After spending my formative years in Malvern, I attended Adelaide University graduating as a microbiologist with honours and a Pilot Officer with the RAAF.
I then pursued a career in education and taught maths and all sciences in both State and independent schools across South Australia. In 1975 I was appointed as the Director of the Salisbury Education Centre where I was involved in teacher training and development and the wider community, including the establishment of Radio Station 5PBA. Over the following years, I was instrumental in the founding of nine schools, re-establishing two bankrupt schools, and was a Board member of Rostrevor College from 2014-17.
One of my career highlights was my appointment as the foundation Principal and CEO of Trinity College Gawler from 1984 until 2002. In 1998 I was recognised as a Fellow of the Australian College of Education and, in January 2013, was made a Member of the Order of Australia, “for significant service to education, to the Anglican Church in Australia, and to the community of Unley”.
In 2014 was appointed for two terms as the independent Member of the Australian Board of Education, following a unanimous vote of the Education Council made up of every State Minister, both Labor and Liberal, by the Federal Minister of Education. This board called ACARA (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority) is responsible for the Curriculum and Testing of all Australian Children from Kindergarten to Year 12. Elected to be the Chair of the ACARA Audit and Risk Committee. (2014 – 2021)
Before becoming Mayor in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, I was a Councillor for Unley Ward for 12 years.
I am married to Rosslyn, and we have lived in Unley for the past 22 years. We have four married children with three children each; nine of whom live in Unley. Michael Hewitson AM FACE BSc (Hons), Dip Ed, B Ed. February 2021.