John was awarded a Special Progress Prize in 1926, then achieved 1st place in his form in 1927 and 8th place in 1930. John organised the school’s first tennis tournament in 1933. Tennis was his first love on the sports field, followed by lawn bowls later in life.
Having spent quite a few enjoyable school holidays at various cousin’s properties in the Dubbo/Wellington area, he decided when he left Knox that a life on the land was for him. He spent time at the Bathurst Experiment Farm and then at the Trangie Experiment Farm. He then spent about a year working as a jackaroo on some large stations in the Cloncurry district in Queensland. Deciding that perhaps the ‘inside country’ was more to his liking, he returned to Sydney and worked for the wool broking firm on Winchombe Carson before taking a job as overseer on a property in Exeter in the Southern Highlands.
In 1939, with the help of his father and a large overdraft he bought “Kallateenee”, a 4,000 acre property near Coolah. In 1940, he married Eileen “Tot” Webb from Bathurst. From the start he took a keen interest in the local community and at 27 years of age was elected to the Council of the NSW Grazier’s Association. He was also actively involved with the Country Party and was elected to the Coolah Shire Council in 1955.
He and Tot had two children, Bryan and Sally.
In 1960, John became a member of the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament. When the coalition parties came to power in 1965 he became the Minister of Decentralisation and Development and later became the Minister of Planning and Environment. After the party lost the 1976 election he became Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, retiring from politics in 1978.
John was knighted in 1974 and awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 1977.
In retirement, he took on some honorary positions including Chairman of the Monarchists League and President of Barnados Australia.
The Fuller family has had a long and distinguished connection with Knox Grammar School. John’s father, Bryan Cecil Fuller (1888-1956) was on the Knox Provisional Council which was instrumental in the establishment of Knox. John’s uncle, Sir George Fuller, Premier of NSW (1922-25), opened the school in 1924. John’s son, Bryan Antony Fuller, attended the school from 1952-60. John’s niece, Cathy Charlton, served on the school council from 1995 to 2005 and his grandnephews, Andrew Charlton (OKG96) and Kim Charlton (OKG92), and great grandnephew Samuel Charlton (OKG18) also attended the school.
Written by Bryan Anthony Fuller (OKG60)
1925 Whole School
