The Spirit of Australia Foundation was honored to host its 2025 John Monash Commemorative Service at Parliament House in Melbourne, bringing together a powerful community to celebrate one of Australia's greatest leaders. The event was a profound tribute to Monash’s legacy, inspiring a new generation of leaders to embody his vision of innovation, integrity, and service.

The 2026 Spirit of Australia Leadership Forum was hosted at the Engineering Australia rooms in Melbourne on 26 February. Attending were 87 students and 14 teachers from 13 schools across Melbourne. The forum was designed for Year 11 students who demonstrate a keen interest in developing their leadership skills and exploring their potential.  

Sir Donald Bradman’s biographer, Roland Perry, here compares him with the subject of his biography, of the Commander of Australia’s WW1 Army, General Sir John Monash (Monash: the outsider who won a war.) He found many strong similarities between them.

The Spirit of of Australia, in collaboration with the Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) held our annual John Monash Commemorative service on November 6th, with keyone speakers Brigadier Robert Calhoun representing Lt General Simon Stuart AO, Chief of Army and Dr Trung Nghia Ton, 2017 Issac and Susan Wakhil John Monash Scholar

Now open to expressions of interest from Victorian Schools to attend the Victorian Service in the Legislative Assembly in Spring St Melbourne. It will be held the morning of Friday 7 August 2026. 

In November 2024, Michael Bennett, Board member of the Spirit of Australia Foundation and great grandson of Sir John Monash attended the anticipated unveiling of the bronze statue in Jerilderee, New South Wales commemorating an extraordinary interaction between two of Australia's greatest figures - the notorious Ned Kelly and a young John Monash.

On August 8th the Spirit of Australia Foundation celebrated its annual Victorian John Monash commemorative ceremony, giving a unique opportunity for students from around Melbourne to join the Foundation at Parliament House, hear from our terrific John Monash scholarship recipient and Department of Defence speakers, and learn about the great leaders we have produced in our Nations short history.
Thank you to all who attended, and we hope to extend the opportunity to more schools in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and hopefully in our other States and Territories in the following year.

On May 29th the Spirit of Australia Foundation celebrated the 2024 Monash Commemorative Service at Gungahlin College Theatre, Canberra. 

Keynote Speakers included Col. Brendan Robinson and Dr Laura Dryburgh, the 2022 Chairman's Circle John Monash Scholar.

Laura is a medical doctor and health policy specialist who is passionate about improving health outcomes and equity in Australia. She is currently an Assistant Director of the National Health, Sustainability and Climate Unit with the Interim Centre for Disease Control in the Department of Health and Aged Care. Throughout her medical career Laura has worked with Australians from many walks of life, including people living in rural and remote areas, First Nations communities, those requiring aeromedical retrieval with the Royal Flying Doctors Service and newly arrived refugees. Through these experiences she has developed an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of health challenges facing different communities and individuals around the country. She was awarded the Chairmans Circle General Sir John Monash Scholarship in 2022, which enabled her to undertake a Masters of Public Policy at the University of Oxford which she graduated from with Distinction. While overseas she spent time with the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe where she examined the commercial determinants of health, particularly in crisis stricken areas, and how governments can work to ameliorate these. She currently volunteers on the Royal Australasian College of Physician’s Health Reform committee and as a surf life saver.

Brendan Robinson is a graduate of the UK Joint Command and Staff College and the Royal Military College Duntroon. Trained as a mechanical engineer at the Australian Defence Force Academy, he has served with armoured, infantry and logistics units and has deployed twice. He recently commanded the Army School of Logistic Operations and is now Chief Engineer – Army. He maintains an interest in good writing, world affairs and Army modernisation. 

This biography is published by the State Electricity of Victoria as a tribute to a great man. It was written by Vernon R. Northwood, with assistance from the late Dr. Gershon Bennett, son-in-law of Sir John Monash, and was first published in the “S.E.C. Magazine” in December 1950.