14/01/1946 – 14/05/2026
Tony joined the Junior School at Wesley on a full academic scholarship in 1957 from Mentone Grammar School, immediately establishing a wide group of friends and impressing all teachers he met.
Tony was third generation Wesley, making his grandchildren, current Wesley St Kilda Road Middle School students Ned and Tom, the fifth generation to attend the College. Tony rowed in the First VIII in 1963 and 1964 and was Captain of Boats in his final year.
By the time he graduated, he had established himself as a successful musician – particularly as a trumpeter – as well as an enthusiastic and accomplished rower and a College Prefect.
Together with many of his peers, he went on to Queen’s College at the University of Melbourne where he successfully studied Law and Commerce. At Queen’s, he met his future wife, Liz Kelly, who was also studying Commerce and residing just next door at St Hilda’s College. They were married in the Queen’s College Chapel in 1974 and to Tony she was always just ‘Kelly’.
During his time at Queen’s, he had the good fortune (some might say misfortune!) to room with Jack Ayerbe (OW1963) whom he knew from Wesley. Jack remembers well that within a week of moving into Queen’s, Tony had him on a boat and into rowing as a sport for the rest of his university career. Tony won Intervarsity in 1970 and a Melbourne University Full Blue in 1971.
After graduation, Tony joined John Hicks (OW1953) in the legal firm of Orames and Downing where he became a specialist in commercial litigation and intellectual property with considerable international work. Subsequently, Tony and John departed that firm to establish Hicks and Oakley, with offices in the Melbourne CBD and Mt Waverley. During this time, Tony also spent many years serving on the Wesley College Council. The firm still exists successfully today as Hicks Oakley Chessell Williams with John’s son Matthew Hicks (OW1980) as its managing partner.
Rowing continued as an abiding passion for Tony, primarily via the Melbourne University Boat Club, in the company of the likes of Field Rickards (OW1966). It was with Field that Tony planned and established a rowing pool at Queen’s, a feat he was forever proud of.
Family was important with Liz and Tony, producing daughters Susannah (OW1994) and Louise (OW1995) and son Jimmy (OW2000). Grandchildren Ned, Tom, Andrew, Alex and Annabelle followed. All eight of these spoke eloquently at Tony’s memorial gathering at Queen’s in May.
Family and friends delight in remembering Tony’s patient, thoughtful and wise counsel, that he was always willing to give on almost any topic, legal or otherwise. That advice, if it was to one of his unsuspecting peers, often came with a guarded but clever dollop of wit. He was much admired and will be greatly missed.
Contributed by Jack Ayerbe (OW1963) and Frank Opray (OW1963)
