Paul Simmons
President and Committee Member
Paul ran his own residential design practice for 34 years. Since retiring and joining our team, he has been involved in our outreach programs. He now aims to bring his business background to the management of MBO.
Kim Steere
Secretary and Committee Member
Secretary 2024 - Current
Committee Member 2019 - Current
As well as being MBO Secretary, Kim looks after the MBO Library, organizes annual and special events, and contributes to the outreach program.
Deborah Barber
Treasurer and Committee Member
Treasurer - Current
Outreach Coordinator 2020 - 2024
Deborah is a former Nurse who after retiring, completed a Post Graduate Degree in Astronomy and Astrobiology at Swinburne 2020-2022.
Loves Gold Prospecting and Camping to compliment star gazing.
Jacquie Milner
Director of Astronomy and Committee Member
Committee Member 2016 - Current
Jacquie has been an amateur astronomer for 30 years, and has been active in outreach activities for 25 years of that. She spent six years under the dome at the Scitech Planetarium in Perth, and 17 years as a volunteer night-tour guide at Perth Observatory. After moving to Melbourne in 2014, she became a regular with the outreach team for Mount Burnett Observatory and also teaches the juniors in the Young Observers section. At home, she slips a video camera into the back of her 8” SCT to record lunar and asteroid occultations for the RASNZ Occultation Section, which she has been regularly observing and reporting for since 2012.
Julie Urben di Giaimo
Outreach Coordinator and Committee Member
Committee Member - Outreach Coordinator: Current
Julie graduated year 12 and undertook an astrobiology-based year 12 project researching several exoplanets.
Julie is currently Completing the first part of an Astronomy degree at Swinburne University.
Jo Blannin
School/ Scout Coordinator and Committee Member
Schools and Scouts Program Leader 2020 - Present
Jo lectures in STEM education and is also a qualified teacher.
Peter Shuttleworth
Committee Member
Peter joined Mount Burnett Observatory in 2022 on the 50th anniversary of the Monash dome being commissioned. He was impressed with the professionalism and dedication of all the volunteers and decided to join the club.
Peter has been learning so much about the history of the Monash site and the cosmos and likes to share this knowledge with the community at MBO events.
Peter is looking forward to many more years of being a committee / member and volunteering for the club.
David Mitchell
Vice President and Committee Member
David has been a member of MBO since 2019, and mostly hanging out with the boffins in Radio Astronomy.
David‘s primary interests at MBO are radio imaging and cosmic ray detection, which are the same things he does when he is at home. Some people can’t be saved from the allure of astronomy.
Denise Kuchmar
Public Relations and Committee Member
Denise was star struck at an early age when her father introduced her to the telescope. It has been a lifelong dream to join an observatory, and to her amazement, be able to volunteer for the programs that MBO run. In the few years participating at MBO she has learnt a lot.
Having a background of 35 years in radio, Denise focused on Radio Astronomy as a starting point. It seemed to marry well with her radio work.
Denise is familiar with Governance. She has served as a Socials/Training Coordinator for The Basin Theatre Group and various committee roles at her home radio station, including President. She now brings her experience and enthusiasm to MBO.
Ann Scriven
Outreach Assistant and Committee Member
Ann has been in Australia for over 25 years & grew up with a love & appreciation of astronomy & astrophotography thanks to her dad who is an amazingly talented astrophotographer. Ann recently put her ‘L’ plates on with smart telescopes (starting with a Dwarf 2) which she is madly in love with. Ann really enjoys volunteering & helping others get excited about the night sky."
Katrina Burge
Young Observers Coordinator and Committee Member
Mt Burnett ObservatoryPrevious Committees
The MBO committee would like to recognise the previous dedication from past committee members and acknowledge them here:
2024-2025
Anthony Ferriere – President
Paul Simmons- Vice President
Kim Steere – Secretary / Events Coordinator
Deborah Barber – Treasurer
Jacquie Milner – Director of Astronomy
Jo Blannin – Schools and Scouts Coordinator
Julie Urben Di Giaimo- Outreach Coordinator
Ann Scriven- Outreach Assistance
Denise Kuchmar – Media Liason
Peter Shuttleworth- Committee member
David Mitchell- Committee member
Katrina Burge- Committee member
2023-2024
Anthony Ferriere – President
James Murray -Vice President
Kim Steere – Secretary / Events Coordinator
Deborah Barber – Outreach Coordinator
Jacquie Milner – Director of Astronomy
Saskia Hunter – Diversity Officer
Neil Creek – Astrophotography Coordinator
Alan Handley – Shop Manager
Megan Handley – Membership Secretary
Jo Blannin – Schools and Scouts Coordinator
Petra Klein – Online Coordinator
Andrew Spalding – Young Observers Coordinator
2022-2023
James Murray – President
Heike Reich – Vice President
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Lucinda Lodge – Treasurer
Jacquie Milner – Director of Astronomy
Kim Steere – Events Coordinator
Deborah Barber – Outreach Coordinator
Saskia Hunter – Diversity Officer
Neil Creek – Astrophotography Coordinator
Alan Handley – Shop Manager
Megan Handley – Membership Secretary
Jo Blannin – Schools and Scouts Coordinator
Petra Klein – Online Coordinator
Natasha Alexandrou – Young Observers Coordinator
Andrew Spalding – Young Observers Coordinator
2021-2022
James Murray – President
Heike Reich – Vice President
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Lucinda Lodge – Treasurer
Jacquie Milner – Director of Astronomy
Kim Steere – Events Coordinator
Saskia Hunter – Diversity Officer
Neil Creek – Astrophotography Coordinator
Alan Handley – Shop Manager
Megan Handley – Membership Secretary
Jo Blannin – Schools and Scouts Coordinator
Petra Klein – Online Coordinator
Natasha Alexandrou – Young Observers Coordinator
Andrew Spalding – Young Observers Coordinator
2020-2021
James Murray – President
Heike Reich – Vice President
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Lucinda Lodge – Treasurer
Jacquie Milner – Director of Astronomy
Kim Steere – Events Coordinator
Emma Grondman
Tony Semmens
Jill Semmens – Merchandise Manager
Saskia Hunter – Diversity Officer
Neil Creek – Astrophotography Coordinator
Jaymee Grondman
Alan Handley – Shop Manager
Jo Blannin
Petra Klein – Online Coordinator
Natasha Alexandrou – Young Observers Coordinator
2019-2020
James Murray – President
Jacquie Milner – Vice President, Director of Astronomy, Outreach Coordinator
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Bob Andrews – Treasurer
Emma Grondman – Membership Secretary
Tony Semmens – Deep Sky Viewing Officer
Jill Semmens – Merchandise Manager
Saskia Hunter – Telescope Sub Committee Coordinator, Diversity Officer
Kim Steere – Events Coordinator
Stephanie Rowlands – Science Officer
Neil Creek – Astrophotography Coordinator
Stuart Lyall
Jaymee Grondman – Outreach Coordinator
Ray Schmidt
2018-2019
James Murray – President
Sue McArthur – Vice President
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Bob Andrews – Treasurer
Emma Grondman – Membership Secretary
Barry Cleland – Librarian
Jacquie Milner – Director of Astronomy, Outreach Coordinator, Young Observers Coordinator
Tony Semmens – Deep Sky Viewing Officer
Saskia Hunter – Telescope Sub Committee Coordinator, Diversity Officer
Duane Hamacher – Cultural Astronomy Coordinator
Stephanie Rowlands – Science Officer
Heike Reich – Outreach Coordinator / Schools Liaison Officer
Neil Creek – Astrophotography Coordinator
Alex Obrads – Friday Night Coordinator
Jaymee Grondman
Mel Miles
Ray Schmidt
Jill Semmens
2017-2018
James Murray – President
Sue McArthur – Vice President
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Bob Andrews – Treasurer
Ken Beard – Observatory Curator
Barry Cleland – Librarian
Braeden Borg – Deep Sky Coordinator
Neil Creek – Astrophotography Coordinator
Jacquie Milner -Young Observers Coordinator
Emma Grondman
Duane Hamacher
Saskia Hunter
Heike Reich
Stephanie Rowlands
Ray Schmidt
2016-2017
James Murray – President
Sue McArthur – Vice President
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Bob Andrews – Treasurer
Onyx Murray – Membership Secretary
Ken Beard – Observatory Curator
Barry Cleland – Librarian
Braeden Borg – Deep Sky Coordinator
Jacquie Milner -Young Observers Coordinator
Emma Grondman
Heike Reich
Stephanie Rowlands
Ray Schmidt
Lindsay Stodden
Perry Vlahos
Lachlan Wiltshire
2015-2016
James Murray – President
Ray Schmidt – Vice President
Anthony Ferriere – Secretary
Bob Andrews – Treasurer
Onyx Murray – Membership Secretary
Ken Beard – Observatory Curator
Barry Cleland – Librarian
Braeden Borg – Deep Sky Coordinator
Marilyn Comerford
Roslyn Gupta
Heike Reich
Lindsay Stodden
Perry Vlahos
Lachlan Wiltshire
2014-2015
James Murray – President
Ray Schmidt – Vice President
Lindsay Stodden – Secretary
Bob Andrews – Treasurer
Dianne Luc – Membership Secretary
Ken Beard – Observatory Curator
Barry Cleland – Librarian
Braeden Borg – Deep Sky Coordinator
Marilyn Comerford
Roslyn Gupta
Onyx Murray
Heike Reich
Perry Vlahos
2013-2014
Perry Vlahos – President
Ray Schmidt – Vice President
David Paxton – Secretary
Bob Andrews – Treasurer
Dianne Luc – Membership Secretary
Barry Cleland – Librarian
Ken Beard – Observatory Curator
James Murray – Outreach Officer
Marilyn Comerford
Gordon Livingstone
Heike Reich
2012-2013
Perry Vlahos – President
Barry Cleland – Vice President
Ray Schmidt – Secretary
Ed Chatwin – Treasurer
Dianne Luc – (ex-officio) Membership Secretary
Ken Beard – Observatory Curator
James Murray – Outreach Officer
Bob Andrews
Craig Bankowski
2011-2012
Perry Vlahos – President
Barry Cleland – Vice President
Ray Schmidt – Secretary
James Murray – Treasurer
Dianne Luc – (ex-officio) Membership Secretary
Ken Beard – Observatory Curator
Alfred Klink