Principal's Post

Farewell, Class of 2025

My congratulations to all Year 12 students who conducted themselves so beautifully and respectfully in their last week of formal classes. The Valedictory Mass and Dinner was held on Thursday October 16 at St John Vianney’s and the final assembly on Friday October 17. It was a lovely occasion for Year 12 students to express their gratitude to staff, parents, and carers.

Today we farewelled the Class of 2025 at their final College Assembly where they were honoured by staff and peers before walking through a guard of honour, a Mazenod tradition symbolising the passing of the flame to the next generation.

The assembly also featured the captain badge handover, as 2025 College Captain Sebastian Saba formally passed leadership to 2026 College Captain Oliver Mangoni, who delivered his first address to the College community with confidence and purpose.

A highlight of the morning was the presentation of the inaugural Leave to Serve Award to Old Collegian Cameron Falloon (MOC1991). The award recognises a graduate from the past 10–25 years who demonstrates the transformative impact of a Mazenod education through meaningful action and service to others.

Cameron shared reflections on his time at the College, his professional journey, and offered parting words of wisdom for our graduating class:

“Life’s a journey. Don’t get too fixed on the destination, because you’ll miss out on so much of the fun in between. You will make mistakes, you will fall down, but it’s how you handle that — how you pick yourself back up — that really matters.”

For many of the Year 12 students this is something of a bitter-sweet experience, some real tension between wanting to move on and wanting to hold on. It is a time, certainly, to look forward in expectation of what might be in the future which, for them, is full of possibility and promise, the exciting challenge of independence, freedom, and self-sufficiency.

To the Class of 2025 — thank you for your leadership, integrity and spirit. We are proud of the men you’ve become and the legacy you leave behind. Congratulations, and Leave Nothing Undared.

Upcoming Night of Excellence

The 2025 Night of Excellence will be held on Monday October 17, commencing at 7.00pm at Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University, where we celebrate the accomplishments of many students in Year 7-11.

The evening will highlight the talents of our students in academic achievement, performing and visual arts, sport, and cultural activities. This hopefully sets a standard that, in the future, all students will find aspirational. The major academic performers at each year level will be acknowledged on the evening. During assemblies and special events throughout the year many more students at the respective year levels were acknowledged for Academic Excellence, Christian Leadership and Determination and Persistence. The Spirit of The Oblate Awards consider the contribution all students make to College life. Staff always have the difficult task of narrowing the many worthy recipients to a small number of students at each year level. 

All the best, 

Dr Paul Shannon

Principal