Ivanhoe

Distinguished and Famous people from Ivanhoe

📚 Reverend Sydney Buckley

Sydney Buckley was the parish priest at St James’ Church of England when discussion with his choirboys helped produce the idea for a local school. It opened in the parish hall in 1915 with a small enrolment and later moved to Ivanhoe House, becoming Ivanhoe Grammar School. Buckley remained founding headmaster until 1947. He also participated in establishing its old students’ association in 1920. His local contribution lies in building an educational institution from a parish initiative, supported by families and the wider church community.

🏛️ Vernon Christie

Vernon Christie represented Ivanhoe in the Victorian parliament from 1955 to 1973 and was active in local welfare and choral organisations. He became Speaker of Victoria’s Legislative Assembly, earning respect across party lines for independence and an insistence on parliamentary standards. Outside the chamber he helped establish the Save the Yarra Valley League and opposed freeway plans he believed threatened the landscape. Bushwalking, sailing and fishing accompanied public life. The combination gives his career a distinctive shape: a politician could defend the rules of parliament while arguing vigorously against his own government’s development priorities.

🏉 Harry Collier

Harry Collier played for Ivanhoe in 1924 alongside his brother Albert, later widely known as Leeter. Harry won the club’s best and fairest award and was invited to try out for Collingwood, although a knee injury delayed his senior debut. The brothers became important members of the Magpies’ premiership teams, and both eventually held Brownlow Medals. Harry’s was awarded decades after the original countback decision. Ivanhoe belongs to their development before that fame: a local club gave a young rover the opportunity to demonstrate the skills that a much larger football audience would come to recognise.