The Legend of Len

On September 17, 2025, a random and raucous group of IT industry veterans gathered at the Union Hotel in North Sydney to celebrate the The Legend of Len. Len Rust is a prodigious networker who is an institution in the Australian tech sector, a mate to many, and a font of knowledge. Beers were drunk, food was eaten, stories were told. It was a joyous occasion, a long lunch in the tradition of the old days – though not everyone had their old-time stamina!

We managed to surprise Len with some video tributes with people he’d worked with over the decades – while his 90th birthday was the trigger for the celebration, it was his contribution to the Australian tech industry and to so many careers, which was at the forefront of so many minds.

Being a lot of old folks, we forgot to capture any video of the day – but we did manage to get some great shots of the crowd, plus Len enjoying himself.

The highlight was the presentation to Len of a poster which (hopefully) captured many of the highlights of his life, from his early years as a trainee with the Royal Navy and an avid Watford fan, through to his adventures in Australia, his participation in many industry bodies, and his roles as a champion of the Australian tech sector at IDC and the Rust Report.

The Legend of Len celebration was orchestrated by the Northern Chapter AKA the Woy Woy Boys, a small group of Len’s long-term mates who meet regularly over lunch to drink, eat and talk bullshit about the IT industry. And that’s all we’re going to tell you, because… Chatham House rules.

These are most of our proud members alongside Len during the presentation.

Thanks for coming. We had a bloody great time, and hope that you all did too. For those of you who couldn’t join us, you were missed, but we thank you for your contributions.