John Vallance

author

John Vallance

A classical scholar and longtime educator, he has also played a major role in Australian library and public cultural life. His career bridges the worlds of scholarship, teaching, and stewardship of major institutions.

1 Audiobook

A Letter to the Kensington Canal Company on the Substitution of the Pneumatic Railway for the Common Railway by Which They Contemplate Extending Their Line of Conveyance

A Letter to the Kensington Canal Company on the Substitution of the Pneumatic Railway for the Common Railway by Which They Contemplate Extending Their Line of Conveyance

by John Vallance

About the author

Born in Sydney in 1958, John Taber Vallance is an Australian classical scholar, educator, and library leader. He studied at the University of Sydney and later completed a doctorate in ancient history at Cambridge, building a reputation in classics and the history of science.

Vallance spent many years in education, including a long tenure as headmaster of Sydney Grammar School from 1999 to 2017. In 2017, he became State Librarian and Chief Executive of the State Library of New South Wales, where he continued his work in public learning and cultural leadership.

Alongside his administrative career, he has been recognized as a scholar and advocate for the humanities. His work reflects a lasting interest in how education, libraries, and the classical tradition can help keep ideas alive for new generations.