Ben is the representative of Falls Creek Resort Management's CEO Ross Passalaqua. Ben started work on BOEC Bogong Board in 2007 and was elected our Bogong Board President this year. Ben is the Natural Resource Manager at Falls Creek Resort Management and oversees all the environmental programs and strategic direction at Falls Creek. He is heavily involved in promoting both the environment of the area and the activities and lifestyle that our region can facilitate.
Ben was a member of the Australian Cross Country Ski Team from 1991-2006 and represented Australia many times while competing overseas. He remains heavily involved in skiing administration, racing and coaching in Australia, and is an active member local skiing community.
Ben first came to BOEC as a student in the late 1980s and sees the facility and programs that are offered as a great asset to the local community, region and state.
Rob Gell BSc(Hons), FRGS, FEIANZ
Rob Gell is an environmental scientist and communications consultant with Access Environmental and has worked in the Australian media since 1979. He is the President of Greening Australia Victoria, Chairman of the Mornington Peninsula and Westernport Biosphere Reserve Foundation Ltd and a member of the Victorian Coastal Council. Rob is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and an Inaugural Fellow of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand. He is the savewater® ambassador and was Environment Ambassador to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. He became interested in the BOEC and it’s sustainability programmes in 2007
Ross Grant
Ross is the Ranger in Charge for the Bogong unit of the Alpine National Park. Ross originally studied Outdoor Education at Bendigo, and since 1990 has worked for Commonwealth and State Park management agencies in the Northern Territory and Victoria. Ross sees the BOEC as providing great opportunities for young people to experience the natural environment and to learn about the valuable role that these areas play in their lives, particularly in a time of rapid climate change.
Paul Hartley
BA (Outdoor Education) 1993
Dip. Ed. (Geography, Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education) 1995Diploma of Outdoor Recreation, 2002
APSI Level 2 Cross Country Instructor
Australian Canoeing Assessor
Australian Canoeing Level 3 Instructor (Canoe and Kayak)
ASPA Advanced Emergency Care
RLSSA Bronze medallion
Certificate IV Workplace Trainer and Assessor
Paul is a member of Bogong's teaching staff, and a DEECD representative on council. He has worked as an outdoor educator, adventure guide and adventure activity instructor since the early 1990's, in the tourism, secondary and tertiary sectors. His work has taken him to many of the worlds adventure destinations, including stints in South West Tasmania, the Kimberley (W.A), Tibet, Canada, USA and New Zealand. He brings to council a strong focus on innovation in education for sustainability, depth of knowledge in risk management and OHS. His interests are inspiring people to recreate outdoors, photography, travel, telemark skiing, bike riding and exploring the world's whitewater rivers.
Wendy Hutton
Wendy Hutton is a community representative and a member of our Finance Sub-Committee. Wendy is a former manager of the Commonwealth Bank Mount Beauty and is currently on the board of Alpine Radio.
John Macdonald
John Macdonald is a Director of DesignInc Melbourne, with thirty years experience in a wide range of award winning architectural projects including research facilities, residential and commercial projects. He has particular skills in the application of ecologically sustainable design and has delivered several conference papers and has published many articles on energy efficient building design. John has been the ESD consultant to Manningham City Council and the City of Yarra and has represented Manningham Council, Stonnington City Council and Gandel Group as an expert witness. In 2004 he was a finalist in the Prime Minister’s ‘Environmentalist of the Year’ and the 2006 World Environmental Day Individual Award.
John has acted as the ESD director on a number of recent projects which showcase innovative ESD principles including the award winning the Melbourne City Council CH2 project, Geoscience Australia headquarters in Canberra, K2 Apartments, Bio21, the University of Melbourne, Monash STRIP, Futurehouse Complex in Beijing, Deakin University Building T Science and Technology Building and the Gippsland Water Factory Interpretive Centre.
John has a special interest in the Bogong Outdoor Education Centre having created the concept for the Zero3 sustainable school for BOEC.
Steve McMurtrie
Steve joined the Bogong team as Principal in 2005. He has been employed within the Public Education system since 1984. In that time he has moved around the State working in 6 State Government schools.
Bachelor of Education – Ballarat University.
Graduate Diploma in Outdoor Education – Latrobe University, Bendigo.
Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration - Melbourne University.
Currently completing Master in School Leadership - Monash University.
Jarrod Paine
Jarrod is an enthusiatic and passionate education outdoors teacher
who thrives on the energy students in his classes give him. This
energy sends him out on cold wet days into our amazing mountain
classroom with the drive to engage and educate our young people and to help them to make change happen in their lives. This relentless energy also finds Jarrod as Bogong's curriculum coordinator and a representative on the states peak professional body for Outdoor Educators, the Victorian Outdoor Education Association. Jarrod brings to the Bogong Board 7 years teaching experience at Bogong, and solid staff representation to all its discussions.
Kathy Panozzo
Kathy Panozzo is the Business Manager at Bogong Outdoor Education Centre and has worked in the school environment previously as Business Manager at Mount Beauty Secondary College & Tawonga Primary School. Kathy has also been employed in the area of health as a Program Manager for the Rural Doctors Association of Victoria, the North East Victorian Division of General Practice, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine & the Rural Doctors Association of Australia.
Mark Roffey
Mark Roffey is the manager of the Mount Beauty branch of the Bendigo Bank.
Brendan Smith
Brendan Smith is currently the YMCA Camps Group Manager who oversees the seven YMCA camps around the state. Prior to the YMCA Brendan was with the Outdoor Education Group with over 20 years experience in Outdoor Education programming and administration. He has provided organisational leadership in program development, industry initiatives and industry training including lecturing and teaching outdoor education in the TAFE system. Brendan was also a member of Rubicon Outdoor Education School council for 8 years including one year as President,
Brendan is passionate about the Falls Creek community after managing the YMCA Howmans Gap Alpine Centre and Windy Corner Cross Country Ski Cantre for just on 3 years and is still active on the Falls Creek Stakeholders committee.
Christine Walker
Christine is Corporate Services Manager for AGL Hydro and has twenty five years experience in Human Resources and General Management. Christine is a long time supporter of Bogong Outdoor Education Centre, she has been a Bogong Board member for eight years and has served as President of Bogong Board from 2003 to 2008.
