VOLUME 30
OCTOBER 2017
St Joseph’s College Geelong
Ad Alta Virtute The St Joseph’s College Geelong Alumni Magazine
FIFTY YEARS ON The anniversary of the Boarding House closing at the College saw over 30 boarders return to St Joseph’s
Compassion
Innovation
Integrity
A message from the Principal Dear Old Collegians, This is my first opportunity to communicate with many of you as the new Principal of the College. I’m conscious that, as a former staff member and former parent of the College I know many of you, but I will provide a brief background just the same. My career in education has been in boys’ schools, having worked at De La Salle and Mazenod Colleges prior to nine years as Deputy Principal at St Joseph’s from 2000 until 2008 with Paul Tobias as a mentor. For the last eight years I was Principal of St Bernard’s College in Essendon. My wife Louise and I have three adult children, the youngest of whom graduated from St Joseph’s last year. I have been humbled by my welcome back to St Joseph’s and have found the staff and broader community supportive and encouraging during this first year in the role. The College has continued to grow and develop and our facilities, at both the Edmund Rice Campus and the Year 9 Westcourt Campus are excellent. The College continues to be highly regarded in the community as evidenced by extremely strong demand for enrolment. In 2018 we will have 336 Year 7 students commencing. After six years this level of enrolment will see our expected student numbers approaching 1950 students.
Welcoming students to the College on the first day of the 2017 school year
Reconciliation Garden Opening
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This increase is catered for within our building master plan, the next element of which is year eight classroom block. This building will support the delivery of Project Based Learning and provide additional music facilities. It will be constructed on the escarpment between our current music Centre and Aphrasia Street during 2018.This will be followed in 2019 by a gymnasium at the Westcourt Campus. Good schools are always deeply embedded in their community and this is certainly the case with St Joseph’s. One of the first things I noticed on my return is that the sense of community remains unchanged. It is palpable. Staff, Students and families feel an extremely strong connection to the College and for a large proportion this remains lifelong. Some old boys will maintain a close connection through the formal association, some will engage intermittently and some through choice or circumstance, will have no contact. Regardless of how close you remain, I would like to assure you and all our Old Collegians that you are always welcome back at your College. Tony Paatsch - College Principal
Meeting the Year 7 cohort on their first day
Welcoming back some past students at the Boarder’s Reunion
Welcome Back! Boarder’s Reunion In 1940 Boarder’s arrived at St Joseph’s College Geelong. The plans to admit boarders were long standing, and it made sense with the during wartime to have boarding accommodation available for students whose homes were at a distance from Geelong, when wartime travel was both difficult and expensive. The “Josian” states that there were 27 boarders by the end of the year.The new intake of boarders represented 15 per cent of the total enrolment in 1940. 1942 saw the Japanese becoming involved in the Pacific War in December 1941, more boys were taken in as boarders at the time and enrolments continued to increase to 160 day boys and 92 boarders in 1945. In 1967 the decision was made to close the boarding house due to large population growth in Geelong. The move to close the College to boarders was seen to be in the best interests of the Catholic population who felt that their boys would be excluded a place due to lack of space for local day students. The boarding rooms and houses were then converted to become extra facilites and learning areas for students at the College. On Friday 4 August, the College welcomed back over 30 past students who were Boarders here at St Joseph’s. It has been 50 years since the boarding house closed at SJC, and for some guests it has been even longer since they visited the school again. Guests were given the opportunity to tour the College
with some of our current student leaders, there were many comments on the changes that have occurred in particular the removal of the handball courts (a boarder’s favourite) and the College pool. There were some wonderful stories being shared of experiences and antics in the boarding days both during the tour of the and afterwards in the College boardroom. Thank you to all those who attended, there were some guests who travelled a significant distance to get there, (one as far away as Darwin!) we hope you had a great day, it was fantastic to see you back here at your home at St Joseph’s. We look forward to keeping in touch with you all. Save the date: we are planning to have a Boarder’s event each year, the next one will be Friday 3 August 2018.
1948 Boarders at St Joseph’s College
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Celebrating our Old Collegians Pre-1977 Year Group Reunion On Thursday 6 July, 45 Old Collegian’s from 1945-1977 joined our student leaders for a tour of the College facilities, including the newly renovated Heritage Centre. Following lunch, one of our Old Collegians entertained us all with anecdotes of his time here at the College. It was a wonderful opportunity for Old Boys to renew acquaintances and catch up years of history. We encourage anyone with a reunion scheduled for 2018 to make the most of an opportunity to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate with us!
Not all catch ups have been at the College! Here is a note sent by a past student Tony Robertson on the St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association Facebook page about his catch up with a classmate earlier this year: “Reunions are amazing when they bring old boys together after almost 50 years. Tony Robertson (1970) was doing HSC and Tom King was in Year 10 the last time they saw each other. A brief and memorable chat at Central Station Brisbane rekindled a friendship that both men are keen to maintain. Memories, shared history and the wonder of life keep us young and inspire hope for the future.” All past students are welcome to keep in touch via our College Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sjocageelong/ We regularly post interesting news, events and photos online. Tony Robertson & Tom King
1970s Buildings
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Golf Day 2017 On Sunday 30 April the St Joseph’s Old Collegians’ Association held the annual Associated Cold Tread Tyres Golf Day at 13th Beach golf course. Just under 190 participants enjoyed near perfect conditions with no wind to impact any of the scoring. The fantastic conditions certainly made for great scores with two teams both having 15 Under off the stick. All money raised from the day is donated to the St Joseph’s College Bursary program. 2017 Results: 1st - Creek Course Phil Wilson, Nick Walsh, Rob Durno, Mick Kelly, Justin Henneysee 2nd – Creek Course Alfred Wong, Andrew Rayson, David Noonan, Mick Noonan, Ryan Gollan 1st – Beach Course Todd Devine, David Costa, Stuart Costa, Paul Tonkin, Matthew Iannelli 2nd – Beach Course Marty Rowan, Chris Burke, Chad Rivett, Paul Bourke, John Bantow
Nearest the Pin - Beach Course 3 – Todd Devine 7 – Phil Martin 12 – John Bantow 16 – Gary Landers Nearest the Pin – Creek Course 3 – Josh Dempsey 6 – Chris Bell 12 – Sean Anderson 15 – Paul Cumper Longest Drive 14 Beach – John Bantow 10 Creek – Alfred Wong Thank you to all of the players and sponspors who generously supported the Golf Day. Associated Cold Tread tyres returned this year as the ‘Master’ Sponsor’ of the Golf Day. and we have loved having them on board. Below are a list of the generous sponsors who helped make the day possible:
SAVE THE DATE St Joseph’s College in partnership with St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association
13th Beach Golf Links, Barwon Heads. All abilities welcome. Open to past students, friends, families of SJC. Bring your mates for a great day out on the course! 4
Building Works In light of the recent growth and anticipated future growth in student enrolment the College has tendered for the next major building project involving construction of a Project Based Learning Centre at the Edmund Rice Campus. The building will be located on the Aphrasia Street frontage and will be constructed over three levels. This project will involve a fit out on two levels only at this stage with the ground floor level to be fitted out at a later date. The proposed building will house nine general purpose classrooms. These classrooms will be able to be opened to create double size classrooms with an area for breakout enabling students to work in teams on projects. The centre will also house two science classrooms, two music classrooms, an extension to the existing band room, storage for musical instruments, two staff offices, meeting rooms and an opened area for collaboration. Construction is due to commence in September and will be completed late 2018.
The College has also commenced preliminary sketch designs for a new gymnasium building to be constructed at the Year 9 Westcourt Campus. Construction of this new building is planned to commence following completion of the Project Based Learning Centre and will be ready in time for the start of the 2020 school year. The building will house a single indoor basketball court, amenities and circuit gym room. The College is also investigating a proposal to extend the existing Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre (PAC). As it presently stands the PAC can seat some 250 people. The current capacity is considered insufficient for many uses that the College requires of a performing arts centre, especially given the total number of students at each year level is some 300 and this number will increase to 336 students for the Year 7 intake in 2018. The proposed extension will increase capacity to some 360 people allowing for a full year level students with teaching staff to be accommodated. Terry Fowler, Business Manager
Have you got some great ideas? We are looking for past students to join us at the SJOCA. •
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Share your stories, meet some great people • Be a part of the future of St Joseph’s College Help build events and activities for past students There are lots of ways you can get involved - we would love to hear from you! Contact Kristen Gleeson. Email: kristen.gleeson@sjc.vic.edu.au or phone: 5226 8120.
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Timor Leste “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” - Saint Augustine Australia’s closest neighbour, Timor Leste, is a country that few Australians know about. For six of our Year 11 students - Ethan Gray, Ben Paulden, Tyler Bryan, Ned De Grandi, Harry Yates and Nathan Mifsud - that gap has closed considerably. They had the good fortune to travel to Viqueque, 180 kilometres south east of the capital, Dili, to live and work with locals during their school holiday period. Accompanied by Mr Stracey and former Joey’s alumni, James Palmer, the boys had the unique privilege of working in schools and the local orphanage. Challenged with the task of teaching English to Portuguese and Tetum speakers, these young men did a remarkable job of developing fun and engaging activities for their classroom. Equally impressive was the way in which the boys learned Tetum so that they could communicate better with their new friends. The boys also had the extraordinary chance to live and work in a local orphanage, where they played countless games of cards, soccer and basketball, and helped the children with their homework. Their immersion into life in Timor Leste included eating with locals, attending Mass, playing soccer and basketball with
local kids and hearing the stories of the people they met. The opportunity to learn about the Timorese resistance movement under Indonesian occupation included hikes into the mountains to visit rebel sites. Additionally, they had the privilege of learning more about Australia’s response during World War Two to the Japanese occupation which is a neglected part of our shared history. They learned much about the troubled times under Portuguese colonialism and were shocked to discover the dark times under Indonesian occupation, where it is estimated that 1 in 5 people died between 1975 and 1979. Visits to the Resistance Museum, the notorious Chega Prison and the Santa Cruz cemetery site of the 1991 massacre - were sobering reminders that the struggle for independence was hard won. But for all the challenges, perhaps the most striking thing was the optimism of the Timorese people.Their generosity, positivity and willingness to improve their lives was nothing short of inspiring. We have all been touched by the experience and we are keen to ensure that these newfound relationships continue into the future. Timor Leste is a beautiful country with beautiful people and we all have an obligation to ensuring that our neighbour can thrive. Mark Stracey Ben teaching English
Arriving in Dili
When your road washes away, it is time to go hiking
Tyler at the orphanage
Fun at the orphanage
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Alumni Art Exhibition The inaugural Alumni Arts Exhibition showcased the works of seven past students who have made a career in visual arts industries in the St Joseph’s College Pat Bourke Gallery. Curated by our own Laura Martin, the exhibition featured a broad breadth of talent from artists to architects and provided inspiration for current students who may wish to pursue a career path that utilises creative skills. The opening, held on 10 February, was a wonderful success and included extraordinary insights from our guest speakers Nick Janecke and Anthony Baldasso. Special thanks to our talented exhibitors: Anthony Baldasso, Charbel Bousejean, Jackson Davies, Peter Gyulavary (deceased), Ren Inei, Nick Jahnecke and Nicholas Mangan. Planning for 2018’s exhibition is well underway.We plan to make the exhibition an annual event. If you know of, or are an Alumni that would be interested in exhibiting your work in 2018 or the future, please feel free to leave your contact details with Julie Cole or at the administration desk.
Staff Reunion Past and current staff members met at the beautiful new Westcourt Campus Chapel in Minerva Road for a paraliturgy organised by past Deputy Principal Claire Brown. Head of the Year 9 Campus Mr Michael Wrigley and Year 9 students greeted the staff and proudly gave them a tour of the wonderful facilities. The staff then moved to the Edmund Rice Campus in Aphrasia Street and were treated to a tour of the College including the recently upgraded Administration Buildings, ably led by 2017 College Captain, Andrew McNeel and Deputies Liam Jelley and Michael Bongiorno. The group then returned to the Staff Room
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and enjoyed renewing friendships and a delicious lunch together. Principal Mr Tony Paatsch p and the student leaders then spoke of their experience and learning opportunities at the College. Julie Cole is the new Fundraising and Alumni Coordinator and organised the event. She is a member of St Joseph’s College Foundation and will be in touch later in the year for another opportunity to gather past staff members together. We look forward to seeing you there. Maureen Zampatti - St Joseph’s College Foundation Member
Annual Reunion ANNUAL REUNION The Old Collegians’ Annual Reunion was held on Saturday 27 May in the College Gymnasium. Old Collegians gathered together from the following year groups: 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 & 2016. past classmates returned to reminisce and take a tour of the College. Many year groups rounded up their mates and took the opportunity to catch up with old school friends and talk about what they have been up to over the years. Once again the Parents and Friends did a fantastic job of providing catering for the event. Please keep your details up to date with the College so you do not miss out on an invitation for your year level’s reunion! Email: julie.cole@sjc.vic.edu.au to update any change of address or email.
St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association
Annual Reunion Saturday 26 May 2018 Br O S Adams Gymnasium, St Joseph’s College Reunion Year Groups: 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993,1998, 2003, 2008, 2013 & 2017. Cost: $15 per head includes finger food. $20 per head for non SJOCA members. Drinks at bar prices.
Let your class mates know to save the date!
If you would like to help us round up some of your classmates for your year level as a convenor - contact Julie Cole (details below).
For further information contact Julie Cole Ph: 5226 8149 email: julie.cole@sjc.vic.edu.au 8
past student profiles James Fitzgerald (SJOC 2007)
My journey of traveling and living in Amsterdam after winning 2017 Accountant’s Daily Young Accountant (Under 30) of the Year. I have incredibly fond memories of my time at St Joseph’s College from beginning in Year 6 all the way through to graduating Year 12 in 2007. My passion for numbers started in VCE where I undertook Accounting with Bryson Milverton and Mathematics with Michael Anderson. I enjoyed Bryson’s relaxed classes where you could work at your own pace and progressed well with some of my good friends Adam Nolan, who I later went through University with, and Kieran Nolan, when we could get him to stop playing computer games. Michael was a great teacher who I still love to have a chat with when I am back in Geelong. I remember Year 12 fondly as I was lucky enough to Co-Captain the First XI Cricket Team with Shannon Gove and spend it with a lot of my closest friends that I’m lucky to still have bonds with. I accepted a bachelor degree in Commerce at Deakin University when I graduated which kept me in Geelong and allowed me to continue playing football and cricket locally. Upon graduating from Deakin University in 2011 I was offered a position at Crowe Horwath, then WHK Geelong as an Accountant. Having majored in Finance and Accounting I was still unsure of my exact career path but saw Crowe Horwath as an ideal firm to gain some valuable experience. At Crowe Horwath I was able to complete a 4-month secondment to Hawkes Bay in New Zealand and start my Chartered Accountants (CA) post graduate qualification. Half way through my CA program I decided to take a break from work and study to travel for an extended period. Working full time and studying is incredibly challenging and requires a lot of dedication and sacrifices. Deciding to put my studies on hold for 12 months was a difficult decision but one I felt gave me the best opportunity of completing my CA when I returned. I spent the first 6 months of my travel in South East Asia, with the majority of the time spent traveling by myself and meeting up with former Old Collegians Matthew Sheridan and Adam Podbury. Whilst in South East Asia I undertook a 10 Day Vipassana meditation course in Cambodia where I endured no talking, reading or writing and 12 hours of meditation a day which was a truly incredible experience. I was also fortunate to meet 3 Danish guys and travel North to South through Vietnam over a month on motorbikes we had purchased. After South East Asia I met up with another former Old Collegian Adam Nolan and travelled Europe for a further 6 months, visiting 21 countries. Returning from my year of travel I made the move to Melbourne and joined the mid-tier accounting firm Moore Stephens. My year of traveling was essential for finding the focus and determination to finish my CA program and progress my career by moving to Melbourne. Constantly learning and adapting to the different scenarios that presented themselves whilst travelling has equipped me for the next phase of my life. During my time at Moore Stephens I was able to introduce a number of initiatives to my firm and become involved in a number of extra-curricular activities that led to the firm nominating me
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for 2017 Accountant’s Daily Young Accountant (Under 30) of the Year. Amongst other achievements noted on my application it was a tremendous honour to champion our 2016 Movember Campaign where we raised $16,692 for Men’s Health. At an awards ceremony in Sydney, I was lucky enough to win the award from hundreds of applicants and 10 finalists. Since winning the 2017 Accountant’s Daily Young Accountant (Under 30) of the Year I have embarked on more European travel and am currently on route with my girlfriend to live and work in Amsterdam. It has always been a dream of mine to live and work in Europe and after returning from my year of travel I feel I have all the right attributes both professionally and personally to make the move a success.
Ben Smith (SJOC 2000) In Ben Smith’s youth, four principles of social justice resonated: be stewards of the environment, care for the elderly, serve the poor and find work that is good for those around you. This first crossed Ben’s path when Br Kevin Woodruff was his teacher at SJC. In his two years at Joeys, Ben was able to put this message into practice as a leader at Edmund Rice Camps and with Barwon Health, promoting issues of diversity and mental health issues, through developing commercial ads which were distributed across regional Victoria. His works with the community further expanded while at university completing a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours) / Bachelor of Mathematics. He helped at soup vans and soup kitchens, was on the international committee at Newman College, a Year representative for the Civil Engineering Student Society (CESS) and co-organiser of the Industry Night for the Melbourne University Young Engineers (MUYE) for over 200 students and 100 industry representatives. After university, Ben travelled to continue working with communities. He developed a construction methodology report for traditional building in Burkina Faso, where the document was translated in different languages, gathered information on Flora in Burkina Faso to understand the effects of the ever expanding Sahel region, data collection on animals in the Peruvian Amazon and other works. Returning to Australia, this experience resonated with him. In his first month of being a Water Management engineer, he crossed paths with a high school friend, Jeff Butler. Jeff was easily able to capture Ben’s attention about the works of the Geelong Youth St Vinnies conference. For several years Ben and Jeff worked with a passionate group of young adults to find ways to care for the community. The greatest reward was working with a group of single mothers, who had faced many hardships.The mothers and their children were taken to places that would have otherwise only been a dream. These mothers felt the warmth of the group and grew in their confidence. In this time, Ben completed a teaching degree and began working at Clonard College, then Thomas Carr College. He expanded his
Where are they now works in the community by being an auditor for the donations of the organisation OrphFund, an organisation who has zero overheads and all moneys would go to the medical needs, shelter and education of children orphaned due to war and disease. In 2013, Ben worked in Port Keats (Wadeye) at the local Catholic school, he worked with families, school staff and external agencies to promote education in the community. While the experience was a challenge, it set up Ben’s current passion. In 2014 Ben began working in the Cairns region at Mount St Bernard College (MSB), Herberton (one and a half hours from Cairns). A school where 80% of the students were either Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. As both the Head of Mathematics and MiddleYears Pastoral Care, Ben saw the successes in the Mathematics classrooms where the teachers had focussed on developing positive relationships. Ben wanted to work on Closing the Gap and spread the word to all sectors, of MSB’s successes. Forming a committee at MSB and establishing a working relationship with JCU allowed for the conference ‘Positive Mathematics for Indigenous Students’ to become a reality in March of 2017. The conference brought together over 50 people from approximately 25 educational institutes across Australia, to the small town of Herberton. The feedback was only positive, with a state school putting their hand up to lead the conference in 2019. The two guest speakers were people of high regards in Values Education (Emeritus Professor Phil Clarkson) and Indigenous Education (Professor Robyn Jorgensyn). Ben was the recipient of the Queensland 2017 Spirit of Catholic Education (SOCE) award. With six fellow educators, Ben was presented the award during the launch of Catholic Education Week. The SOCE award identifies people who have made a significant contribution in the community. Ben’s receiving of the award acknowledges the work conducted by the committee at MSB and the need for everyone, in education, the government and Australia, to work hard together to care for the most vulnerable in our community. In his life outside of educating, Ben has established a community group to clean Cairns. The group, ‘Love Cairns Clean’, has established connections with the local council and other local organisations. To engage children and youth in the detriments of rubbish entering our waterways and being consumed by our fish, which we eat, the group work hard for an hour. In their July clean up approximately 500kgs of rubbish was collected in an hour. The desire is for this group to have representatives in all major centres to encourage a change in mindset in the destruction of our only environment. While having Type 1 Diabetes may be an additional challenge, Ben has enjoyed completing ultramarathons, marathons, duathlons, endurance road cycling, mountain Biking and multiday hiking. This does not hinder on what he would like for the next generation to be aware of. While we are faced with challenges and make errors in our life, we are human. Being human also means we should care for the fragile people around us. Help the poor, defend those that are bullied, pick up your rubbish, tell your family that you love them.
Steve Salo (SJOC 1991)
I’m a contemporary painter of portraits and landscapes. This year I’ve had exhibitions at Metropolis Gallery ‘Expressions of Landscape’ and at Epworth Gallery ‘Halcyon Days’ (showing until 24 September) and in October my portraits of the Back to Back Theatre ensemble will be shown at Frankston Arts Centre. I began painting at a young age, getting my first oil paints at the age of eight. Of Ukrainian descent, I received early encouragement from my craftsman grandfather (‘dido’) who lived next door in Herne Hill. He taught me many things, including the importance of doing your craft with love and full effort and attention. Hours upon hours in the workshop observing the patience and passion that went into his woodwork and bootmaking left an indelible mark. Respect your tools, look after them, create an environment that inspires your best work. My first studio was at age 16, in the family’s outdoor bungalow amid the orchard. I’ve had some inspiring mentors. While a student at St Joseph’s, I attended Robert Drummond’s classes at Geelong Fine Art School, and later attended the Gordon under some excellent teachers such as John Druce. I’ve attended workshops led by John Wilson and Yvonne Audette. In 2012, Metropolis Gallery Director Robert Avitabile saw my work at the St Joseph’s College Art Expo and invited me to exhibit at Metropolis - this was a life-changing opportunity and led me to become a fulltime painter. In recent years I’ve been honoured to be a finalist in several prestigious prizes across Australia and to have had the opportunity to meet some incredible painters. Last year I gave my first official artist talk, at the S.H. Ervin Gallery in Sydney, and this year I’m undertaking my first artist residency. I’m excited that paintings from the residency in Finland will be shown at the Embassy of Finland, Canberra, over the summer of 2017/18. I now have collectors across Australia, and in New Zealand, the UK, Europe, Singapore, China, USA and Canada. A watercolour of the ANZAC Parade was purchased by St Joseph’s many years ago and still hangs in the reception foyer; it gave me such great encouragement when Joey’s showed this support.
Point Lonsdale, oil on canvas 60x76cm
Working on portrait of ensemble actor Simon Laherty from Back to Back Theatre.
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past student profiles Marcus Holt (SJOC 1998) I graduated from St Joseph’s college in 1998. I am currently employed as Senior Winemaker for Scotchmans Hill, on the Bellarine Peninsula. Looking back at my time at St Joseph’s, I do so with fond memories of an institution that helped shape the person I am today. I made many lifelong friends and was guided by a faculty of teachers who had a great influence on my education. My brother Jono and my Aunty, Gemma Gray, both teach at the college and so I still have a fairly strong connection with the old place. I was always a reasonably good student, I kept a pretty clean sheet and tended to get along well with all, culminating in my selection as College Vice Captain in my final year of VCE, a role that I was very humbled and honoured to receive. We had a pretty good year level in ‘98 that has produced many successful individuals, from business owners to academics, skilled mastertradesmen to defence and law enforcement personnel, company directors and CEO’s to much admired professional sportsmen. An eclectic bunch that I was proud to be a part of and I enjoy catching up on old times and new, every few years at the Old Collegians reunions. I was fortunate to be taught by some amazing teachers along the way, and while they are too many in number to name, one that stands out was Paul Tobias. Paul’s work as an Administrator needs no introduction. In his time as Principal of St Joseph’s College he oversaw the largest expansion in the College’s history, although it was as an educator that I most remember him. Paul was our Year 12 English teacher and at the time the ‘imperious’ Vice Principal, a role that oversaw college discipline. In the classroom he seemed to be at ease, in his element, and had a way of bringing the written word to life. I suspect a side not seen by many. He certainly created a lasting impression on my time at the college. After graduation I was accepted into Chemical Engineering at RMIT, an offer that I duly deferred. The prospect of work and a rest from studies was too good to pass up as an 18 year old and I really didn’t know what I wanted at the time. I took a job in a bottle shop and started to enjoy the taste and array of flavours contained within a glass of wine. I later moved to a role with a local wine merchant and while I didn’t know a Barolo from a Burgundy, I was keen to learn. I was provided with many opportunities to do so while having first hand experience with some of the rarest and most expensive wines in the world. At the time there were two degrees in winemaking, one in Adelaide and the other in Wagga. I was informed by a fellow past student of Joeys, who was studying at Deakin at the time, that Deakin was including a winemaking Degree and that I should enquire as it might be just what I was looking for. So, I did and was accepted to the degree of Wine Science, a joint program of Deakin and Charles Sturt University. I studied core science units in Geelong and specialised wine units over residential schools at Charles Sturt in Wagga and completed my first vintage in 2003. I’ve been fortunate to work and travel extensively in my role as a winemaker working first hand with partner wineries in Clare, McLaren Vale and Marlborough (NZ), although my most
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memorable work experiences have taken place in ‘the old world’ of wine, Europe. I have been lucky enough to work at the world renounced German producer Dr. Loosen, in the Mosel Valley - one of the most beautiful wine growing regions, and producer to some of the most sought after and longest lived Rieslings in the world. Ernie Loosen, the proprietor, was bestowed with the honour of being named by respected UK wine press, Decanter Magazine, as their Man of the Year for 2005s. We celebrated accordingly! I have also spent Vintage working in Portugal at Herdade do Esporão a large estate south west of Lisbon in the Alentejo region, headed by Aussie ex-pat David Baverstock. Esporão produces some of Portugal’s best table wines and it was there that I saw firsthand the Portuguese love of the world game of Football. The winery is owned by the Roquettes, a wealthy banking family whose patriarch presided over the presidency of Sporting Lisbon FC, a world class football team and crucible of such talent as Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani. Management supported Sporting Lisbon. The workers on the winery floor however, supported Benfica, the people’s team or the Collingwood of Portuguese football and they were going to have none of me supporting any other team than Benfica. I was not one to argue, nor would you if you saw those guys. I still keep an eye on how they are performing to this day. Some of my best wine tasting experiences and learnings have taken place in ‘one on one’ visits to great wineries in Burgundy and Alsace in France, and Alto Adige in north East Italy. The fundamental process of making wine is fairly well known the world over, but the intricacies and nuances brought out by the unique Terroir, or sites, or by the hand of the winemaker can be seen in these relaxed settings. Sounds terrible I know. Working with wine seems to be varying parts science, art and agriculture. Farming grapes and trying to get the best out of the hand dealt to you by Mother Nature. In the great years the wine makes itself, in lesser years more intervention is required. But at the end of the day they are always different. I suppose that is why I keep going back for the challenge. The best wine you’ve ever made hasn’t been made yet! At Scotchmans Hill we have had many successes at national and regional wine shows and have received great third party recognition being named by James Halliday, Australia’s most respected wine critic, as one of his Top 100 wineries in Australia. Along with two other Geelong representatives Bannockburn and By Farr. I have seen many wine trends and consumer buying habits change over the years and with a strong domestic wine market, particularly the savvy drinking Millennial generation, and the increasing exposure to the insatiable thirst for Australian wine in China, the industry is well placed for the future. I’ve been working on the Bellarine Peninsula for many years now, and my feet have filmy taken root in the rich volcanic soil atop Scotchmans Rd like the gnarled old vines of our original plantings. This is home. I live in Geelong with my beautiful wife Kasia and two sons, Ari and Frankie, both of whom I hope to one day enter St Joseph’s College and have as rewarding an education as I received.
Where are they now Yirrmal (SJOC 2013) A journey from NT to Geelong and beyond. Yirrmal is slowly building a career and body of work in the music industry. Although he has only released his debut EP, Youngblood, it feels like he has created much more than that. Yirrmal arrived in Geelong to live with Melissa Patterson and Cam Begg, former teachers in community of Yirrkala, in 2011. Yirrmal was in the first intake of students into the Marrma’ Rom Two Worlds Foundation leadership program, established by Melissa and Cam. Four young Yolngu men came down to improve their education, health and independence outcomes – a massive challenge for anyone, but made greater by the Yolngu fellas strong connection to their land and culture. Thousands of kilometres from his country, Yirrmal has not only survived but he has thrived – he’s looking forward to going back home, though he knows that the hard work has only just begun. Yirrmal wasn’t known as a prolific musician in his community before he moved to Geelong. His father, Witiyana, was in the seminal Indigenous rock band, Yothu Yindi (and still performs with his son to this day) and is also a cultural leader and songman in his clan; music flows deep in Yirrmal’s veins. Yolngu children grow up performing, dancing and singing in ceremonies that have been passed down for thousands of years. The ceremonial songs, or “manikay”, tell both the past and present for the Yolngu, songlines and dreamtime stories woven together with melodies, didgeridoos and clapsticks. Musically speaking, there is a great ‘tightness’ and discipline to Yolngu ceremony, in terms of song structure and performance; there are no interpretations of a manikay – they have been played the same way for thousands and thousands of years, and that’s the way they’ll always be played. This was a great training ground for Yirrmal, and now he’s enjoying bending the important rules he has learnt from his father to create his own music that melds manikay with modern pop music. Yirrmal completed Years 11 and 12 at St. Joseph’s College, and then came back for a Year 13 gap year in 2013. He has great memories of his years there, especially the excursions and camps he went on and friends he made. He loved to sit in the quadrangle space on the seats under their little tree with the other Yolngu fellas at recess and lunch, chatting away in language, telling jokes and having a laugh. Teachers and other students would walk past, say “hi” and have a quick chat, and then the fellas would resume their conversation – they were happy days. Yirrmal moved to Melbourne in 2014 for a year and studied music at NMIT, and for the past three years he has been back in Geelong and studying General Education at The Gordon. He recognises that his literacy and numeracy are not as good as his mates who have grown up down here and he’s trying to close that gap – mind you he speaks and writes in 5 other Indigenous languages and is highly educated in Yolngu culture. Although a career in the music industry beckons, and record labels have been circling for a while now, he is taking his time down south to improve his education, knowing that in the long run that will be a strong foundation for anything he wants to do in the future. He only performs on weekends or if it will not impact on his
studies. In saying that, he has played some big stages this year– Port Fairy Folk Festival, Adelaide Festival, Bluesfest, Woodford Music Festival, MONA and Dark Mofo in Hobart and the Sydney Opera House to name just a few. He has also performed with the Black Arm Band interstate and internationally, as well as being part of the 50 year anniversary of the Referendum concert – 1967: Music in the key of Yes. Next year he’ll fly to Kansas for the Folk Alliance International Conference, and then tour Canada with Shane Howard and the United States with the Black Arm Band. He also has some exciting festival announcements in the pipeline, and will record his first full-length album before July. After that, things might start to get busy for this rising star.
David Collard (SJOC 2002)
I am a third generation Old Collegian. My brother Trevor, father Kevin and his three brothers, Daniel, Peter, Michael plus my grandfather Francis all attended St Joseph’s. Michael’s boys Brad, Shane and Rhys also attended/currently attend. I recently celebrated a career milestone which I wanted to share with the college community. On July 1, 2017 I was admitted as a Partner to the firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (‘PwC’) in New York within the firm’s Banking and Capital Markets practice at the age of 32. This is PwC New York’s youngest partner admission. At school the two subjects which had the greatest impact on me were Accounting under Mr. Milverton and Economics under Mr Blackley, both of which nurtured my drive to understand the way business worked. I applied and completed first year accounting at Melbourne University during Year 12 before joining RMIT’s business school after Year 12 was completed. During the tail end of Year 11 I applied for a traineeship program at PwC Melbourne which I successfully obtained. I commenced the traineeship after Year 12 which required me to complete my University classes during my evenings whilst working full time as a trainee accountant during the day. In 2011, I applied for a transfer to PwC New York’s Banking and Capital Markets practice as a Manager where I have been working ever since. Since 2012, I have been working on our global firm’s largest client, Bank of America Corporation and in the lead senior manager capacity on that relationship since 2014. To celebrate my admission, PwC New York hired out the Rainbow Room ontop of the Rockerfeller Center and asked my parents to accompany me as guests. It was a memory I’ll never forget. I also was blessed to have a group of the old boys come over to celebrate with me and my other close friends and family. Old boys who made the journey across included Gus Beeforth, Adriane Benne, James Fatone, Philip King, Jared Lingford, Daniel Palmer, Peter Stanfield and Luke Thackeray. The lessons I learnt and friendships I made during my time at St Joeys will always be with me. They keep me grounded but driven. If any old boys are in New York in the future and are up for a beer, please reach out.
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past student profiles Colin Duck (Boarder from 1957-1959) My most vivid memory of arriving at St Joseph’s in 1957 was the massive dormitory where there must have been close to 100 boys sleeping in long rows. The following year I moved over to Butler House where we shared rooms with just two or three others. The teacher I remember with great fondness is Brother Rahill who taught us history, ran the Literary Society and encouraged me to become a “reporter” for Virtus magazine. He also persuaded me to enter the school public speaking competition by writing a speech and instructing me to deliver it! After leaving school I worked briefly on the family farm near Warrnambool before joining the local paper, The Standard, as a cadet journalist. On April Fool’s Day, 1965, the Ansett plane to Melbourne took off from Warrnambool airport and crash-landed in a paddock near the Duck farm. I rushed to the scene, where about 25 passengers and crew were standing, largely unharmed but in a state of shock, beside the badly-damaged plane. I immediately phoned a series of running reports to the Melbourne Herald. A few days later a cheque from the editor arrived in the mail, followed not long after by a job offer. I was off to the big smoke… At the Herald, I covered a wide range of news and sport and spent 12 months reporting from Canberra. By 1969 I was a reporter on a Fleet Street paper, the aim of most ambitious young journalists. One assignment involved an interview with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, shouting my questions across the Thames to where they stood on the deck of their yacht. I also followed the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, into a cinema and sat behind while he watched himself being ridiculed by the comic character Alf Garnett in a new movie. He didn’t laugh. Back in Melbourne on The Herald, I met and married Dianne Rayner, a reporter on the paper, and sometime later we made our way back to Fleet St. My next job was in Munich working for the American radio station, Radio Free Europe, which broadcast across the Iron Curtain into the Communist bloc countries. On arrival, I was ushered into the basement and greeted by the man from the CIA. He was straight out of Central Casting with crew cut, crushing handshake and confiding manner. His message was simple: if I saw anything suspicious I should report straight to him. It might have sounded melodramatic but some bizarre things happened at RFE. The strangest up to that time had occurred when a Czechoslovak agent tried to poison the salt shakers in the cafeteria with atropine, a derivative of deadly nightshade. That attack failed but others were to come. One of the broadcasters was Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian novelist, whose programs were less than kind to his old country. During a visit to London he was standing on Waterloo Bridge waiting for a bus when his killer used an umbrella to drive a
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pellet the size of a pinhead into his leg. The pellet contained the toxin ricin, for which there was no antidote. Our newsroom faced out on to the RFE car park and we would sit there at night, in a brightly lit office without curtains. Security was negligible. I would sometimes comment to my wife that I felt like a sitting Duck. On February 21, 1981, a few years after I left, my old office was struck by a massive bomb, causing $2 million damage. Several employees were injured, but fortunately there were no fatalities. Stasi files opened after the Wall came down in 1989 revealed that the bombing was carried out by a group under the direction of Carlos the Jackal. Back in Melbourne I made my way up through the ranks to Deputy Editor of The Herald, Editor of the Sunday Press and, finally, in 1986 the grand opportunity: editing Australia’s largestselling paper, The Sun News Pictorial. In my second week in the job I walked down the corridor and hheard the noise of someone trying to get in tthrough glass security doors. I turned to see R Rupert Murdoch who had come to take over tthe company. FFor the next four years I enjoyed success on T The Sun and was amply rewarded by Rupert. O One year his editors and managers flew in into Aspen, Colorado, in a fleet of Lear jets aand attended a conference where the guest sspeaker was the former President, Richard N Nixon. H Heady days…before the downfall! In 1990 R Rupert decided he’d had enough of the lo losses from the fading Herald so he decided to merge it with the successful Sun. Planning went on in secret and I didn’t find out until two days before it was announced. My next job saw me return to Geelong, to manage the Advertiser group. Here I enjoyed catching up with old St Joseph’s mates like Brian Fowler who was Mayor at the time, Barry Keogh, secretary of the racing club, pharmacist Ross Miller and real estate agent Frank Parnell. I returned to Melbourne and spent three years running Pacific Publications, Australia’s second biggest magazine group. One of our products, TV Week, was jointly owned by Rupert and Kerry Packer so it was a balancing act to work for two such demanding masters. At one highly-colourful lunch in Kerry’s private dining room I watched enthralled as he issued orders, made pronouncements, denounced sundry politicians and even gruffly demanded that they never serve brown rolls in future because, “No bastard likes brown bread!” After three years in the cut-throat magazine world I was grateful to return to Geelong as Chief Executive of the Advertiser. I retired in 2003, wrote a lengthy family history and recently helped launch and edit a news website, Sportshounds.com.au. Dianne and I have two children, Siobhan, a columnist on the Herald Sun, and Nicholas, who runs his own psychology firm. Between them they have produced seven beautiful grandchildren. When I look back on such an enjoyable and rewarding life I often think how things might have been so different without the guidance and support of Brother Rahill.
Where are they now Kevin Dunn (SJOC 1958)
Life after St Joseph’s. Reasons for attending a boarding school are not as pressing now as they were in the 1950s, and I am sure the loss of some family life is a drawback in many cases, but I look back very fondly on my four years boarding (1955 - 1958) at St Joseph’s. Of course there were many occasions when I wished I was at home, but the good times, -sport, opera, camaraderie, etc., far outweighed the bad. After reluctantly leaving St Joseph’s, I returned to “Avondale”, the family wool growing property at East Wonwondah, south of Horsham. “Avondale”, named after the home of Irish Political figure of the 19th century Charles Stewart Parnell, was started by my grandfather around 1885, when he took up an original land selection at Dollin. In 1900, he moved his growing family about eight kilometres north to be closer to a school, while still retaining the original block. (A family reunion was held there on Christmas Day 2000 to commemorate this event. The highlight of the day was the unveiling of a suitably inscribed plaque, although a fire a month before, which burned one third of the property, left everything black as far as the eye could see.) My father was a very keen breeder of superfine woolled Merino sheep, and in 1938 started a stud called “Avondale Hills”, with pure Tasmanian Saxon bloodlines, which I continued to run until recent times. It was always a very low key operation, relying on word of mouth for expansion. When a handful of far sighted wool growers set up an organisation called “The Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association” in 1971, to bring together growers and processors of the best wool types, we were among the foundation members, as part of the Ararat region, one of eight across Australia. Later, I became secretary and then chairman of the region, and was elected to the national council in 1985. That led to the position of Victorian Vice President and Executive member in 1998, and then National President for three years from 2007. With grower members in every state of Australia, and around twenty processor members in various parts of the world, the President’s role required a lot of time in our Melbourne office, and travelling within Australia, Asia and Europe. Since stepping back to a lesser involvement in the last couple of years, I was honoured to be made a Life Member of the Association at a function in Hamilton in April this year. In the cold light of day, I find it hard to believe that I represented Australia in dealings with the icons of the wool industry. As a consequence of being away from home so much, I started to wind down activities on our property some time ago, and no longer have any sheep. Having completed a four year wool classing course at night school, mainly to re-enter the study scene, by complete chance
I was offered the role of classing the superfine wool at a large Tasmanian property, which I thought was too good to refuse, so accepted for one year, but kept going back three times a year for twenty years. From a career perspective, it was a very useful decision, especially as, again by chance, a bale of wool I had prepared brought the highest price ever paid for paddock grown wool, a record which still stands. The basics of breeding and growing wool still remain, but there have been a number of changes of focus over the years, not all of which have been beneficial. Probably the most significant was the introduction of pre-sale testing of various aspects of raw wool. While all these things were happening, my good fortune continued in marrying Margaret, having five children and five grandchildren, and still finding time to become involved in Michael & Johns’ Parish, Horsham, as well as Laharum football and cricket clubs, and local government, with seven years as a Councillor of the former Shire of Wimmera, one of which was as Shire President. Most of this has been pure luck, with grounding in various forms from St Joseph’s College being the other key ingredient. Two teachers at the College during my time there stand out as an influence for me, although neither actually taught me in class:Brother McCabe, as dormitory, sport, opera and general role model, and Brother Rahill as a font of knowledge. Last December I went with a small group of ex St Joseph’s boys to Adelaide to surprise brother McCabe on his 90th birthday with a very long lunch. My love of the English language, reading and history, can be traced back to Brother Rahill’s Sunday evening “Literary Society” meetings, and his entrusting to me the position as one of his diarists for “Virtus” each year. I meet up with a number of people from that era occasionally, but I am a bit lazy with regular communications. However, whenever my path crosses any of theirs, such as at the Boarders’ Reunion earlier this month, I value the time spent.
Margaret Dunn, Kevin Dunn, Br McCabe, James Duff & Nilo Pivetta Brother Mark “Stan” McCabe (past staff member of St Joseph’s College Geelong) celebrated his 90th Birthday on Saturday 10 December 2016. Quite the milestone! Past students Nilo Pivetta, Kevin Dunn and James Duff travelled to visit him for his birthday, taking along a photo of Br McCabe taken at the College in 1955!
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St Joseph’s Remembers Anthony Costa
(SJOC 1959)
There are many Costa family relationships throughout our College community - too many to list. The St Joseph’s College community is deeply saddened by Tony’s sudden death following a stroke early this year. We offer our heartfelt sympathy to Tony’s wife Elaine and all the Costa extended families as they come to terms with this loss. Elaine and Tony have been long-time supporters of our College both through their time and financial support. In the early years the Costa family made a significant contribution to our St Joseph’s College Annual Garden Fair. Their outstanding set up of fruit stalls and the manpower they provided ensured this event was a huge success over many years. Tony, Elaine and the Costa family have been significant supporters of the College and the Foundation. The Costa Auditorium in the Peter Cannon Performing Arts Centre and the Costa Gymnasium in the Br O S Adams Centre are tributes to the generosity of Tony and all the Costa family. Only last year Tony made a significant contribution to the VFL / AFL wall of SJC students in the gymnasium foyer. He spent many hours going through all past enrolled students. The funeral held at St Mary’s was a fitting celebration of Tony’s life and the gift he was to all who loved and knew him. Below is an extract from the Eulogy given at Tony’s funeral by his son David. Dad was born in Geelong on August the 8th, 1942 – the 3rd child of Tony & Mary Costa. Together with his brothers Frank, Adrian, Kevin and Robert & sisters Sandra and Rona they lived in the early years above their Covent Garden fruit shop in Moorabool Street where they used to scramble over the rooftops and could get themselves into every store. They then moved to Humble Street in East Geelong. Like his brothers, Dad sold heralds after school, firstly positioning himself on the corner of Moorabool & Ryrie Streets and then moving on to the punters pouring out of the pubs afterwards. This would prove to be his first taste of business activity and became a great learning experience in dealing with people. His role in the family business was initially as a buyer with his brothers Adrian & Kevin, and then full time as the head buyer following Adrian’s passing in 1972. The business was split evenly between the remaining 4 brothers and from there the foundation was built of what was to become the Costa Group as it is known today. Dad also assumed the role as the primary liaison with the growers and this role combined with his buying duties meant working around the clock. He would be in the market at 1am each day, and then 2-3 times each week at around 9am would also drive up to visit with growers in Swan Hill, Mildura, Shepparton and the like, only to return home that same night and be back in the market by 1am the following day. Dad’s team in the market were very close. He was also famous for believing he was a good truck driver but would in fact crunch and grind the gears all the way, but as a boss he was the best the guys ever had. He was strong, hard and tough but at the same
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time very fair and caring. He would give anyone a go and so long as they worked hard he supported them and was always there for them. He always kept a very low profile and therefore many don’t realize just how important he was to the whole dynamic of the family and the business. The expansion into Ballarat in the 70’s was his initiative and this is what kept the company alive back then when they lost a major contract that looked like crippling the business. The brothers were hanging on by their fingernails in those days and the level of trust that Dad engendered from their suppliers both inside and outside the market meant they received extended credit at critical times. They backed the brothers to turn things around – which they obviously did. The brothers built a very strong bond over the years but that didn’t stop them from having very heated ‘debates’ at times. They did however have the rule that once they left the room th would be as one and it could be quite they di disconcerting to see them being ever so co cordial with each other only minutes after w what had sounded like WW3. Dad was very pr proud of the business that the brothers built o the back of their loyalty and commitment on to each other and also amongst their w wonderful staff. The company thrives today be because of their work ethic and their family va values upon which the foundations were built ov many, many years. over W When the Costa Group took in an equity pa partner back in 2011 this was the start of an ex strategy leading to Dad & his brother exit R Rob partnering up to form Costa Asset M Management which is an entity that manages th respective family investments. They have the also formed the A&M Costa Foundation (since Dad’s passing, this has been renamed to the Anthony Costa Foundation) named after their parents to continue to provide support for community and other causes that they are passionate about. Some recent examples are Kids Plus in Geelong, a refuge in Fitzroy Crossing and a new hospital over in Madagascar amongst many others over many years. Dad loved to contribute to good causes and was very generous – he simply loved helping people. Some will remember the fetes at both St Mary’s Parish and St Joseph’s College which were famous for the fruit & veg markets or stalls conceived and run by Dad. Serving people in crowds 3-4 rows deep during the busy periods with produce from all over the country. Everyone in the produce industry knew of Anthony Costa’s fetes and would come to learn that it simply wasn’t worth the grief if the produce quality donated wasn’t top notch. They were big days but a lot of fun with helpers from all over all brought together by Dad for a day of controlled mayhem. Dad and his brothers also answered the call from another organization which they have always been very passionate about, that being the Geelong Football Club and he was very pleased that together they were able to continue to add financial support to the club that they have loved since they were young boys.
Anthony Costa Dad was also a youth group leader and devoted much of his time to straightening out highly spirited teenagers. He had an arrangement going with Jock McMahon using the old ‘good cop / bad cop’ approach – tossing out the troublemakers from the old St Mary’s Hall and Jock would meet them outside and console them, allowing them back inside only if they would behave. He was president of the St Mary’s Parents & Friends Association and was very good at motivating others to pitch in and help out with the many fundraisers and working bees over the years. He was the founder of the St Josephs College Foundation and the Halo supporter group at St Mary’s Football Club, and continued to support St Marys in many other areas. He was a man of action when it came to community involvement. Dad is the No. 1 ticket holder at St Marys FC which he was very proud of. He played 104 games at the club but Jock reckons that he should have played Rugby League as he only knew to run straight ahead no matter what was in his way, often carrying a few of the opposition players with him. He played as a half back flanker and his great mate Gerry McMahon was on the half forward flank, and because his eyesight was so poor, after each game he would ask Gerry ‘So how’d you go today?’ He loved hosting family and friends down at their beach house at Eastern View every New Year’s Eve. He was generous with what he had and saw the holiday house as something to be shared with and enjoyed by all. He was good at bending rules to suit himself - He loved to play cards and had many games over the years with his brother Robert and the Santalucia brothers – they would play for all hours surrounded by thick clouds of smoke. They would often play in the market after work was finished and whilst the company had brought in a no-smoking policy it was well known that it applied to everyone except Dad! He also had been part of a couple of coffee groups bouncing around the cafes of Geelong. After coffee (or maybe before) he and a couple of his old mates would walk to the Splashdown pool out in Moolap.The pool has a ‘no diving’ rule but it was enforced to everyone except for Dad after he once said to them – ‘How else am I going to get in there??’
He lived for his family and had many memorable holidays including trips to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, houseboating on Lake Eildon, trips to Central Australia and also to Foster in NSW as well as countless trips to Boorhaman where Mum grew up, and summers down to the beaches on the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast. Dad was always king of the kids organizing cricket games and other outdoor activities, and then teaching them to play cards. Dad was filled with joy upon the arrival of each and every one of his 17 grandchildren and truly enjoyed the times he had with them. One of his great loves was how every Easter all families would get together down at the beach house at Eastern View with kids and grandkids all over the place. He loved hearing about the grandkids’ lives and their adventures. When the Cats made finals Dad would pull out all stops to try and get as many of the kids to the games as possible. They all have great memories of travelling to the games on the slowest bus on the road – the Bowl-a-ra-ma Bus. Dad always treated people with respect – this was a key reason for his success in both his working and his personal life. He was very big on looking people directly in the eye and giving a firm handshake. He was very good at forgetting or moving on quickly from any disagreement and never held a grudge against anyone. He was maybe best personified by the traits of respect, generosity and humility but above all else, family is what defined him. As Peter Walters commented – ‘I always thought Tony was the world’s strongest man’. To his family, he was exactly that. He was a husband, a father, a father-in-law, a grandfather, a brother, an uncle and a friend. He was Anthony Gabriel Costa and he was a King among Men. (Article is an extract and of a piece written by David Costa.)
He also enjoyed horse racing and whilst his punting successes have been few and far between this never stopped him from enthusiastically backing random tips. He met his wife at the famous Palais dance hall in Moorabool Street after Mum had been posted to Norlane in her capacity as a primary school teacher. They married in 1967 and moved into their first home in Yarra Street where they started their family. They had some tough times in those early days when Dad and his brothers were building the business and so was working long hours every day leaving Mum at home with all 6 kids – Jacqui, Greg, Stuart, Michael, Andrew and I. Their marriage worked because they complemented each other so well – Dad may have been one of the bosses at work but Mum was certainly in charge of things at home, and home was a sanctuary after often very stressful days at work. He never brought his work issues home and their children grew up oblivious to just how tough it was for them back in those early days.
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McNeill Society
The McNeill Society has been established by the St Joseph’s College Foundation to recognise and honour those who remember the College in their will. Often the College is not able to thank a donor in his or her lifetime and The McNeill Society allows us to express our gratitude in the here and now. It also allows us to make clear to bequestors just how valuable their gift to the College will be. Our hope is that it will also encourage others to include a gift to St Joseph’s College in their will. The McNeill Society – acknowledges the significant role bequests have played and will continue to play in the life of the College.The McNeill Society has been named after John McNeill, (SJC 1935-1937) A foundation student, John McNeill was a pupil at St Joseph’s during the first three years of its existence. One of the original House Captains, he took full part in all school activities, he was possessed of considerable ability as an athlete and was College Athletics Champion in 1935, 1936 and 1937. John McNeill enlisted in the RAAF in March 1940 and in April 1941 Sergeant / WAG John McNeill (wireless air gunner) set sail from Australia, arriving in Singapore on 11 April, (Good Friday) and was immediately sent to Kota Bharu the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base of operations in Northern Malaya, he returned to Singapore as the Japanese launched concurrent attacks on Malaysia and Pearl Harbour on 7 & 8 December 1941. John McNeill was killed in a flying battle over Singapore on January 18th, 1942, age 23, he was the first St Joseph’s boy to be killed in action. From its beginnings in 1935, bequests and other philanthropic gifts have enabled the College to move forward, and adapt to changing needs by providing students with new facilities, access scholarships, and bursaries. The McNeill Society honours the original men and women who believed in St Joseph’s College from its beginning and acknowledges the significant role bequests have played and will continue to play in the life of the College. For more information about The McNeill Society, please contact the Bequest Coordinator, Mrs Julie Cole on: T: 61 3 5226 8149 E: bequest@sjc.vic.edu.au
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2016 McNeil Cup Recipient Rhys Hegyesi It’s easy to get caught up in educational and career based success, but the impact that you have on other people’s lives is what really counts. With this realisation at the age of about sixteen, I looked to the role of College Captain as a way that I could inspire those around me to not only look towards doing well academically, but to understand the importance of enjoying a lifestyle that reflects hard work in their personal lives as well. After all, it’s the values that you hold and the lives that you touch that people will remember you for, not your annual salary. Growing up, I saw many examples of leaders all over the world who flaunted their position, were only concerned about their own personal agenda or did not make time for the people who they saw as having not much to contribute, but on the contrary, were some of the most impressionable. It was this negative display of leadership that prompted my motivation to apply for the role of College Captain. I wanted to be somebody whose personality did not change after their investiture, somebody who remained humble despite their prestige and somebody who made time to chat with the younger students. Two initiatives that I was a part of during 2016 were the Year 12 Winter Formal, held in conjunction with the three other Catholic Schools in Geelong and perhaps the most noteworthy – the Pop-Up Op Shop. Together, these two fundraisers raised over twelve thousand dollars! Both events served to be really rewarding experiences, particularly the Pop-Up Op Shop where I witnessed two homeless eight-year-old girls receive a new wardrobe of clothes. While the role of College Captain did consume much of my time during Year 12, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish to don the gold tie just one more time. It was an amazing feeling to have the opportunity to represent a College that is so accepting, generous and supportive of its students. Furthermore, serving as a key role model for many of the younger students was a very humbling experience, one that a classroom could simply never provide and one that I will be forever grateful for.
Sympathies Mr Owen Bourke (83 years) SJOC 1952 dearly loved husband of Pat Bourke (dec), father and father in law of Gavin (1977), Julie, Matthew (1980), Damian (1982), Gabrielle, Tim (1986), David (1990) (staff member), Tess and Paul (1997) and their partners, grandfather of Caitlin, Old Collegians Padraic Bourke (2010), Blake Whelan (2008), Madeline, James (2012), Emily, Jack Bourke (Year 10), Will Bourke (Year 8), Mitchell, Tayler, Jordan, Bella, Mikayla, Sarah, Ben Minge (Year 10), John, Julian, Rebecca, Olivia, Sam Bourke (Year 10), Hamish Bourke (Year 8) and Banjo. Great grandfather of Sadie. Owen was a long-time supporter of St Joseph’s over many years. Both long time President and member of our Old Collegian’s Association. Owen was well known and respected in the Geelong Community. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the Bourke family. In God’s care with his beloved Pat. Mr Greg Corda (48 years) Old Collegian (1986) brother of Elizabeth (1988) and Maree (1990) past Sacred Heart College. A treasured husband, wonderful father of three, son, brother and friend. Greg was a qualified Accountant with post graduate qualifications in Industrial Relations and Human Resources. He was also very talented pianist and singer. “Our Piano Man” so deeply loved and so sadly missed.To Greg’s family and friends we extend our deepest sympathy. Mr Anthony (Tony) Costa (74 years), Old Collegian (1959) Foundation Member; following a stroke, husband of Elaine, father / father-in-law of Old Collegian David Costa (1986) & Karen, Greg Costa (1989) & Geraldine, Stuart Costa (1990) & Tara, Michael Costa (1993) & Natalie, Andrew Costa (1997) & Susi, Jacqui (past SHC) & Todd Devine (1987); grandfather of Max Costa (Year 12), Lachlan Devine (2013), Sara Devine (SHC),Will Devine (Year 12), George Devine (Year 10), Zac Costa (Year 11); brother / brotherin-law of Frank & Shirley Costa, Adrian (dec) and Mary Costa (dec), Lorraine & Kevin Costa (1961), past Foundation Chair and ongoing member, Rona (dec), Sandra McCall and Robert and Rita Costa. Uncle to Bradley Costa (1990) and Uncle in law to staff member Adam Colak. There are many Costa family relationships throughout our College community - too many to list. The St Joseph’s College community is deeply saddened by Tony’s sudden death. We offer our heartfelt sympathy to Tony’s wife Elaine and all the Costa extended families.
Mr James (Jim) Pollard (87 years) Old Collegian (1944), husband of Eileen, brother of Old Collegian Patrick Pollard (1935) and Leonard Pollard, father of Leon Pollard (SJC 1981), Barry (SJC 1986) Denise Podbury (Clonard 1978), Bernadette Bilogrevic (Clonard 1983), Gabrielle Baxter (SHC 1992), grandfather of Brendan Bilogrevic (SJC 2011), Timothy Bilogrevic (SJC 2016), Daniel Pollard (SJC 2016), Caitlin Bilogrevic (Clonard 2014), Hannah Pollard (SHC Year 11), Shannon Pollard (SHC Year 8), David Cotton (St Ignatius 2010), Laura Cotton (St Ignatius 2012), Bridget Baxter (Grade 5 St Patrick’s PS), Charlotte Baxter (Grade 3 St Patrick’s PS). Jim and Eileen have been ongoing supporters of St Joseph’s over many years, especially with our Old Collegian’s and Men’s Association in their early years. Our hearts go out to Jim’s family and friends. Mr Carlo Trifiletti (39 years) Old Collegian Chanel College has died suddenly in Melbourne. Uncle to Old Collegian, Thomas Konidaris (2016) and Georgia Konidaris (Year 11 SHC). Our thoughts and prayers are with all their family and friends. Br Kevin Tuck former Principal of St Joseph’s College Geelong 1974-1979 passed away in Colac. Br Tuck was a dedicated Christian Brother who enjoyed coming back to the College to attended school ceremonies and special events. He remained an ongoing supporter of St Joseph’s Geelong and was always interested in the progress of the College. We extend our deepest sympathy to Br Tuck’s family, community and the Christian Brothers.
Mr Anthony (Tony) Giuffre (60 years), Old Collegian (1970). We extend our deep sympathy to all Tony’s family and friends as they come to terms with their deep loss. Mr Henry Hes (64 years) class of 1969, passed away a few months ago. Henry attended SJC from 1960-1969, his mother was on staff here at St Joseph’s College in the kitchen for many years. Our thoughts are with Henry’s family. Br George Hewitt (81 Years) trained as a mechanic before joining the Christian Brothers where he became a teacher and taught at Highgate and Albany in WA before moving back to Victoria in Ringwood and St Joseph’s Geelong. His next 6 years were at St Thomas’ Clifton Hill where he was both Principal and Community Leader. Br Hewitt is described as a warm and deeply caring man. When he moved to St Augustine’s Boys’ Home in Geelong he used his skills in restoring cars and his ability as an Australian Rules Football coach to engage the boys. Our thoughts and prayers are with Br Hewitt, his immediate family and his Christian Brother family as we remember the great work he has done throughout is life of service in the Edmund Rice tradition.
St Joseph’s Old Collegians’ Association
Remembrance Mass 11 November 2017 Please join us for our annual Remembrance Mass, paying tribute to past students, staff and benefactors of the College. The Mass will be held in the College Chapel at 10:00am to be followed by light refreshments. 18
SAVE THE DATE
TRUST INTEGRITY DELIVERY COMMUNITY
St Joseph’s College in partnership with St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association
By delivering trusted financial knowledge and advice to clients for 70 years, West Carr & Harvey has become a leading business accounting and consulting firm in Geelong. The team provide specialist accounting and business expertise to small to medium businesses across a variety of industry sectors.
Justin O’Brien As president of St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association and a Director of West Carr & Harvey, Justin is proud of the association’s JHWHJP[` [V WYV]PKL VUNVPUN ÄUHUJPHS HUK mentoring support to the College.
13th Beach Golf Links, Barwon Heads. All abilities welcome. Open to past students, friends, families of SJC. Bring your mates for a great day out on the course!
For financial confidence and business success, contact the team at West Carr & Harvey. 79 Gheringhap Street Geelong, Victoria, 3220 t. 03 5222 4522
Directors: Richard Carr, Justin O’Brien, Jason McGann, Tim Noonan and David McDonald
westcarrharvey.com.au
Follow the St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association online on our Facebook page. Keep up to date with news and events, catch up with past students and share your memories.
www.facebook.com/sjocageelong
St Joseph’s College Geelong 135 Aphrasia Street, Newtown VICTORIA 3220 / Ph: 03 5226 8100 / Fax: 03 5221 6983 Email: sjcoffice@sjc.vic.edu.au / ABN: 74 114 857 147 / CRICOS Provider Code 02670A
St Joseph’s College is proud to be a part of:
www.sjc.vic.edu.au We acknowledge that we are educating on the traditional land of the Wathaurong people and honour and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.