Rodney Howell and Riverside High School

There is a story about retired Riverside High School Assistant Principal and Exeter Primary School Principal, Mr Rod Howell that you may not know. A version of events that, until now, he has never shared publicly.

When the recent search and rescue operation of a 57 year old Victorian man, and a father and daughter from Western Australia began in the Tasmanian highlands during the depths of winter, along with compassion and hope, I had two thoughts: Antarctic Explorers Shackleton and Mawson, and the tragic tale of Teacher-in-Training, Ewen McLeod Scott “aged 27 years” and Riverside High School student, David Julien Kilvert “aged 14 years” who perished on an expedition to Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair Reserve, “…on or about the 21st day of May, 1965…” (Coroner’s Report, 3 August 1965).

14-Year-old Riverside High School Head Prefect, Rodney Howell along with 14 schoolmates; a visiting student from Sydney and three teachers took part in the much anticipated, yet ill-fated five-day-walk.

“Rodney Howell was the first to show exhaustion,” teacher and expedition leader Mr John Chick told the Inquest at Latrobe Coroner’s Court on 3 August 1965.

Rod was in the first intake of students at Riverside High School in 1962 when Hobart High School Principal, K.J. (‘Johnnie’) Walker moved North to take the reins at Launceston’s newest school on the West Tamar.

Rod remembered that time vividly. “The school was built upon acreage of Brownfields dairy farm where my father and I would gather mushrooms, at first light when in season, for breakfast.

“Riverside High School began with two-year groups – 1 and 2 (Grade 7 and 8) with four classes in each year, streamed by academic ability, and named A, B, C and D for convenience.

“We had good teachers and knew them well.

“We started the school year in 1962 with the upstairs/downstairs B Block and the shell of the science labs.

“Mr Walker, an inspirational leader and fine orator would depart his office, adorned in academic gown, and conduct the school assembly from the steps of the corridor (when weather demanded), turning to and fro to ensure engagement.

“He was also our charismatic English teacher and an amateur actor who played the role of Wacka Dawson in The One Day of the Year for a local production,” recalled Rod with fondness.

The late Mr Walker described the learning environment in those formative years at Riverside High School during an address to the 40 Year Reunion Dinner at the Albert Hall on 12 October 2002.

“The day of opening finally arrived, 6 February 1962. The buses had all turned up and so 280 students and 17 teachers were assembled in the laboratory which had been left unequipped and could therefore act as an assembly hall,” he recalled.

Sporting opportunity and success, which continues today, found its footing early at the new high school.

“There were only enough students for three sports’ houses: Forrest, Kingsford Smith and Monash. Lawson was founded two years later when numbers increased,” said Rod.

During November 1962, the Empire (Commonwealth) Games were hosted in Perth, Western Australia. “To commemorate, an athletics carnival was held on the hockey fields,” he said.

Saturday sport also began in earnest with football, soccer and cricket against town, country and independent schools, with hockey, netball and tennis soon following.

An incredible culture of swimming also started with Riverside High School finishing third in the Junior Shield.

Rod, a determined footballer, had the opportunity to play against Carlton, North Melbourne and Melbourne great, Brent Crosswell and Melbourne full-back and full-forward, Ray Biffen whilst at high school.

He would later make the short walk to Windsor Park, playing in the 1976 Launceston Football Club NTFA Premiership, losing the Statewide Final to Legendary Team, the Ulverstone Robins.

Extracurricular activities were also available, with Mr Walker supporting Forrest House during the annual Talent Quest because, as Rod beamed, “We were terrible!”

The Riverside High Outdoors Society (RHODS) was formed under the guidance of experienced bushwalker and Science Master, Mr John Chick (28).

Rodney Howell joined the society because his friend and fellow Head Prefect, Dianne Batten enjoyed bushwalking.

“I was a kid from West Tamar Road with no bushwalking experience who thought the society offered a chance for adventure,” Howell admitted poignantly.

The School Expedition

Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair Reserve Ranger, Mr Gordon Saunders was alerted to the plight of cold, distressed, exhausted and hungry Riverside High Outdoor Society members by three of its students who bravely went ahead to raise the alarm.

Head Prefect Dianne Batten (15), Bernard Hay (14) and Peter Williams (15) courageously left the group to find help at Waldheim.

They spent a night in freezing conditions, unable to test the depth of a river crossing due to darkness. Showing remarkable tenacity and wisdom they waited until morning to cross and alert the Park Ranger.

“We couldn’t cross the river so we headed back towards the boatshed. But we lost the track again so we finally spent the night in the wood. Next morning we found that the outlet was only ankle deep so we went on to Waldheim and got help,” Dianne would recall as reported in The Examiner.

A search party was assembled as a result and, in an incredible coincidence, included Rod Howell’s future father-in-law.

Mr Saunders told the Coronial Inquest, as reported in the Advocate the following day, of his frustration that the walk went ahead.

“When the trip was organised, Mr Saunders had been informed and had advised only day trips from Waldheim and not a full walk through the reserve, because of the weather conditions prevailing in the area.

“However, the tour was continued, and he was ‘powerless’ to stop this type of trip even though the weather could mean loss of life to those taking part.”

He was deeply distressed by the tragedy.

Rod wells with emotion when describing the events of May 1965.

Mr Chick told the Coronial Inquest as reported in The Examiner:

“Rodney Howell was the first to show exhaustion,” he said. “We stopped and Rodney’s pack was distributed amongst the others.”

The 14-year-old Head Prefect had a weight off his back, but a burden to carry on his shoulders for more than 50 years.

Feelings of guilt that he was the first to falter have never left.

“I may have contributed to the loss of two lives,” he struggled to conclude with tears flowing.

One could surmise that Gordon Saunders also harboured guilt and regret as he was unable to halt the expedition.

Much has been written about the events leading to the Scott-Kilvert tragedy, but a new voice offers a new perspective.

During early 1965, parent information sessions and two preparation walks were organised.

Science Master Mr Chick initiated and led the society.

Rod recounted, “I remember walking from Duck Reach to Lake Trevallyn as a rehearsal. We began the trek close to the Carmelite Monastery in West Launceston and made our way back along the South Esk River to the Lake. It was a solid walk but not even close, by comparison, to the challenges we faced at Cradle Mountain,” he said.

The students met at the shops below Pomona Road, carpooling to Arm River Track to begin the planned five-day walk. A convoy of parents deposited 16 excited students and three teachers: John Chick, 22-year-old physical education teacher, Rosemary Bayes and teacher-in-training, Ewen Scott at their designated starting point on Sunday 16 May 1965 with the students to be transported home from Waldheim on Thursday 20 May 1965.

Rod remembered Mr Chick as an “experienced bushwalker”, Miss Bayes as a “lovely person” and Mr Scott as an “experienced outdoors’ man who the students regarded highly”.

He would boundary umpire football on the weekends to keep fit, was a member of the Launceston Walking Club and represented Tasmania in the 10,000 metre Australian Cross-Country Championships.

By modern understanding, they weren’t well prepared, but these were different times.

Rod carried an external aluminium framed backpack made of canvas. “It was so terribly uncomfortable,” he recalled.

“We had a change of clothes and food: eggs, bacon, fruit and packet soup, along with a sleeping bag and wet-weather coat,” he said.

The early stages of the expedition were uneventful with students and teachers, in good spirits, enjoying the clear, sunny weather that accompanied the first day and a half after walking to their base at Pelion Hut.

However, even on the first day of trekking the group had started to split, with slower paced students arriving later to Pelion Hut on Sunday, Windermere Hut on Tuesday and Waterfall Valley Hut on Wednesday.

“Snow and rain were falling as we approached Waterfall Valley, and on reflection, we were beginning to tire, were poorly equipped and inexperienced, which challenged our resilience.

“Waterfall Valley had a small hut. It was three to a bunk top and bottom,” Howell remembered.

By Thursday morning with rain continuing to fall, the party delayed the start of their final push to Waldheim.

On the Cirque, the blizzard struck with settled snow gathering as a result of gale-force winds.

The party decided to take the Lake Rodway Track to Waldheim rather than the track known as Kitchen Hut, because it was considered too exposed.

“We knew we were in trouble. We had wet feet and were extremely cold. When the blizzard struck, some of us in the main group were able to press on but the snow was knee-deep each stride,” Rod said.

Although Rod collapsed from exhaustion, he was able to recover and stay with the main group.

David was not so fortunate and was beginning to exhibit severe exhaustion; struggling to breathe.

The Society had now split into four groups.

Mark Whittle (15), who had been assisting Mr Scott to support David, recalled in a speech at the 50th Anniversary of the tragedy in 2015 of the moment he was told to join the main group by the teacher-in-training. “You go and leave David with me,” Mark recalled Mr Scott instructing.

Mark did as he was told.

He would be the last to see Mr Scott and David alive.

Mark added, “As we left, Mr Scott was carrying David. They fell and began to get up again. This vision has returned to me many times.”

The Examiner reported on 22 May 1965, “During the last 14 hours of the trek Mr Scott made a heroic effort to carry David to safety on his shoulders down Hanson’s Peak track.”

David would be found just 400 metres from where Mark left them to join the main group.  

Mr Scott would continue and died from exhaustion and exposure just 200 metres from the Dove Lake boatshed.

“Mark was incredibly level-headed and experienced for someone so young,” Rod offered with admiration.

The main party were able to make their way to the boatshed with Miss Bayes.

Rosemary Bayes, the 22-year-old physical education teacher would comfort the cold, exhausted and wet children through the night.

She was described as a “heroine” in the daily papers.

“Miss Bayes sang songs with us through the night to keep our spirits up. I can remember singing She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain.

“We arrived at the boatshed with cold feet and departed the next day wet through as the rain blew in horizontally and the lake lapped the shelter,” Rod reflected.

“Following our rescue, we sat in front of the open fire at Waldheim. Porridge and soup were served by Mr and Mrs Saunders,” he added.

Rod’s parents were so distraught by the news they asked a family friend to drive them to Cradle Mountain.

“They heard on local radio that two of the party had perished. They had no idea of which two,” he said.

For those students whose parents could not collect them from Cradle Mountain, they were sent home on a bus,” he mentioned with regret.

There was no trauma counselling and no diagnosis of survivor’s guilt as part of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Rod can’t remember attending the funeral service on Tuesday 25 May 1965.

He returned to school after the second week of school holidays; making a statement to local police and going to class.

Rod’s parents, Bain and Madge Howell rarely spoke of the tragedy.

Mr Howell Snr may not have said much, but he did keep the daily newspaper clippings reporting the events and inquest; carefully scribing the details of the tragedy on a map published in the Advocate.

During the Coronial Inquest, Rod would read of the tragedy in the daily Tasmanian newspapers, detailing that he was the first to exhibit exhaustion, which must have taken its toll.

The lasting impact on a 14-year-old boy was significant.

The Lasting Impact

The memorial Scott-Kilvert Award seeks to recognise unselfishness, a spirit of mateship, comradeship, courage, loyalty to a cause and dedication to a task.

The prize has been presented annually since 1966, but never by Rod, because even as a former student, Head Prefect and Assistant Principal, not many knew of his involvement.

Often, leaders aspire to return to their childhood school due to a sense of gratitude.

Rod was not so sure.

Seven Assistant Principals were chosen from a pool of applicants and distributed to schools across Northern Tasmania.

Fate intervened and Rod returned to his childhood high school.

“No one asked and I never told.

“I never spoke publicly about the events of 1965. Avoidance and conscious denial have been my coping strategies,” he added.

Plans for a memorial hut started later in 1965. Head Prefects, Rodney Howell and Dianne Batten would play a role in design and modelling of the proposal. A public appeal would raise $3000 to begin construction by Riverside High School, the Parents and Friends Association and the Launceston and North West Walking Clubs, with work beginning in September 1965.

“My father and I assisted at working bees, and we attended the official opening on 3 April 1966. A plaque was unveiled by principal, the late Mr K.J. Walker.

“By that time, I had graduated from Riverside High School and was attending Launceston Matriculation College,” Rod remembered.

Recent events don’t trigger uncomfortable emotions in Rod because as he says, “I don’t know them. I don’t read reports of those lost in the Tasmanian wilderness, but I don’t avoid them either.”

However, there was one event that freshened supressed trauma.

“During 1987 on an outing to Cradle Mountain, when the weather changed dramatically, I carried my seven-year-old son, Andrew, to the car and safety. He was semi-conscious and exhausted. I was distraught; asking myself how I could take a seven-year-old out here? It was Déjà vu,” Rod lamented.

He would finally speak to his parents about the impact of the tragedy in 1965 due to this experience with his own son and their grandchild.

Rod rarely runs or walks in bushland more than an hour from his car to this day, as a result.

This tragic tale of courage, fear, guilt, heroism and, ultimately, death, in its aftermath, finds solace in acknowledging the power of the human spirit, and a deep and ongoing passion for nurturing young minds.

Rod reflected, “I am extremely proud of my children. When someone stops me to say they met one of them, offering what fine people they are, I feel complete,” he stated with emotion.

But he says the final words, should be left to a grieving mother recounted in an address to Riverside High School by Principal the late K.J. Walker soon after the tragedy on 25 May 1965.

 “As Mrs Kilvert simply stated: You must let you children adventure for themselves. If you over protect them, you spoil their lives,” he said.

Vale Ewen McCleod Scott and David Julien Kilvert, and thank you Rod and all the survivors who lived to share their lessons.

PostScript

As a Sunday Examiner columnist, I was researching the Scott-Kilvert tragedy, of which I knew parts, to link my experiences and feelings to those rescued from the Tasmanian highlands during July 2019.

Unexpectedly, in fact quite accidentally, I came across the name, Rodney Howell. I had no idea, but a simple question via text message was replied, “affirmative”.

Mr Rodney (Rod) Howell was a teacher of mine, but he is much more than that. During Grade 11 at Launceston College, he instilled confidence to believe in my writing and less than two years later, to study teaching.

But he may never have been a teacher when conscripted to join the war efforts in Vietnam, Howell convinced recruiters that a BA (Hons) and a Diploma of Education from the University of Tasmania would be a more important community contribution.

Mr Howell taught at several schools including Ravenswood High School and Alanvale College, influencing generations of young minds; particularly those who found traditional learning environments challenging.

Like me, he attended Riverside High School and would return as Assistant Principal from 1992-97.

Mr Howell was appointed principal of Exeter Primary School in 1998, a position he held until 2009 when he retired after more than 36 years’ service in the Education Department.

As a career educator, he would participate in several camps and excursions to places such as Freycinet and Maria Island National Parks and South Mt. Cameron where he was, “always happy to assist but would never take the lead.”

A memorial art installation was commissioned to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Scott-Kilvert tragedy in 2015 and unveiled ‘closer to home’ on the grounds of Riverside High School during 2016.