Green, White and Blue - Issue 73

Welcome to our Green, White and Blue newsletter

Welcome to our fourth edition of the "Green, White and Blue" e-newsletter for St Patrick's College Old Collegians for 2025. We welcome any new Old Collegians to our e-newsletter. The "Green, White and Blue" is distributed at the end of each school term and is full of news for and about our Old Collegians. We hope you enjoy!

2025 MENtal Brekky - Buy your tickets now

Tickets are now available for our 2025 MENtal Brekky, and we are excited to welcome Our Watch chief executive officer Patty Kinnersly as our guest speaker this year. 

Supported by St Patrick’s College, the 2025 MENtal Brekky will be held at the OCA Pavilion on Friday 24 October from 7.00-8.30am. Patty Kinnersly is the face behind Our Watch, Australia’s leader in the primary prevention of violence against women.

The MENtal Brekky, now in its ninth year, is a major fundraiser for the Chris Yeung Fund, which aims to raise awareness of and provide financial assistance for families in the St Patrick’s College community where the father is suffering mental illness.

Tickets for the 2025 MENtal Brekky are $65 per person, or buy a table for $600.00, and can be purchased now by clicking on the button.

The Chris Yeung Fund is also running a fundraiser raffle with some fabulous prizes on offer. You can win prizes even if you are not at the brekky. To buy tickets or make a donation, simply click on the button. 

If you have any queries, please contact the College’s Alumni and Foundation Officer Lorrie Liston on 5322 4442 or email lliston@stpats.vic.edu.au

Announcing our OCA Strategic Plan 2025-2030

The St Patrick's College has officially announced its Old Collegians' Association Strategic Plan, which outlines its roadmap for the next five years. 

Their vision is clear: to strengthen our network, provide even greater support to the College and its students, and ensure that every Old Collegian remains an integral part of the St Patrick’s College story.

If you are interested in joining one of the sub-committees, please email oca@stpats.vic.edu.au

Shane Mackinlay installed as Brisbane Archbishop 

Old Collegian Shane Mackinlay (SPC 1977-82) has become the eighth leader of Brisbane archdiocese at his installation Mass this week. 

"While I come from somewhere else, I don't come as an outsider," Archbishop Mackinlay said in his homily. We send our congratulations and best wishes to Archbishop Mackinlay. 

Mitch Brown shows personal strength and honesty 

St Patrick’s College recently acknowledged the courage and honesty of one of its well-known Old Collegians, Mitch Brown (SPC 2002-06), when he recently spoke of his journey with his sexuality as an individual and a successful AFL player. 

"We are proud to call him an Old Collegian of the College. His story is a powerful reminder that strength comes in many forms. 

St Patrick’s College is an inclusive and supportive community.  We warmly welcome and value every person in our College family - embracing all, regardless of religion, race, ability, gender or sexual orientation."

Tom McDonald notches up special  SPC AFL record

In other news, congratulations to Tom McDonald (SPC 2010), pictured above, who has re-signed with Melbourne for his 16th season in the AFL, easily claiming the record for the SPC Old Boy who has played the most years with the same AFL team.

Tom is among an impressive 16 Old Collegians on AFL lists this season. Tom also played finals last weekend, along with fellow Old Boys Oscar McDonald (Fremantle), Daniel Rioli (Gold Coast), Sam Butler (Hawthorn), Kai Lohmann (Brisbane), Ollie Hannaford (GWS) and Jack Ough (GWS).

Class of 1995 celebrates 30-Year Reunion

It was a great night of catching up and reminiscing for the Class of 1995 at their 30-Year Reunion towards the end of Term 3 - with the surprise appearance of some of the cohort's classroom teachers.

Obituaries

St Patrick's College honours those Old Boys who have sadly left us and recognises their contribution to the life of the College and to broader society in general. The College received news in recent times that these Old Collegians have passed away, including:

• Gary Rice (SPC 1955-62), pictured above
• Brothers Michael Martin (SPC 1947-53, PY1955) & John Martin (SPC 1947-51)
• John Houghton (SPC 1966-68)
• Danny O’Brien (SPC 1962-66) 
•  George Kunjan (SPC 1992-95) 
• Jim Derum (SPC 1965-67)
• John E Cleary (SPC 1964-70) 
• Joseph Natoli (SPC 1951, PY1953) 

• Michael Joseph Tobin (SPC 1943) 

   

  We also extend our sympathy to:

  * Brothers Blake (SPC 2011-15) and Darcy Thomson (SPC 2011, PY2012) on the passing of their father David recently. 

  * Nat, Mackenzie and Riley Mahar (SPC 2019-24, PY2025) on the passing of their husband and father Joe. 

  * Brothers Max (SPC 2015-20), Noah (SPC 2014-19) and Lachlan McIntosh (SPC 2009-13, PY2014) and Michelle on the tragic passing of their dad and husband Nick. 

  * To the Magri family, including David, Declan (SPC 2014-19), Jasper (SPC 2015-20) and Jamiel on the sudden passing of their wife and mother Kieley.

  * To Michael Bongiorno (SPC 1958-63) on the passing of his wife Jenny. 

  * Gerry Glennen (SPC 1963-67) on the passing of his mother. 

  * Keron McGrath (SPC 1963-68) on the passing of his wife Carol earlier this year.

   

  LASTLY - Many of our younger Old Collegians will fondly remember Year 12 Study Centre manager Fred Wallace, who, very sadly passed away following a long battle with cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. Fred will be remembered as a true gentleman who contributed greatly to the St Patrick's College community through his valued work in the Year 12 Study Centre and his contribution to the Performing Arts. 

   

  Please click on the button below to read more about these much-missed members of our community.

Nominate a Legend or Young Achiever of SPC 

Do you know an Old Collegian who has made a significant impact within the community? The SPC ‘Legend’ and 'Young Achiever' awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of our remarkable Old Collegians. 

Now it's easier than ever! You can nominate an Old Boy online by clicking on the buttons below.

What have our Old Boys been up to lately...

Look out for Jacob Lohmann (SPC 2016-18), pictured above, who has signed on as Lake Wendouree’s assistant senior coach for 2026. Click on the button below to read more on Jacob and read more stories on our Old Boys, who have made the news recently.

Where are they now – Martin Tucker (SPC 1987)

The College recently reconnected with Martin Tucker (SPC 1987, PY1992) who only spent a year at SPC but credits the time for having a positive impact on his life, teaching him to become a stronger person with values, compassion and respect for others.

Talent abounds at John James Medal night

We celebrated our footballers recently at the John James Medal Presentation Night, and special shoutout to former AFL footballer and Old Collegian Josh Cowan (SPC 2009) for sharing his personal experiences with us. We truly are blessed to have such a supportive and inspiring community here at SPC!

Isaac wins City of Ballarat Youth Volunteer Award

Congratulations to Old Collegian Isaac Postlethwaite (SPC 2014-19) who won the City of Ballarat Youth Volunteer Award recently - and everyone who knows Isaac can agree he has a heart of gold!

Rising ballet star checks out the PAC

We were thrilled to welcome back Joshua Ballinger (SPC 2016-18, PY2021) to St Pat’s earlier this term. Joshua is a member of the West Australian Ballet Corps de Ballet and 2023 recipient of our Old Collegians’ Association Young Achiever Award.

Max Shorter achieves very special dream

Max Shorter (SPC 2021-23, PY2027) has always been one for dreaming big.

And this young warrior, who battles a progressive neuromuscular disease known as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), recently achieved his dream of reaching the northernmost point of Australia with his family by his side.

Jordan (SPC 2015-20) checks out framed guernsey

Midfield star Jordan Lauton (SPC 2015-20) shared some of his monster moves with our senior students during a recent visit. Jordan, who is lighting up the soccer stage for Western United and won Goal of the Year at the A-League Awards last season, called in to check out his framed soccer guernsey which will proudly adorn our walls, inspiring our next generation of young soccer stars.

Mark Sertori (SPC 1967-68) donates treasures

Old Collegian Mark Sertori (SPC 1967-68) visited St Patrick’s College recently with a box full of some of his prized SPC treasures. Mark, who was a full-time boarder from Ararat, was a very talented sportsman during his time at SPC.

Where are they now Mark Mason (SPC 1971-76)

The College recently reconnected with Old Collegian Mark Mason (SPC 1971-76) who found his calling as a teacher and continues to enjoy his creative talents in retirement making exquisite ceramics in his studio at Castlemaine and holding regular exhibitions of his work.

Dr Brendan Harding (SPC 2001-06) returns for visit

Does “comparing regular and singular perturbation methods for estimating the inertial lift force” mean anything to you? Thankfully, it is a favourite topic for Old Collegian Dr Brendan Harding (SPC 2001-06). 

Where are they now – Zac Evers (SPC 2001-06)

We recently reconnected with Old Collegian Zac Evers (SPC 2001-06) who is using his extensive industry experience to solve problems across the mining, energy and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) platforms. He credits his SPC education for enabling him to work as part of a team and lead with integrity.

Guess which one's the birthday boy?

The years and decades may have rolled on by, but the school ties are just as strong as ever for this group of SPC boarders from the 1970s.

Help us complete our school tie collection

The school tie has been a proud tradition at St Patrick’s College since the early 1890s, when students also wore cravats or bow ties. By the early 1900s, a standard design emerged: a blue tie with elongated green and white stripes. While the materials and design have altered over the years - the colour scheme and pattern have remained unchanged.

Eugene’s keepsakes bring back memories

We thank Eugene Sexton (SPC 1966-69) for his recent donation to the College archives.   Eugene donated his school cap and scarf as well as his prized Prefect and cadet pins.

Old Boys forging new Nauruan connections

Old Collegians Dominic Appi (SPC 1980-1985) and Ashley Carr (SPC 1989-1990) met recently in Nauru while they were involved in important bilateral talks.

W.T. O'Malley Gift sash returns to SPC

A special piece of SPC history was recently returned to the College. Philip donated the W.T. O’Malley Gift sash to the College Archives, where it will form part of the changing display in the College’s emerging History and Heritage Centre.

Good turnout at Paddies Spring Lunch

As always, there was a good turnout at the Paddies Spring Luncheon at The Emerald Hotel in south Melbourne recently. In all, over 25 participants attended the luncheon and thoroughly enjoyed themselves and continued well into the afternoon for most.

Many stories reminiscing about the days at St Patrick’s College were told throughout the afternoon. 

The Paddies Seasonal Lunches are held for Old Collegians at the Emerald Hotel in south Melbourne at the start of each season. The lunches start at 12 noon for a 12.30pm gathering. To RSVP for the next Paddies Summer Lunch on Friday 5 December, please contact organisers Michael Dowd (SPC 1964-69) at mjdowd@hotmail.com or via phone on 0407 680 682 or Noel Sheehan (SPC 1964-70) at noel@stafforgserv.com.au or via phone on 0418 509 809. 

Classes of 1973-74 catch-up planned in November

Former classmates from the Class of 1974 and their partners are planning to get together for the year again at Ballarat's Red Lion Hotel Sports Bar, in Main Road, Golden Point on Sunday, 9 November 2025 commencing at 1pm.

Drawing on the success of their last get-together, former classmates from the Class of 1973 and their partners are also invited to this informal gathering.

SPC Clontarf Academy a finalist in business awards

Congratulations to our SPC Clontarf Academy, which was a finalist in the Accessibility and Inclusion award at the Federation University Australia Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards earlier this term. We are so proud of the team and all that they do for our First Nations students. Thanks to Clontarf Foundation Vic regional manager Ben Djuve, pictured above, with SPC Academy director Dave Friebel and Academy officer Darren Burns at the gala dinner.

Liam Duggan Academy: Developing excellence 

St Patrick’s College introduced the Liam Duggan Football Academy to its highly regarded football program in 2024, offering students from Years 7 to 12 the opportunity to learn from some of the game’s best.

Preserving precious SPC publications

Our sincere thanks to the Woodford family for donating these College Annuals and various memorabilia from the 1990s back to SPC.

Plenty of talent in Purton Oratory Competition 

We witnessed an incredible display of talent, confidence and critical thinking at our annual Purton Oratory Competition.

From debates on four-day school weeks and open-book exams to powerful prepared and impromptu speeches, our students rose to the challenge and impressed with their eloquence and spirit. 

Father's Day fun at Mass and Breakfast 

The weather may have been a bit chilly, but our annual Father’s Day Mass and Breakfast sure did warm our hearts! It was fabulous to see so many dads, grandfathers and father figures join us in celebration, sharing faith, food and our wonderful community together. A big thank you to everyone who came along, (some for the very last time!) and made the morning so memorable!

Break the Cycle breaks previous record

Break the Cycle 2025 was a joyful event filled with community spirit and shared purpose, truly reflecting our values of character, compassion, and community.

Thank you to the over 70 staff and students who took part in the 24-hour ride, and to @ravencollectiveservices, CoRE, and Ollie Hannaford for their support and encouragement.

We’re proud to announce we have raised $6,891 for Raven Collective and would like to sincerely thank those who donated to support our cause. In addition, we would like to recognise and thank, the following business and families for generously donating bikes, lighting, auction items, food and supplies.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA & FACEBOOK - To keep fully up to date with all happenings in and around the College and the OCA we strongly encourage you to join our Instagram page and like our Facebook page and join the thousands of members of our community already receiving regular updates into their daily news feed, simply click on these links - @spcballarat & https://www.facebook.com/spcoca/ 

Personalise your own Main Oval Fence picket

Would you like to see your name engraved on a picket around the College's Main Oval Fence or perhaps purchase one as a unique gift for someone who you know holds St Patrick’s College close to their heart. 

You can purchase your own picket and record your own lasting memory by clicking on the button below.

Etch your name into our Performing Arts Centre

A special opportunity also exists to etch your name into the future of performing arts at St Patrick's College. Old Collegians are warmly encouraged to consider "buying a seat" in the upper level of the auditorium - complete with your personalised plaque.

To find out more, please click on the button below.