SONM

Deb Griffith
Ex-HAC Student 1986, Currently a cross cultural worker in Siem Reap, Cambodia
volunteering in midwifery and nursing in a village health clinic.

To date nursing education as described in this booklet reflects change as a constant.
Change is growth and can be made workable with group effort. What Mavis has
portrayed in this history is a delicate dance that is learned during the change process
that welcomes others to the dance floor to participate not as individuals but as a
collective. She has taken care to detail the many that have come together to give
commitment and dedication to produce outcomes from each graduation set of nurses,
demonstrating the individual nurse equipped to be a team member.

Mavis is well known for her focus on primary health care and all else stems from
this. Nursing education through the University of Western Sydney has the mantel
set high as this history details. Moving forward, may the efforts of the multi-nurse
Faculties keep being reflected in the quality of each individual nurse produced.
As holistic care is offered through the generations, may wellness and wellbeing be
experienced by many in our communities locally and globally. Additionally may the
changes in tomorrow’s nurses’ educational needs be met not with fear but be seen as
opportunities as Mavis has displayed through this history.

It has been explained in this booklet how students from Hawkesbury Agricultural
College (now Western Sydney University) were prized above other institutions as having
qualities more rounded yet flexible. A close unity is what the nursing educational
Faculty needs as it guides the initial core development of each intake of nurses, but
it also needs to shape down to the individual nurse and guide their awareness and
attentive skills as to how they offer their individual health care. Gratitude is now
expressed and extended to Mavis for not only compiling the History of Nursing at
Hawkesbury in this booklet but also for taking on the role as lead actor as Professor
of the Nursing Faculty through spaces and places to lead the University of Western
Sydney in its former years through its paces to reach a notable and esteemed condition
to pass on to the next generation within WSU.

History is great to have, but to discern lessons learnt, to aid the next steps, is the lesson
she keeps teaching. May this history do just that: inform and reflect on yesteryear yet
point us to take positive steps as nurse education forges towards considered changes
that are required for best health outcomes in producing graduate nurses attuned to the
future of health needs expected by our communities.

51 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

Tributes

A Tribute to the late Dr. Caroline Wright
Caroline was committed to nursing throughout her distinguished career. Her
involvement with the development of nursing at HAC goes back to the early days
when, along with Concord nurses, she accompanied the Blacktown nursing students
to the HAC campus. Caroline was a founder member of the curriculum team which
developed the Diploma of Nursing and Community Health at HAC. She was seconded
from Blacktown Hospital and later became an academic staff member. Following the
introduction of the Diploma, Caroline became the Clinical Coordinator for the three
years of the course. Her close links with many health organisations resulted in an
amazing number of clinical placements including Alice Springs and other interstate
organisations. In addition to furthering her own research base and enrolling in a PhD.
at Wollongong University, Caroline introduced the mentoring concept when final-
year students were placed with a qualified RN for an extended period of time. On
retirement Dr. Wright and her husband left Sydney and built a house in Tasmania.

Thank you Caroline for your contribution to the successful development of
nursing at HAC.
A Tribute to the late Craig Roberson (Scooter)
Craig was one of our early students and was well known to staff and fellow students as
the one who brought colour to the study years. He had a bright and humorous outlook
on life and was always there to help fellow students. One student said “he was such a
thoughtful guy who tutored (her) in chemistry and helped (her) pass with distinction”.
It has been said by other students that he would have been delighted to be remembered
in this history and to be able to attend the planned student reunion in 2020.

Craig your memory lingers on, thank you for choosing HAC.

53 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

Acknowledgements

It has been a great pleasure to have been given the privilege to meet and work with
a wide range of wonderful people involved with the development of nursing at
Hawkesbury Agricultural College. My thanks go to so many, some of whom I have
already recognised but a big thank you must go to all those who initially supported
the introduction of nursing onto the Hawkesbury campus. These include the College
Council members, Academic Board, staff of HAC, the HAC Alumni (Old Boys) and
participating hospitals and health agencies.

My appreciation goes to all the students who came forward with recollections of
their time at HAC. Without your comments, stories and photos this history would
seem very limited. In particular I would like to thank Deborah Griffith who was the
first to contact me from Cambodia following the re-publication in the Hawkesbury
Gazette on 10 April 2019, at my request, of a photo dated 1985 showing five nursing
students starting their studies at HAC.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff who have been
involved in the development of the Nursing Faculty at Hawkesbury. It was not always
easy working in renovated buildings with no modern nursing laboratory. Staff at this
time did not have much time to undertake a great deal of research and they chose to
put their academic development on hold to ensure that HAC had a high-quality and
well-accepted range of nursing courses to offer in a competitive environment.

Thank you all for giving so much of yourselves to ensure the success of nursing at
Hawkesbury Agricultural College, at the University of Western Sydney and now at
Western Sydney University.

Mavis

HAC senior academics and students at Centenary celebration

55 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

Appendix 1
Student Stories

Rodney Peadon
What can I say except what a journey.

From my early days of wanting to be a nurse to that fateful day when I stepped foot
on the grounds of the College that became my home.

My naive meeting with yourself seeking hospital based training in Victoria as I
didn’t trust the College (had my mum in tow) and walking out telling her that this
was where I was going to become a nurse.

It was a great cover as my Dad was concerned (as many men were in those days) about
a man becoming a nurse, but I was going to Hawkesbury Ag. College, a prestigious
College in the eyes of many Aussie farmers.

I clearly remember calling you the day of our HSC results mail out and ensuring
that my two points above the cut off ensured my place in the 1986 intake, your words
resonated with me for years, “you were in anyway”.

I think it was late February or early March of 1986 when I was dropped off by my
mother to Southie Halls of Residence, a scared naive country boy who sat the HSC
with nine others, to a mad house of people and stories. My line of where do you come
from and what do your parents do, highlighted to me that I had joined a diverse, and
at times, overwhelming community.

That night I decided to make my mark. An obese 18 year old parading around the
pool like a fool just to be seen elevated me to the nickname of CHAMP. A name
that that took me from scared to accepted individual in a new community, a sense of
belonging and ownership followed.

That first week of orientation with competitions and games cut the tall poppies
down and built the spirits of those who needed it up. I truly believe that first week set
me up to be the leader I became and am now.

First year of nursing was full of ups and downs. I remember you saying “you can’t
do brain surgery in the corridors” and asking myself should I do agriculture instead
of nursing as I had spent my life growing up on a farm. I questioned my choices.
I applied for the NSW Ambulance, was interviewed and told to finish my nursing
then reapply. I worked hard in the first semester and achieved the High Distinction
that studying hard provides. But I soon realised that College life was to be lived not

57 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

worked. A pass equals registration become my motto. And a pass was achieved, along
with loads of fun.

The lab sessions were a laugh. One story I remember was injecting oranges, and
then someone said we could inject ourselves. I did but forgot to change the drawing
up needle after I stabbed the orange and stabbed myself in the thigh. The things
we remember.

My first practical was in maternity at Westmead (night duty). I remember the staff
saying they loved us (HAC) because we got in and had a go.

I saw my first baby born and my first view of parts of the body I had not experienced,
I held a dad who was overwhelmed, and I told a new dad he was too late and the baby
was born. I remember ringing home telling my parents I had seen a birth. What an
experience. But midwifery was not for me.

Then it was geriatrics at Blacktown Nursing Home. I must confess, it was our last
week of semester and I left a note saying I had a family emergency and nicked off early
by one day. Sorry but geriatrics was not for me either.

Second year found me living in the Blacktown Nurses Home with the renovations
of the top floor to lecture halls. Well that was an experience. Driving to Richmond
or staying at Blacktown for lectures, but for me it was the opportunity of a lifetime
and I was employed as an Assistant in Nursing whilst completing my second year
as a student nurse. Scope of practice out the window. I asked if I could work in the
Emergency Department. Blacktown in those days before trauma bypass was as busy
as St Vincent’s in the city and saw more penetrating trauma and cardiac arrests than
any outer metro hospital in Sydney. I only worked nights. The night I asked about ED
was the night one of the nurses was severely injured in an MVA on the way home from
work, The next night I found myself in the ED working Friday, Saturday and Sunday
nights from about May until I graduated. What an experience and what exposure. I
am sure this along with my training at HAC lead me to the clinician I am today with
a love for all things Emergency and Critical Care.

The teaching staff were truly fantastic, inspiring and amazing teachers. They took
the time to walk me through the Essay 101 rules and convinced me that if I learnt all
the past chemistry, physics and anatomy exams I would pass. And I did.

I remember getting Medical Officer on the back of my sloppy-joe and providing
the first aid to the Rugby Team. I remember reporting a referee for not following
my instructions when I ordered a concussed player from the field, and later helping a
player who was scalped under the posts on the rugby field at HAC.

Deb Griffith nee Horswell

I studied at Hawkesbury Agricultural College as a Special Age Entry. (I already
had studied and had been issued my Enrolled Nurse’s Certificate graduating with

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 58

Distinction but was younger than 21 years old and didn’t have my Higher School
Certificate due to relocating interstate several times in years 11 and 12. So whilst at
HAC studying Nursing 1986–1989 graduating with Credit. We were equipped at
HAC with general nursing, surgical nursing, pediatric nursing, mental health nursing
and developmental special needs at first year practitioner levels, so we each had the
privilege of secondments to each of these areas to help shape our insights and wisdom,
forming well-being for ourselves, as we sought to offer care in each engagement.
I met many people as I lived on campus and with each secondment developed a
professional network that is still intact despite having lived and volunteered in Siem
Reap, Cambodia as a nurse and midwife in a local remote village where healthcare
is offered for free or up to one dollar US for those financial enough. Access to health
care at a village level is important for all Khmer people as they are in fear of hospitals
in the city and never having the financial means are unsure of the care that would be
offered to them and their families.

I recall friendships at HAC seemed from colleagues and lecturers in the nursing
faculty and across other faculties as we shared learning chemistry and bio-chemistry
with other science based faculties. I found the lecturers approachable and encouraged
interaction with students to help foster us into the adult world of learning, which was
highly reputable in the nursing faculty both on campus and among all the hospitals I
had the privilege to do nursing placements and after graduation getting a job in our
field was easier.

The Nursing Faculty was built on the old dairy site of HAC before females were
seen enrolled at HAC. It was like the joke at HAC that we learnt our nursing on the
cows. Nursing was to be one of the first female-welcoming student faculties at HAC
and the staff, under the then Professor Mavis Bickerton, a smiley effervescent lady,
strove to excel learning opportunities to look abroad to develop global partnerships to
offer choices for nursing placements that were cutting-edge opportunities at the time I
recall, and we were privileged to have dedicated lecturers. I came into nursing at HAC
thinking lecturers in universities must have failed as nurses so came to HAC. But the
overall reality was far from these first sentiments when we had staff specialists with a
long history of years of practical experience to draw from.

As many group work projects were undertaken it roused many of us with some
access to other colleagues we may not already have known well, but group work came
at a cost which is still noticed in universities across all faculties today. That many
members may not always pull their weight and the group needed to compensate for
this. Willingly when family crises arose but begrudgingly if others were just being
slack. Overall though I saw much camaraderie and was also a recipient of it during
my study years. We pushed and encouraged each, onwards and upwards to the end
goal of being qualified nurses when those days or seasons it was hard and the chips

59 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

were down. For example, I remember a previously Enrolled Nurse was in tears as she
had failed the bed making practical and another Enrolled Nurse of many years failed
on her hand washing practical we all could look back at these moments with light
heartedness, but each got through the next time. Sometimes failure projects us to
make us a better person.

I recall the library then at HAC taught me great skills of research and they were well
stocked with current and past journals. The staff were always welcoming and helpful
in reminding me to refresh my research skills which has served me well as I went on to
do midwifery and then a Master’s in Midwifery. Maybe one day a doctorate could be
an option. But the seeds of research were well planted and watered whilst I was HAC.

The nursing placements provided a facilitator that gave us the opportunity to reflect
and engage with our level of learning in the practical setting. These tasks of reflections
have helped hone the type of care I offer through to today.

I remember starting the first Nurses Christian Fellowship on campus at HAC in
1986 in my first year which continued long after my study years at HAC. This opened
scope to address wholesome care as a nurse as at HAC holistic care was the buzz word
then and still applies now. This group helped its members to discuss and learn from
visiting presenters some of the scope and breadth of the spiritual elements of our role
as nurses. I remember being known as a “Jesus Freak” but had the last laugh as during
our mental health practicals the staff bought in trained actors for us to navigate what
skills we would use. When I walked in the client scenario turned out to be someone
hallucinating that he was Jesus. I was in heaven, my colleagues thought I had an
unfair advantage.

I was part of the Christian Fellowship on campus which sought to open opportunities
to engage my faith among friends, colleagues and lecturers in my years at HAC. I
served as the Secretary of Christian Fellowship in my last two years and my future
husband Robert John Griffith served as President. We both graduated in the same
year and the HAC Union took photos as we were engaged and wrote a story in the
local paper at the time as an ‘HAC Aggie’ and a ‘HAC nurse’ look to tie the knot,
July, 1989 our wedding date. Rob and I married and are still together 30 years later.
There has always been some light-hearted banter between us as nursing had exams,
practicals and assignments whereas agriculture had interviews, a placement and a
financial project from their placement. It all seemed too much for us nurses always
working with pressing deadlines.

I was also part of the Bicycle Club and the Debating Club at HAC there were
many varieties of options for engagement beyond our studies. I used to enjoy the
annual “Tour De HAC” a bicycling race around the dairy and back blocks to Stable
Square and several laps of this route – in my last year I was the first female to cross
the finish line.

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 60

Michele Coy
My memories of HAC.

The drive out along Richmond Road in winter – my car didn’t have a working heater
or demister. My fellow nursing student Lynne and I would rug up with blankets,
windows down and the cold air blowing through my car.

I have a photo of us sitting at a bench having lunch in the sun, we were so young!
I remember buying fresh honey and produce and walking through the paddocks
looking at the animals, the big cold wooden classroom. I loved the open space of the
college grounds.
I felt very proud that I was going to college!!
The hospital based training I loved and still am grateful and proud that it was
my journey.
I continued to work at Blacktown Hospital until two years ago. I’m now a practice
nurse (still working in the Blacktown area). It’s gentler physically and my hospital
journey certainly helps in my work now.
Glynn Crisp
My years at HAC were some of the happiest of my life. I made friends I still have,
achieved things I never thought I could and was pushed out of my comfort zone
often. It was often said at the time that the College made our course up as we went
along. I have no doubt that this was the case. Why else would we be studying physics
with home economics students and chemistry that had no bearing whatsoever to a
health science qualification. The poor chemistry department were mortified, nursing
students? Shock horror! Microbiology was a similar situation though we did leave a
lasting memory when we accidentally attempted to burn down the lab! It was funny
at the time. Prepared for a nursing career? I never thought that my education was
lacking, I have had lots of different jobs all over Australia. I have worked in medical,
surgical, ten years in paediatrics, community nursing, nurse education, discharge
planning, aged care, management, remote and rural. I went on to do a Master’s at
UWS. I am still working, though given my recent diagnosis I have been advised to
reduce my work load. My daughter is an RN and my granddaughter is considering
the same path. It’s sad that the old Hawkesbury has been taken over but I’m sure its
graduates will ensure the best of the stories and memories live on.

61 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

John Sierra
Nursing was one of a few things I wanted to do in my career. I was particularly
attracted to the arts but it didn’t seem like a practical tangent to take.

So after two HSC attempts, I made it into nursing.
I recall my first day where the School of Nursing Dean, Mavis Bickerton gave a
warm and welcoming speech and stated that she is the only Dean on campus who
could offer 100% chance of employment at the completion of our course. This was a
sobering and comforting feeling knowing that I could secure employment for the rest
of my working life!
I remember the males in the group all gravitated to one another. The older guys
hung out together and us younger guys formed close relationships quickly.
I remember being excited by campus life and loving every experience that lived up
to the stereotypical portrayal of “Uni-life”.
This sense of belonging was not always there though. At one of the first HAC band
nights, I remember hanging out with some of the girls and the “Aggy” and horticulture
fellas coming over, not so much to meet me, but meet the females I was hanging with.
When I told them I was doing nursing, I noticed some of them not wanting to have
anything to do with me, or smirking and some even asking me why I would even want
to do such a thing as be a nurse?
After a few months, I recall having a discussion with some of the males I don’t
usually talk to that much. One in particular was an older, studious guy who strove for
high grades. He studied constantly. He knew a lot and he was respected by his peers
and the tutors. I remember him telling us that he was at the Uni bar one night and
met up with some of the guys there and they were having a really good night, right up
until he was asked what he was studying. When he told them he was doing nursing,
the guys thought he was joking. When they realised he was serious, they asked him
again “Why would you want to do a course like that?” and “Oh, are you going to be
a doctor?”. He said that it was awkward after that and the night pretty much ended
without them talking to him or offering to meet up with him later on. He just walked
out and went home. Not long after that conversation, I remember coming back after
semester break to be told that this guy had dropped out. I felt discouraged by that. He
was really smart and a great guy.
The wonderful friendships I made at HAC are still strong to this day.
I honestly had the best time studying there. I still recall class content now when I’m
going over my own notes to teach some of the very subjects that I failed miserably in
as a student.
With every negative there is always a positive. I loved how our female cohorts would
nurture us and look out for us if we were struggling. There was always someone to

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 62

talk to and hang out with. The parties we had at the nursing quarters building were
better than any parties I’ve been to. College is like working in the hospital, in that
everyone would know you because you were a minority. I can honestly say that I had
a wonderful relationship with all my tutors and I often think of where they are and
what they are doing.

The nursing profession has been wonderful to me and I am grateful for all the good
and bad experiences I have had over the last 33 or so years. When I reflect on the days
I had at HAC, I think of the people I loved, disliked or felt indifferent about. We have
lost some of those people now, but looking back, I miss every damn one of them.
Pat Llewelyn
I decided to go nursing at Hawkesbury when two friends told me about it and that
they had applied and been accepted. Although it was late to apply, I did just that and
got an interview and was accepted. I think there was a bridging class and I remember
a workbook, which I thoroughly enjoyed working through. As I had never studied any
science before, this helped me a lot.

We three travelled together and the lovely country drive, which it was then, was
a lovely transition between home and class. One friend dropped out very early on,
but Carmel and I continued to the bitter end. The Diploma took three years and I
remember thinking that I would be 45 when I finished. Then I thought, “In three
years I will be 45 anyway, so I might as well have a diploma”. I continued for the extra
year to convert to a degree.

Hawkesbury was a lovely place to go to University, a country setting, with no hustle
and bustle of a usual campus. The Coffee Shop was rustic and comfortable and was
reached by walking around a grassy path. They sold their own milk and cheese.
A milkshake was a 300ml carton opened at the top and flavouring poured in and
shaken, delicious.

The classes for the nursing students were mostly held in what felt like school
classrooms and had plenty of trees and country smells. Not at all intimidating. The
science classes were more formal and more like other universities. The lecturers were
very approachable and helpful.

My friend Carmel and I had a lot of fun during the whole four years. On one
particular occasion, we were to have a practical session the next day with the models in
the beds and we stayed back and “arranged” them in positions that we thought were
funny. Probably quite childish but we had fun doing it. We probably had the male
holding his penis, or put a penis on a female, childish stuff like that.

I found out very early on that I was doing quite well and so I set myself a goal and
achieved it.

63 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

I am glad I went to Hawkesbury when I did, when it was quite rustic and am proud
to say that I went to Hawkesbury Agricultural College.
Anthony Worthington
I was faced with a decision of what to do after the HSC. Friends at school had suggested
something in health, but our school had performed badly in the HSC, meaning many
of our final scores were graded down. This gave me only one opportunity in the
field of health, that being the Applied Science in Nursing Diploma. So I applied at
Cumberland, UTS, and Hawkesbury. Hawkesbury were the first to call and they gave
me an interview.

Arriving on the day of the interview, I was astounded by the location and atmosphere
of Hawkesbury Ag. College. To be completely honest, it was not the post-HSC dream
I had, I had hoped to go to university in the city. However, after the interview I was
pleasantly surprised by the friendly nature of the discussion, which had alleviated my
fears of what might come next. This was the first event that made Hawkesbury stand
out. There were a few things I needed to do before I could start the course.

I had to sit bridging courses in chemistry and physics where I met a few of the other
hopeful students. None of us knew each other but we took the time to chat and that
made this process a little easier. I would say that it gave me a feeling of belonging
straight away. I hoped that I had done enough to pass and gain entry into the course.

Obviously, I did pass my bridging courses and I turned up on day 1 excited, a little
nervous (not as much as I would have been had I not met people already), and ready
to work hard. It was pleasing to see others had passed as well. I did, however, have a
bit of pressure hanging over me in the first year. I was on probation due to my grades
at school. This would be a difficult thing to carry for a while. I found myself not able
to join in in some of the early fun. I had to pass everything to stay. Luckily, I did, but
I did feel on the outside during the first semester.

The first thing I remember after the commencement of the course was how difficult
it was to get to the campus from my suburb. I would need to leave very early, and the
trip would take almost two hours plus the walk from East Richmond to the main
gate. At this stage, there were still diesel trains between Riverstone and Richmond. It
was a real novelty at first, but not much fun when there was work to do.

The long trips only lasted a week or so. By that time I had met a couple of great guys
from my area, which allowed me to car pool with them. This was the beginning of a
great friendship and some really funny times. This friendship made life very easy on
campus. There was always an aura that went with being an undergrad in the nursing
course, especially at an agricultural college. I personally never mixed with the ag boys
and they never really introduced themselves to me. I am not sure if that was because

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 64

of the pressure of needing to pass and not having the time or whether, I, or them were
just not interested. I had heard many reports from some of the other male students in
our faculty that had had some issues, but I do not feel I’m capable of elaborating on
these. I felt very comfortable at all times.

From a work perspective, the things that always stood out for me at Hawkesbury
were the following:

The course always promoted that it was a preventative and community based
curriculum. This was one of the main parts of the course that was appealing compared
to other colleges at the time. Many of our projects allowed us to go out into the
community to complete our assessments. It always made sense that preventative
measures, including education, was the best way to approach life.

Another great aspect was being able to enter into the clinical settings with so much
respect from our lecturers and clinical supervisors. This allowed us to be really involved
in our placements. Who could forget that amazing night in Westmead Hospital
Delivery Wards. We were allowed to do night shifts, which allowed us to see and do
much more.

The psychiatry assessment before we commenced our prac. was eye opening. I’ll
never forget having to act out the scenarios that we would face on our placements.
This was lecturers and tutors going the “extra mile”.

My final placement was at Laurel House in Parramatta. It was my elective, and was
community based. I was given so much respect and freedom that I felt I was part of
the team for the nine weeks I was there. This would have to be a reflection of how we
were prepared.
Carmel O’Connell
My nursing history began after some school mums who were working at a local
nursing home convinced me to apply for a position as an Assistant in Nursing. I was
successful and enjoyed the work, the people and the staff.

After a couple of years, nursing moved from the hospitals to the Colleges of Advanced
Education and three of us decided to apply and were accepted. On completion of
our training, the College changed to the University of Western Sydney and we were
offered an opportunity to further our studies and complete a Bachelor of Health
Science (Nursing) which many of us did.

UWS Hawkesbury was originally Hawkesbury Agricultural College where the
students were mostly men and their sons. My daughter had completed an Animal
Studies course the year before I started my studies and we were the first mother and
daughter to attend Hawkesbury. Our story made the local and Sydney papers.

65 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

I really enjoyed the learning process and when the College changed to the University, I
was the student representative on the Board of Studies. The atmosphere at Hawkesbury
was relaxed and friendly and the learning process was also enjoyable, as the lecturers
presentations covered the research, as well as the practice. On occasions, we would
gather and discuss the content of the lectures and express our views on some topics,
especially psychological aspects.

As we were some of the first “mature-aged” students, we were seen as a bit different
from the regular students. However this changed and we enjoyed different perspectives
from other students.

Us mature-aged students also enjoyed the fun. On one occasion, there was an Open
Day for the Nursing Faculty. My friend Pat Llewelyn and I inspected the display the
day before in a specially laid out room. We decided the that no one would suspect us
so we reorganised positions of some of the mannequins. On another occasion during
a tutorial, one of the lecturers asked why we sat in the same seats each time. We
thought about his and the next tutorial we students arrived early and sat in the front
seats leaving the lecturer a seat at the back of the room. The lecturer was surprised and
enjoyed the fun side.

Another aspect of our learning was the placements at the end of each semester. This
was very helpful in consolidating our learning, and recognising where we would prefer
to work on completion of our studies. I chose to apply for a position at Mt. Druitt
Hospital as it had the highest nursing morale in NSW at the time. I was accepted and
worked in a surgical ward for about 18 months. I was then advised by a fellow student
at UWS to apply to Tresilian at Penrith as he had found it very enjoyable. I applied
and was accepted.

While at UWS, I was asked by one of the lecturers what I really wanted to do as a
career. During my studies I had become really interested in psychology and I never
thought I would be able to do psychology. However, after some enquiries, I began
my Psychology studies and found that much of my studies at UWS nursing were
very helpful with my psychology studies. I studied Psychology part time, at the same
university as my other daughter, while continuing to work in nursing at Tresilian
Family Care Centre. Now I continue to work part time as a Registered Psychologist,
thanks to UWS Hawkesbury nursing for giving me so many opportunities and
enjoyment.
Sharon Fishlock
I remember finally making it out on placement with real patients. A question often
asked was what college we were studying at. When we said HAC the response was
often, “Oh, so do you know how to nurse people, or just the animals?”

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 66

In our second year we had a mobile whiteboard/message board. Someone hung a bra
on it with a label ‘course support’. I thought that was a bit humorous, gave a few of us
a lift anyway, so I guess it actually worked!

Another time I remember we’d been in the prac lab before lunch and needed to
return after lunch to learn how to catheterise ‘Mrs Bedford’. Someone thought it
would be funny, after the lecturer left to change ‘Mrs Bedford’s’ anatomy so that she
became ‘Mr Bedford’. The lecturer cracked up when she noticed what we’d done.

We must have been learning about disability or something because there was one
afternoon when Lynda, myself and Vanessa went for a ride around campus in a
wheelchair. I think we were supposed to be experiencing how it might feel to have
a disability and the difficulties getting around in environments that were not always
suitable for mobility challenged people. Anyway, we made it up to the res block (taking
turns to be in the chair) and couldn’t work out how to get over a bump or up a step or
something. Some poor unsuspecting res student was so kind in offering to assist us.
We said thanks and then whoever was in the chair got out and we got over the hurdle
that way, giggling away. Poor guy!

One must never ever take a short cut across the footy oval, for that is hallowed turf!
Open Days were fun and alive. Free ice cream samples from the dairy, free apple
slinkies from food tech, hot air balloons, helicopter rides, bed races, Blood and
Mustard everywhere etc. Was quite disappointed when I came back with my kids
when we finally got posted back to Sydney around 2000. They were not too keen
to go to the Open Day (aged between 4 and 10) but I convinced them that it would
be fun. Wondered why parking was so easy. Not much atmosphere at all and no
buildings open to view, but I did find the nursing tent and said g’day and had my
blood pressure taken.
Ian Bennet
I left full-time employment to start nursing at age 23.
It was a bit daunting leaving full-time employment, but this was the way nursing
had gone – from hospital based training to Colleges of Advanced Education – later to
be universities.
I could live with my parents, to save on costs, so decided to give it a go.
I had grown up in Richmond and my mother had worked at the library (Resources
Centre), so I was very familiar with HAC. I spent years during my childhood in
the grounds.
It didn’t take long to settle in to my new life of study and many new friends
were made.

67 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

It was so new, even for our lecturers, some who had come from hospital based
education and others who had come from university – the course was in its pioneer
year. We were the guinea pigs of a new system.

We started with 80 students enrolled.
We finished with around 54–55 and that included about four people who were
doing a conversion to the Diploma (they were already RNs).
The sciences seemed to be what people found hard. chemistry and physics especially.
We found ourselves doing these with other course groups, like Environmental Health
and the subjects were general. Some attempt was made to make existing courses fit
nursing. It must have been difficult for the lecturers who had no nursing background
and had these new people in their courses. I was lucky. I had done HSC chemistry and
physics, so had some idea of what was going on. I found myself helping some friends
with these subjects.
It was a great exchange, though. When it came to nursing prac, I had no clue.
I found that the friends I had been helping with the sciences were helping me
with my prac.
We had several Enrolled Nurses in the group, who had some years of experience.
They were a blessing in learning the practical things.
So we helped each other through and we got there in the end.
Looking back, we had lots of behavioural sciences and communication type subjects.
At the time we thought we were getting saturated with this field.
From my viewpoint now it was so valuable.
Nursing being a people-centred profession. I learned how to communicate very well
and deal with people in all kinds of scenarios.
Some people communicate well naturally, but I really appreciate what I learned
during my studies. It has helped me in my various nursing roles and got me through
years of helping people and dealing with other health professionals.
Study groups are a great memory. They started out as ways of sharing our knowledge
and helping each other with things we found difficult. A few laughs for sure.
Then one day, someone brought a cask of wine along. It certainly helped us to relax
and get through things with a whole new perspective.
And so began the bonding of our group and the start of many parties, which helped
cement friendships.
Practicals were what I really enjoyed.
We first learned related theory and practices which started out in the nursing lab.
Then we went out into actual workplaces and both observed and practised our new
skill and knowledge.
In first year we had community, maternity and aged care placements.
In second year we ventured into general hospitals and third year into mental health.

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 68

I remembered being terrified, especially in mental health, but it was so good to see
where our studies were actually leading.

At the end of third year, we got to choose an elective.
I chose Emergency and was placed at Mt. Druitt Hospital. This is where I would end
up starting my career as a newly graduated nurse the following year.
We were allocated a mentor (a working Registered Nurse) – who guided us through
our placement.
Whatever shift they worked, we worked even night shift.
It was a terrific experience
By third year it began to feel like things weren’t going to end. We were all very tired
and time was beginning to slow down. I can remember thinking I just wanted things
to hurry up. I just wanted to work but then I blinked and it was all over.
We were graduating and registering as nurses in December 1987.
We were actually nurses.
We did it!
We graduated and started work as the new breed.
All eyes were on us. Some waited for us to fail and others helped to ease us into the
health system.
It was fitting into another change of lifestyle. Working shifts and learning so much.
My learning has never stopped. Thirty-one years later I continue to learn every day
and when I look back, one of the biggest skills I learned at HAC was how to learn.
When I have students allocated to me now, even to this day, I tell them that.
A lot of folk thought we would fail.
But we didn’t
We made it and we’re still here.
Joy Knott
I recall the Nursing Faculty buildings were not finished. We managed with basic
equipment in the first year.
Many a joke was made regarding our building because once it housed cows. Paint
was flaking on the concrete walls from salt. Probably salt was used to clean cow sheds.
I believe we wore our uniform for the first clinical placement. I have a photo of me
in uniform at Seven Hills Adventist nursing home.
The intake for first year was something like 90 students. At Graduation there were
56 students.
I remember our magazine printed at the end of final year was full of the new
terminologies we needed to learn and of course jokes. The cow on the front reminded
us of our beginnings in an ex-cow barn. My husband Garry drew the cow.

69 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

HAC Chat Page (History of Nursing at Hawkesbury)
Created by Fione Kite, Deb Thyda and John Sierra

Nicole Remembered the first geriatric practical experience and doing role plays for
psych. At Blacktown. They were terrifying.

Karen I remember being on prac. With Moz and Marty in the aged care home for
Hungarians.

Fiona K. Recalls the Psych. at Blacktown, one actor who pretended to jump out
of the window. So glad when time was called. Also remember the psych. prac. at
Kenmore and being left alone in the long stay men’s ward after being told never to be
left alone with the patients.

Karen I remember psych. prac. at Goulburn, terrifying male ward, full moon,
sitting in the enclosed dining room area with the staff (all male) while the patients
were running riot in the lounge area.

Fiona My first prac. was in maternity at Blacktown. Loved being with the babies
in the SCN. Little did I know that this would be where I would spend nearly all my
professional career. Remembers that they were asked if they were in the Salvation
Army when they went to the shops in Goulburn in their uniforms.

John Loved midi. placement. My passion for critical care happened after graduation.
Anthony Loved the midi. placement at Westmead. It gave me the confidence to
keep going. The placement with Robyn as our facilitator was probably where I grew
most. Then Community at Laurel House, Parramatta for my elective gave me so much
independence. Got called Captain Stubbing at a nursing home placement.
Deb Mental health was my favourite clinical placement and taught me a very
valuable lesson in a very scary context.
Margaret Loved the midi. placement in the first year and to midi. for the last six
months was special. Have worked in midwifery ever since. Love it.
Karen Gee I really loved our time in the prac. lab especially helping students who
had not had any pre nursing training. There were six to eight of us which were enrolled
nurses. I remember one of the girls being overwhelmed thinking that we did nursing
9 to 3 pm.
Julie I remember a few of us in the first year almost fainting (me) when we had to
take blood (finger prick).
Anthony I was fine seeing other people’s blood (well not fine but OK). I went down
when they did my Mantoux test.
Rod Mentioned the clinical teacher in the wheelchair (Jean Frew). She was an
amazing teacher. He also remembers well the third-year placement at Alice Springs
supervised by Pat Waters.

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 70

Julie We used to have to share our lectures in biochemistry.
Deb Remembers the curly haired man who taught organic chemistry, a group
lecture attended by other courses. Very passionate about the subject. He won the
record for the most students in his class. The fact that they were mandatory helped in
a big way.
Diana Remembers that the chemistry lecturer had difficulty relating chemistry to
nursing.
Anthony Remembered Michael Woods pushed a few guys to do better or he wasn’t
going to pass them. He thought that some individuals were having too much fun.
Nicole Pathophysiology lectures, pages and pages of overheads. (So different from
today.)
Rod Describes Robyn Morony who stood in front of the class in Blacktown arms
outstretched, feet together proclaiming to be the female reproductive system. A great
laugh but still use it today.
Jenny Did my postgrad year at Mt Druitt and then moved to community health for
many years. Left nursing and joined the police force, out and about on the streets as
a crime fighter. From police into child protection investigation. After many stressful
years moved into community services section of NSW TAFE.
Wendy Commenced in 1985 and lived on campus, got waylaid with partying in the
first year, delayed my graduation for one year. Met and married a Hawkesbury Aggie
and now working in a remote area.

71 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

Appendix 2
HAC Staff Stories

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 72

Kathleen Dixon
I commenced my academic life at Hawkesbury Agricultural College with the
Faculty of Nursing and Community Studies in 1987. I didn’t actually apply for a
position, at the time I was working as a Registered Nurse in Blacktown Hospital
Intensive Care Unit and at the same time I was completing a Bachelor of Arts degree
majoring in education. Robyn Moroney approached me and asked if I was interested
in undertaking clinical supervision for students enrolled in the Diploma of Applied
Science (Nursing), naturally I said yes.

I must have shown some capacity as an educator as sometime later I was asked by
Robyn and Mavis Bickerton to teach pathophysiology (I couldn’t even say the word),
but once again I said yes, little did I know this was to lead to a lifetime career in
academia for which I am ever grateful. My first formal interview for an academic
position was in September 1989 and I have not looked back since.

These early years were an exciting time to be in academia. Nursing was a new
academic discipline and in 1989 Hawkesbury Agricultural College became a
foundation network member of the University of Western Sydney known as the
University of Western Sydney (Hawkesbury). At the time nursing in the tertiary
sector was controversial and many held the view (as some still do today) that nursing
as a so called ‘vocational course’ belonged in the hospitals. I was and remain today
bemused by this attitude that somehow nursing is vocational and other health related
disciplines such as medicine are not! Having trained in a hospital based system where
access to knowledge was restricted to what was considered ‘necessary’ for nurses to
know, it was a revelation to come to the tertiary sector where access to knowledge was
endless, expected, encouraged and supported.

In those early days there was very little guidance about how ‘to be’ in the tertiary
sector, develop curriculum and units of study and run a nursing course. In some
ways this gave us a great deal of freedom to explore ideas about nursing, teaching
and learning. We were young and idealistic academics and the degree of enthusiasm
and excitement around what we were being tasked with was truly inspiring. Professor
Mavis Bickerton as our founding Head of School showed great foresight and provided
us with the freedom to explore, this resulted in the development of a truly innovative

73 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

Bachelor of Nursing curriculum underpinned by the philosophical concepts and
theoretical principles of primary health care and experiential learning that in 2020
are still highly relevant.
Robyn Moroney
I commenced in January 1985 and was responsible for teaching the Concord students
as part of their hospital based course.

There was a handful of staff that year, teaching into the first year of the Diploma of
Applied Science (Nursing), which commenced that year.

We were set up in the cottage next to the teaching rooms and the nursing lab
building and I was at a desk in the “living room”.

I applied for a job as a lecturer for the second year of the Diploma and started this in
1986. I was allocated pathophysiology to teach as well as clinical skills and practicum.
The staff also supervised clinical placements in industry so it was a crowded year. At
that time the subjects that were studied were all year long subjects that continued
either side of the mid-year break.

The classroom teaching was very different then as the big technology was a white
board or blackboard, an overhead projector and a lectern to lean on. I had manila
folders stuffed with transparencies, carefully separated with A4 sheets with tutorial or
lecture notes. After the first time I dropped the folder, I always had each transparency
numbered. There was no computer access for the students and notes for students
were produced by me. If I had to explain complex concepts, I had to be innovative
and I clearly remember making my own breath sounds for normal air entry (Darth
Vader), rales, rhonchi, wheezes, crepitus (rubbing hair between fingers) and pursed
lip breathing so that students understood the concept of positive end expiratory
pressure (PEEP).

During those first years, my learning was greater than I ever imagined it could
be, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been in a position where I came
to understand that in order to simplify concepts, I had to know the subject matter
in detail. This is why I looked like a tree when I explained the female reproductive
system and way in which the fimbriae “captured” the ovum that was released from
the ovaries.

The student numbers were such that they knew each other and the staff knew them
very well. Potential students were interviewed whenever possible and staff from the
school ran the information sessions for people who were interested in studying nursing.
Students attended class and it was unusual to have absentees in the classes despite
a heavy week of lectures and tutorials. The focus of the curriculum was to enable
students to understand how to structure their own learning so that they became life-

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 74

long learners: the course at Hawkesbury was extremely successful in facilitating this.
Our graduates were highly regarded and considered to be different in the way in
which they approached their practice.

I am still working in the school and am still learning. The cohesion of the team in
the school is as strong as it was in 1985 and the Hawkesbury spirit is strong amongst
staff and students. We started well, had flexible and committed leadership and this
enabled the school and our graduates to succeed.
Bashir Sumar
I came to Australia from Montréal in 1981 and started working for the School of
Agriculture soon after in 1982. The school was part of the Hawkesbury Agricultural
College at that time. While we were still at college nursing began to offer conversion
courses for those nurses wanting to become RNs. During the time the School of
Science, where I was stationed, was providing the nursing school with the science
component of the nursing curriculum as part of the cross-servicing arrangement.

One of the issues was that nursing had no input into the content of the science
curriculum: the science department decided what science content nursing needed,
with no consultation whatsoever with the School of Nursing. The School of Nursing
needed a science curriculum that was relevant and applicable to nursing. Mavis
Bickerton, who was the Dean at the time, decided that the only way the nursing
science curriculum could be relevant to nursing is if the science lecturer was stationed
within the School of Nursing and was part of the teaching staff.

This is when I was invited to move over to the School of Nursing as part of their
permanent staff. I was now able to follow the students on clinical, and personally
see where science was “happening” in healthcare settings. I began auditing the
lectures and presentations of my other colleagues in the School of Nursing and began
to develop a very good idea of where science contexts existed within the various
healthcare settings that our students encountered. This enabled me to develop the
science curriculum that was contextual, so Boyles law and Charles’ law was no longer
taught as the behaviour of gases in the various conditions of temperature and pressure
and the subsequent formulas and equations and calculations. The subject started with
the hyperbaric chamber.

Foundation students were asked to think about the situations and conditions under
which the hyperbaric chamber was put to use, and in what way does it help the patient
suffering the bends. This way the students were able to understand the gas laws as
they applied to somebody suffering the bends and being cured of it by the use of a
hyperbaric chamber. The students were able to put two and two together and also
begin to understand how the hyperbaric chamber helped cure somebody suffering

75 A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury

from carbon monoxide poisoning. Simple experiments and demonstrations were
used to explain the phenomena of gas solubility under various pressure conditions.
The students would be asked to explain the observation of gas bubbles when a bottle
of soda water was opened, and why was it that those bubbles weren’t visible before
the bottle was opened? This was enough for the students to understand that gases
were soluble under high-pressure and that the same principle applied when looking
at how the hyperbaric chamber works in situations of the bends or carbon monoxide
poisoning. Signs therefore became a lot more meaningful to the nursing students.
Similar approaches were used in microbiology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology.

Today we offer a blended program in sciences and it is highly successful. We
also have our programs available to students online and it enables all the students,
especially those who are time poor, to be able to access lectures in their own time and
be prepared for their tutorial sessions. This has enabled us to cater for a multiplicity of
learning styles of most of our 1,400 students who commence in first year.
Donna Packham
My scant memories of HAC:

The light and airy atmosphere of the original Dairy Building, always warmly
welcoming to staff and students.

A knock on my office door from an HAC ‘Old Boy’, who told me that my lovely
room used to be the stall of his beloved dairy cow.

The camaraderie of the academic and ancillary staff, always ready to help each other.
Best of all, the mature-age nursing students who brought a wealth of life skills to
their learning, and were keen students.
I learned so much from Jan Smith, Robyn Moroney and Michael Woods. I saw the
Faculty as an integral, essential part of Hawkesbury Agricultural College. For the
first time, aspiring local nurses, fresh to an academic and practice-based Degree in
Nursing could study, graduate, and find work in their local area.
The constant interactions with the other Faculties on campus gave the fledgling
Nursing Faculty a serious presence among its other, historically-established colleagues.

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 76



Appendix 3
Photo Gallery

A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 78







Badges and crests



A History of Nursing at Hawkesbury 84