Gympie former high school duxes and where they are now
From scientists to doctors, engineers and business owners, these former high school duxes of the Gympie region continue to kick goals and make us all proud.
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Hitting goals, achieving milestones, gaining early entry into specialised career programs and even representing the Gympie region on the state, national or international stage, are just some of the accomplishments of the region’s high school high achievers.
We take a look back at some of the former duxes of the region’s public, private and Catholic high schools, and check in on what they are up to now, from scientists to doctors, small business owners, engineers and lawyers.
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Kelly Goatham
Gympie State High School Dux of 2013, Kelly Goatham achieved an OP2 while juggling both sporting and leadership commitments throughout the year. She said this was one of her proudest achievements.
After graduating university with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2018, she went on to become the proud co-owner of Nextra Gympie, and has been running the newsagency at Central Shopping Centre ever since.
“I’m most proud of my personal and professional growth in how I interact with people in varying settings,” Kelly said.
“I’m contemplating where my journey is headed next, but I am looking forward to continuing building a life I’m proud to live.
“There’s great potential for our younger community to thrive here if they know what they’re looking for.
“Gympie has been home for the majority of my life and I think we’re pretty lucky to be here.”
Brien Seeney
A 2007 graduate from St Patrick’s College, Brien Seeney proudly achieved dux in his year and went on to study physiotherapy at the University of Queensland, where he graduated in 2011.
Brien has a strong interest in sports physiotherapy and he runs NRL Physio, a social media account which analyses and educates on NRL injuries. The account has more than 72,000 followers on facebook.
He is most proud of becoming a director at his physio practice, Active Care Physio in Capalaba where he has been for the past 12 years.
Brien is looking forward to achieving “even more work-life balance” so he can spend as much time as possible with his wife Rebecca and two girls, Isobel and Ava, watching as they grow up.
“Gympie is a fantastic town. I haven’t lived there for over 15 years yet many of my closest friendships today began in Gympie. Up the Devils!” he said.
Harmony Douwes
Graduating from Gympie State High with dux and an OP1 in 2012, Harmony Douwes is remembered for being “excellent at science and maths.”
She went on to study zoology and biotechnology at the University of Queensland and works as a senior scientist at Ellume, a Qld biotech company which pioneered Covid home tests.
Henry Fredman
An avid fisherman with a grounded upbringing in Gympie, Henry Fredman graduated from St Patrick’s College as dux in 2014.
He went on to study physiotherapy before he completed his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Queensland in 2022.
In 2019 he was awarded a prestigious UQ University Medal for outstanding academic achievement in the field of physiotherapy.
Henry currently lives in Buderim and is in his first year as a hospital intern at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, where he has “the world at his feet, just focusing on being the best he can be in his internship,” his father, Gympie councillor Bob Fredman said.
Henry has a partner, a dog, a ute, and is looking forward to visiting an old school mate in Switzerland in a couple of months.
Scott McClintock
Graduating from Gympie High School as dux in 1983, Scott McClintock has gone on to have an illustrious medical career, now privately running an adult urological practice on the Gold Coast.
After school he graduated from medicine at the University of Queensland in 1990, and finished his specialist training in urology in 2000.
His specialty lies in treating prostate, renal, bladder and testicular cancer, as well as lower urinary tract symptoms and urological stone disease.
Achieving Gympie State High dux was the first of many accolades that came Scott’s way, including the prestigious Keith Kirkland award and the Neville Davis prize, and a fellowship at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in London.
For more than 20 years, he has practised on the Gold Coast taking up significant positions in hospital boards and committees.
In addition to this, he regularly lectures medical students, local Gold Coast GPs and community groups.
Natalie Phelan
Gympie High School graduate of 2018 Natalie Phelan achieved dux, and OP1 and was given two scholarships allowing her to move to Brisbane to study a Bachelor of Science majoring in Zoology.
Natalie is a passionate volleyball player and is in one of the top 10 volleyball teams in Queensland.
“Gympie has such a strong volleyball presence – both at Gympie High School and Gympie Stingers Volleyball which provided me a foundation of where I’m at today,” she said.
Since she graduated university in 2022, Natalie has been working in insurance, and just bought a new house with her partner in Moreton Bay.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing where life takes me and I’m here for the journey more than anything,” she said.
“I’m thinking of potentially going back to study a Master of Business or entrepreneurship to open my own small business – no idea that it would be in yet but I know that I want to open a business at some point in my life.”
Leo Cartwright
Leo Cartwright graduated from St Patrick’s College in 2018 at the top of his class, achieving dux.
A Gympie Gold bowler, Leo went on to study physiotherapy at the University of Queensland, graduating in 2022 with honours.
His LinkedIn page said he started a new job in Pangbourne, England as a chartered physiotherapist in March 2023.
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Echo Hunter Demecs
Echo Hunter Demecs graduated from Gympie State High in 2019 at the top of her grade and was granted a scholarship to the University of Queensland to study a dual degree of science and law.
She said the scholarship opened her up to opportunities that many regional students would have missed out on and levelled the playing field with inner-city private school students.
Moving to Brisbane for university was challenging at first, navigating her way around a new kind of life in one of the most competitive law schools in Queensland.
She has enjoyed gaining paralegal experience and working as a research assistant while she figures out what she will do when she finishes university in the next year.
“I’m really grateful to have gone to school in Gympie. Being around all kinds of different people, I think that is really invaluable,” Echo said.
Prue Townsend-Webb
Prue Townsend-Webb graduated with an Op1 and dux of St Patrick’s College in 2016 and went on to study civil engineering at the University of Queensland.
She started working for CPB Contractors in her final year at university and still works for them as a civil engineer.
She has worked on projects which include the Cross River Rail in Brisbane and a South Australian bridge upgrade project.
“Funnily enough, I am currently working on the Bruce Highway bypass of Gympie and have been since the start of this year,” she said.
Prue said she was looking forward to “continuing to use the knowledge and skills that I gained while at St Pats and UQ to contribute to the many upcoming projects in and around the region”.
She is particularly interested in projects driven by renewable energy and the 2032 Olympics.
She has fond memories of growing up in Gympie.
“The sense of community that I always felt through my family, friends and school during my childhood is something that you can’t get in a big city,” she said.
Abigail McAllister
Victory College graduate of 2020 Abigail McAllister achieved a 99.70 ATAR and received both the dux award the Australian Institute of Physics award for Excellence.
Now, three years later, not much has changed in her grades and she is sitting on a 7.0 GPA in her Bachelor of Medical science at the University of the Sunshine Coast on the Thompson excellence scholarship. She still works part-time at her mum’s cleaning business.
A lesson she has recently learned is how to have a better study-life balance.
“It took a lot of work to cut back study hours. I was doing around 60 hours a week study plus working part-time and I managed to cut back to around 6-8 hours on only five days this semester,” she said.
“It was certainly very hard but I’m just finishing the semester and I somehow made it through on the lower load.”
She said she is looking forward to “starting a new chapter” in the next year, “living with my best friend and navigating life together”.
“I‘m not sure what next year holds but it’s both terrifying and exciting,” she said.
Abigail will also start her Doctor of Medicine with Griffith University through the Sunshine Coast University Hospital next year.
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