but also on the world stage.
Through his schooling efforts young Mr Packwood was awarded the Premier’s Anzac Prize, and he travelled alongside the Queensland Government to Europe for the 2016 centenary of World War I.
In 2020 he was named Dux and the following year began studying at the University of Queensland.
After starting a degree in Law and Economics he transferred across to Chemical Engineering and Economics.
Mr Packwood is still a student with UQ, but is also an undergraduate chemical engineer with Glencore, a role which fills much of his time away from university.
His role at Glencore has already sent him around the state, and he said he always enjoyed the chance to come back home to Bundaberg whenever possible.
Marielle Ong – St Luke’s Anglican College 2012
Since graduating as dux from St Luke’s Anglican College in 2021, Marielle Ong’s academic success has taken her around the globe.
After immigrating to Australia from Singapore in 2006, Ms Ong said she was inspired by science fiction to study astrophysics after high school.
She started doing so at the University of Queensland, but quickly realised she needed to follow a different path.
She transitioned into studying “pure” mathematics and in 2015 she graduated with a Bachelor of Science, extended major in Mathematics and a completed Advanced Studies Program in Science.
Ms Ong didn’t stop there, going on to complete a Bachelor of Science with First class Honours in 2016 and a Masters of Philosophy in Mathematics in 2018.
She is now a 6th year PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA, where she studies representation theory and complex algebraic geometry.
Despite years of impressive educational prowess in the mathematics and physics realms, Ms Ong said her future may lie elsewhere.
“After I graduate next year (2024), I am keeping my options open and will be applying to both postdoctoral research and teaching positions,” she said.
“Ever since the pandemic, I am met with the desire to leave the ivory tower of academia because the world needs math teachers more than ever.”
David Fulton – Bundaberg Christian College 2011
Born and bred Bundy boy and qualified engineer David Fulton has put his years of education to good use, and is now a key member of the Bundaberg Regional Council’s infrastructure team.
After graduating from Bundaberg Christian College in 2011 Mr Fulton was offered an engineering cadetship at GHD, where he worked while studying part time at the University of Southern Queensland.
“I then planned to become registered as a professional engineer in Queensland (RPEQ), continue working locally and contribute towards making my home town a better place through my skills in engineering,” he said.
His dream came true when in 2018 he was offered a job at the local council in the infrastructure and planning department.
“I have now been working as an Infrastructure Planning Engineer for just over five years,” he said.
“For the first three or so years, I had a focus on stormwater infrastructure and flood modelling.
“Since then, I have been responsible for transport infrastructure planning and have a passion for road safety and making our roads safer for all road users.”
This is especially important for his beloved wife and three children, who he “love(s) bringing up my young family in the Bundaberg region.”
Mitchell Trudgian – Bundaberg Christian College 2012
A successful work experience opportunity in 2011 became a defining moment in the life of Bundaberg’s Mitchell Trudgian.
In year 11 at Bundaberg Christian College young Mr Trudgian took on an opportunity at Empire Engineering, the company which would one day become his professional home.
Mr Trudgian then set his sights on a Bachelor of Engineering and after graduating from BCC in 2012 with top honours would go on to complete a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) also with First Class Honours in 2017 from Central Queensland University.
During his degree, he made a return to Empire Engineering and was thrilled when a six-month placement turned into a full time job opportunity on the Sunshine Coast.
However, his home town of Bundaberg called him back to the region and he now manages the structural department of Empire Engineering as a Senior Structural Engineer.
“My wife (Sara Trudgian) and I recently moved back to Bundaberg so that we could be closer to our families as we have just welcomed our first baby (Ari Trudgian),” he said.
Chloe Miller – Gin Gin State High School 2020
Despite becoming the Gin Gin State High School Dux in both 2020 and 2019, Chloe Miller joked she had no plans for life after high school until she was faced with applying for universities.
Miss Miller said applied won a scholarship programs and was now a third-year student at the University of Southern Queensland,
After scanning the list of classes for something of interest she settled on a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Environment and Sustainability and has not looked back.
After studying on campus for two years she moved with her family to Kingaroy and now worked part time under professor Dr Ben Allen in the environmental research field.
In her role as his “offsider” Miss Miller has been given a unique insight into the inner workings of the profession.
This has encouraged her to pursue an postgraduate honours program in Pest Management, she said, and hoped it would continue into a PhD.
Hannah Mountford – St Lukes Anglican College 2021
After beginning her high school education at Bundaberg State High School, Hannah Mountford graduated from St Luke’s Anglican College as Dux and School Captain in 2021.
The change of schooling propelled Miss Mountford academically and socially, she said, and through the support of the school she was able to fulfil her aspiration of becoming school captain.
Since graduating she has begun a degree in engineering and mathematics at the Queensland University of Technology.
This was not always her goal though.
“I initially thought that I wanted to join the Army and do university through them,” she said.
She began pursuing a future with the Army while still in high school, but after chatting with fellow students about their futures post graduation took a different path.
After graduating, she initially took a gap year and found a job working with a civil engineering company within Bundaberg, giving her a unique insight into the industry.
Now based in Brisbane, Miss Mountford has successfully completed her first semester with the university.
Ellenor Cox – Kepnock State High School 1984
Ellenor Cox is one of the region’s most renowned alums with incredible awards listed to her name including a 2009 Emmy and a 2012 AACTA award.
The Kepnock State High School alumni graduated in 1984 and has had a widely varied professional career spanning multiple industries and countries.
After graduation Ms Cox initially studied a Bachelor of Modern Asian Studies through Griffith University, while also living in Japan through the Rotary Exchange Program.
Her time in Asia and her success with the Japanese language led to her to being scouted and selected for a prestigious trainee position through Qantas Airlines.
What followed was almost a decade with the airline, where she became one of the youngest marketing executives in the companies history.
However a niggling feeling that the industry wasn’t suited to her future spurred a total change towards the film industry.
“In those days it was pre-internet so I just did the classic thing and purchased the monthly film magazines for the Australian film industry and started ringing people that looked like they were important,” she said.
After offering her services in an internship capacity, she rose through the ranks to become a producer and would spend three decades in the industry as one of the guiding forces behind Australian productions such as Storm Surfers and Scorched.
While the films would earn her international success and accolades, by the mid 2010s she felt ready for another change.
In 2015 she undertook a Masters in Business Coaching and Consultancy through the Melbourne based Coaching Institute now focuses on executive coaching.
“The reason for moving into the coaching was that I started to realise the thing I enjoyed most about being a leader was the professional and personal development of the teams I was responsible for,” she said.
Warren Kinney – Christian Brothers Bundaberg 1963
Bundaberg alumni and Priest Warren Kinney has seen more of the world than most people dream of, including spending two decades in China during periods of great social change and upheaval.
Mr Kinney graduated from Christian Brothers Bundaberg in 1963, before the school was merged with Loyola College for girls to become the Shalom College in 1984.
During his high school education, Mr Kinney said he remembered feelings of embarrassment when his fellow school mates would ask about his plans after graduation.
“From my junior time in 1961, I was given a teachers scholarship, but in my mind I wasn’t interested in it,” he said.
“I always had the idea I would go to the seminary and give that a go.”
Despite graduating as Dux of the school and being approached by local law firms for employment Mr Kinney knew seminary school was the direction for him and moved to Melbourne.
By 1970 he was ordained, and would spend the next several decades travelling the world for mission and personal projects.
Despite spending years at a time in the Philippines, studying in Rome, achieving a PhD in the United Kingdom at University of Birmingham, Mr Kinney spent a large portion of his life committed to one key cause.
He lived for two decades within China as a philosopher and educator and founded charity Yo Doa which focused on helping those impacted by the xenophobia towards internal Chinese migrants.
“We worked with internal migrants – people who had come from other parts of China – into the big cities looking for work, but their children couldn’t go to the normal schools there, they didn’t have residency in those cities,” he said.
Through the charity Mr Kinney and his team worked to set up schools with libraries and teachers.
“It was in some ways illegal, but (they) tolerated it because the Shanghai government didn’t want to incorporate these hundreds of thousands of students into their own schools,” he said.
Mr Kinney now “practices at retirement” in Surfers Paradise, and spends his time casually hosting public masses with the Surfers Paradise Parish.
Tom Welldon – Isis State High School 2015
As a successful small business owner Isis State High School Dux Tom Welldon credits the support his school showed him throughout his educational years for his success.
“High school at Isis was great and I cannot fault the education and support I got,” he said.
Mr Welldon said he always planned on attending university and did just that graduating from the Central Queensland University with Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) and first class honours in 2019.
Since graduating Mr Welldon has launched his own physiotherapy business, Well Done Physiotherapy’ a mobile business which covers much of the Wide Bay Burnett.
Mr Welldon is a keen triathlon athlete, and uses his unique knowledge of the human body to guide his training.
He recently completed the Cairns Ironman challenge, and is already eyeing off his next event.
Hayden Wirth – Isis State High School 2018
During his final year at Isis State High School in 2018 Hayden Wirth set himself an ambitious goal: Be named the school’s Dux.
Not only did Mr Wirth achieve that goal, he achieved the highest academic recognition possible, an OP 1.
The local academic said for his year 12 schooling efforts he also received subject awards for biology, chemistry, English and modern history.
Following high school Mr Wirth said he was aiming to complete a Bachelor of Advanced Science at the University of Queensland.
In 2022 he graduated from UQ with First Class Honours, and the Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence.
Mr Wirth has continued his academic journey with UQ and is now completing a Masters in Bioinformatics.
Hamza Abid – St Luke’s Anglican College 2022
Hamza Abid has followed his family into the medical field since graduating with a 99.70 ATAR and as school Dux from St Luke’s Anglican College.
After moving from Canada to Bundaberg four years ago, both of his parents Zain and Hamza Abid continued their radiology work within the region.
Originally from Pakistan, the family chose St Luke’s for the educational opportunities the school was recognised for and have not looked back.
Now based in Townsville at James Cook University, Mr Abid has begun studying medicine as well.
He hopes to contribute to rural and regional health and medicine after graduating and following his family through the health industry.
Teagan Gleeson – Bundaberg State High School 2016
Self-professed fitness fanatic Teagan Gleeson has gone on to achieve her post graduate goals and then some.
The 2016 Bundaberg State High School Dux not only achieved an OP 1, but excelled at chemistry, biology, ancient history and English, receiving the top academic achievement award for those subjects.
With a mother as a nurse and a brother a paramedic, Miss Gleeson knew she wanted to enter the health field, but was not committed to a medical role.
She said her post high school goal was to work as an accredited exercise physiologist helping and assisting hospital patients manage long-term disease and acute injuries.
In 2017 she began a Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Science at the University of Southern Queensland.
Since graduating, she now works in Buderim as an Exercise Physiologist and focuses on supporting women through the use of exercise as medicine.
She also works as a Clinical pilates Instructor and focuses on making exercise accessible to all women.
Hannah Earl – Bundaberg North State High School 2022
Hannah Earl has always known what she wanted to do with her life ever since she watched a medical team save her grandfather's life.
“When I was very young, an amazing healthcare team operated on my granddad after an aortic dissection,” she said.
“I have always thought it incredible that their knowledge and skill allowed them to save his life and give him the gift of more time with his family.”
The 2022 Bundaberg North State High School Dux is now a doctor-in-training through a Bachelor of Medical Science (Pathway to Medicine) course at Central Queensland University.
In March of 2023 she was one of 34 medical students from across the state to join the Regional Medical Pathways program.
The program focuses on improving medical access and care in regional and remote communities, and when speaking with CQU in March Miss Earl said this was a key part of why she entered the medical field.
“I feel that everyone should have an equal chance of living a healthy life no matter where they live, and therefore believe that increasing the number of medical professionals working in these settings is vital to improving health outcomes for these communities,” she said.
Rachael Crush – Bundaberg Christian College 2019
A student of faith Rachael Crush has followed the religious education she received at the Bundaberg Christian College into her professional life.
The 2019 Dux said she looks back on her time at the school with fond memories, and said she misses her teachers and the connection they shared the most.
“They made such a big impact on me, and I really miss seeing their familiar faces everyday,” she said.
“I loved spending my lunchtimes chatting to my teachers and hearing about their life and faith journeys.”
Miss Crush is now based in inner city Brisbane where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) at the University of Queensland.
She initially began studying Occupational Therapy before realising her passions lie elsewhere.
“In 2022 I commenced the Bachelor, which really aligns with my heart to provide practical aid to those in need, graduating in semester two of 2025,” she said.
She also extended her faith based attitude to life, and has also completed a diploma of Ministry at Malyon Theological College.
Nicholas See – Bundaberg North State High School 2015
During his final year at Bundaberg North State High School Nicholas See was not sure of the pathway he wanted to take after graduating.
The 2015 Dux said he was encouraged by his family to consider a career in medicine, and with their support completed an Undergraduate Medical Admission Test.
After graduating from Bundaberg North State high School Mr See began a Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) program at the University of Queensland.
“I figured that irrespective of my career direction, studying a mixture of fundamental science and philosophy courses would hold me in good stead,” he said.
However, after being introduced to the intricacies of the pharmaceutical industry, Mr See moved away from a future as a medical doctor and towards radical chemistry.
“In my time as a doctoral student, I’ve had the privilege of forging longstanding relationships with researchers from all over the world – including those who’ve been students and research fellows of Nobel prize recipients,” he said.
Mr See is now pursuing a Doctorate in Philosophy and free radical chemistry and has recently moved back to Bundaberg to complete his thesis, and is also working as an assistant technologist at Wide Bay Nuclear Medicine.
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