December 2014

Transcription

December 2014

VOLUME 18 DECEMBER 2014
ST JOSEPH’S NUDGEE COLLEGE MAGAZINE
Farewell
Mr Hanly
Cameron Harder-Hutton
Lliam Ricketts
Matthew Sneesby
Brother Ryan
Year 10 Immersion Reflections
Junior School Update
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Front cover:
Daryl Hanly
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VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia
trading as St Joseph’s Nudgee College
2199 Sandgate Road Boondall 4034
PO Box 130 Virginia 4014
p: +617 3865 0555
f: +617 3865 0500
w: www.nudgee.com
e: contact@nudgee.com
Editor
Tanya King
Contributors
Paul Begg, Mike Byrne, Simon Carter,
Chris Cawley, Lawrie Cusack, Tricia Fitzpatrick,
Tony Gleeson, Daryl Hanly, Anthony Hart,
David Johnston, Dr Martin Kerby, Tanya King,
Rebecca Knezevic, Br Vic Larkin, Catherine
Lunney, Andrew McNamara, Sam O’Neill,
Evie Saunders, Guy Stacey, Anna Stewart,
John Wagner, Erin Wedge
Many thanks to
Cindy Abbey, Mark Ellison, Brody Grogan,
Daryl Hanly, Martin Harmon, Sian Kennedy,
Peter Kropp, Lara Morgan, Lliam Ricketts,
Matthew Sneesby, Year 10 immersion students
Photography
Cover image courtesy of Gary Lynagh
Photography
Other images courtesy of Bayside and
Northern Suburbs Star, AV Crew, Tanya King,
John Sayer, Joshua Hobl, Nudgee College
Archives and others
Design
Elliot Creative Design Co.
e: design@elliotcreative.com
Content Editor
Carol Campbell
Printing
Screen Offset Printing
Contents
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4
10
12
14
16
18
24
26
TO THE NTH DEGREE
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32
36
NUDGEE COLLEGE ACTIVITIES
Reflection
A PERSON OF INFLUENCE
Daryl Hanly
NUDGEE COLLEGE BOYS EXCEL
Cameron Harder-Hutton
SPANNING THE GLOBE
Lliam Ricketts
SPANNING THE GLOBE
Matthew Sneesby
NUDGEE COLLEGE HISTORY
Brother Ryan
ST JOSEPH’S NUDGEE COLLEGE
Year 10 Immersion Reflections
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Junior School Update
NUDGEE COLLEGE NARRATIVE
Congratulations / DimensionsNC / Global Youth Challenge /
NAIDOC Week / Stella Fella Day / Swagtember /
Tournament of Minds
Rugby Wrap
Sporting and Cultural
NCOBA
From the NCOBA
Editorial queries, feedback
and change of address
phone: 07 3865 0319
email: nthdegree@nudgee.com
Nth Degree is published by St Joseph’s Nudgee College’s
Development and Communication Team in cooperation
with other parties. Material in this publication is gathered
from a range of sources and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions and policies of St Joseph’s Nudgee College.
COPYRIGHT: All rights reserved. Copyright of articles and
photographs of Nth Degree remain with the individual
contributors and may not be reproduced without
permission. Other material may be reproduced, but only
with the permission of St Joseph’s Nudgee College.
1
TO THE NTH DEGREE
St Joseph’s Nudgee College
DARYL HANLY
The words “transition and transformation”
resonate when I reflect on 2014 and
envision possibilities for 2015.
There is no doubt that there are
some significant transitions evident
in our context. Our Orientation Day in
mid-October saw the arrival of those
students who will be new to this school
in 2015. Our orientation activities
assisted them in what can be for some,
a daunting experience. We have a large
number of students entering into Years
5, 7 and 8 as well as into the older years.
Our excellent Pastoral Care Program
will continue to support these young
gentlemen as they continue their
journeys.
There have been some significant
physical changes that will enhance the
transition of all boys as they move from
one stage of their education to the next.
The new Boarding Village, Stage 2 of
which will be finished in January 2015,
will mean that for the first time in the
124-year history of this College, every
student who is boarding will reside
within the one complex. It will also
be the first time in which there are no
boarders in the original Treacy Building.
The Learning Centre, which will be
operational from Term 2, 2015, is another
sign of transitioning. Enhanced learning
facilities, a modern library complex and
undercover common areas with seating,
as well as a new tuckshop herald an
environment conducive to the support
of both Years 7 and 8, both of whom are
experiencing their first year of secondary
schooling.
With transition comes the need to
discern what we change and what we
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keep. We are guided very clearly by the
Four Touchstones, ensuring stability in
terms of our core values and beliefs.
We focus on Liberating Education
as we open our hearts and minds
through quality teaching and learning
experiences so that through critical
reflection and engagement each person
is hope-filled and free to build a better
world for all.
We invite all people into the story of
Jesus and strive to make his message
of compassion, justice and peace a
living reality within our community.
This is authentic Gospel Spirituality.
As an Inclusive Community we are
accepting and welcoming, fostering
right relationships and commitment to
the common good. In terms of Justice
and Solidarity we are committed to
justice and peace for all, grounded in a
spirituality of action and reflection that
calls us to stand in solidarity with those
who are marginalised and the Earth
itself.
As we transition into new times and
contexts, we are challenged to discern
what transformations might occur in
the ways in which we do things, while at
the same time holding true to the Four
Touchstones.
This critical discernment is the focus
of the current strategic planning
process, through which we develop the
appropriate strategic planning concepts
that are centred on our mission and
vision. At this stage of drafting, four
such concepts which will assist us in this
transformation have emerged.

We champion a learning culture by
celebrating and sharing best
practices, by further embedding
the Habits of Mind Learning
Framework throughout the
College and by forming selfdirected, technologically capable
lifelong learners.



We proclaim our Mission and
Identity through further developing
faith formation of the community,
embedding justice, service and
advocacy into school practices and
curriculum and integrating the
religious life of the school
throughout College life.
We steward our finite resources
through responsible management
and utilisation now and for the
future through ongoing
consideration and management
of our environmental impact and
through strategic prioritisation and
implementation of initiatives.
We develop leadership capability
by determining the strategic skill
sets within our community for
now and for the future by further
implementing targeted and strategic
programs and focusing on the
positive emotional development
and well-being of the community.
These concepts are currently in draft
but they are a sign that as we transition
we must also transform to adapt to the
context which is, and also the context
which might be!
As I transition out of St Joseph’s Nudgee
College after 13 years, and out of fulltime
teaching after 50 years, I have enjoyed
my involvement in the transitioning in of
our new Principal, Mr Peter Fullagar.
I thank you all very much for your
support during my time in the Nudgee
College community. I have come to
understand the real meaning of being
among “Ten thousand sisters and
brothers, who are living Signs of Faith”.
God bless.
Mr Daryl Hanly
College Principal
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TANYA KING
For 13 years
Daryl Hanly has been
the leading man in the
St Joseph’s Nudgee
College story. He has
celebrated the highs,
shown strength during
the lows and has been
the reassuring presence
for everything in
between. Daryl’s initial
contract was for five
years. When he steps
aside as Principal at
the end of the year,
however, it will be as
the longest consecutiveserving Principal in the
College’s history.
Daryl’s commencement as Principal in
January 2002 was a significant change
in tradition for Nudgee College, which
had only ever had Christian Brothers
as Principals. As the first lay Principal in
the College’s history, Daryl faced, and
overcame, a variety of obstacles in his
early years as the community came to
terms with the change in direction.
“In a Catholic school, the Principal is the
faith leader,” Daryl said. “I had to quickly
understand what that meant and how
it was made manifest within the school.
This was the first challenge. I wasn’t
asked to but I committed to further my
faith studies through my master’s degree
which helped.
2014 marks Daryl’s 65th year in a
school environment and his 50th as a
teacher. Daryl completed his secondary
education at St Brendan’s College,
Yeppoon, and his tertiary studies at
the University of Queensland, the
Queensland University of Technology
and the Australian Catholic University.
His previous positions included being
Deputy Principal of Townsville State High
School (1974–78), founding Principal
of Kirwan State High School (1979–83)
and Principal of Kelvin Grove State High
School (1984–94). Immediately prior to
starting at Nudgee College, Daryl was
the Director of Education Queensland
International but he wanted a change.
“I was initially attracted to the role of
Principal because I had previously been
a Principal in government schools and
was a director in a large government
department so I was looking forward
to the challenge of being in a school
community again,” Daryl said.
“I also like the idea of doing something
for the first time. Before I came to
Nudgee College I had never been
Principal of a boarding school or a
Catholic school and had only been in a
single-sex boys’ school as a student.”
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“Secondly, we had to articulate the
vision of the school through the
development of a strategic plan and,
thirdly, develop a master plan as to
where the school was going in terms of
buildings and infrastructure. In order to
do this we needed to assess the culture
of the school and determine which
traditions should stay and which could
go over time.
“I think I achieved these things but
would not have without the outstanding
support of the team of teachers and
ancillary staff. Once goals were achieved,
we re-set our benchmarks.”
Despite being a lay Principal, Daryl has
always respected the College’s history as
a Christian Brothers school.
“One of my goals when I began at
Nudgee College was to ensure that, as a
Christian Brothers school, the students
understood the heritage of the Christian
Brothers,” he said.
“Expanding and capturing that heritage
in the vision for the school going
forward – as well as the need for a clear
understanding of the Edmund Rice
Charism and how that was manifest
within the school context, and imposing
the Catholicity, the rigour of the religious
education program and providing an
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inter-faith dialogue that formed young
boys into Signum Fidei – Signs of Faith –
was important.
“I also wanted to continue to enhance
the good reputation that Nudgee
College had in its capacity to provide
the opportunity for a broad range of
students. I wanted to strike a realistic
balance between academic and
sporting endeavours.
“Promoting the academic pathways
and providing for those who were
academically outstanding, as well as
those who chose other pathways, was
critical in achieving this. The various
pathways added a richness which, when
combined with the inclusive nature of
the College, was a key element in the
coherently formed outcome.”
Over the 13 years he has been Principal
at Nudgee College, Daryl has seen many
changes, not the least of which has been
the “culture change which has come
about as a result of exposure to the
performing and visual arts, especially
music”.
“It was an intentional journey in
Nudgee College providing a balance
between academic, cultural and
sporting endeavours and ensuring that
success in any field was applauded. I
used to often hear the term ‘Nudgee
man’ but I have always used the term a
‘Nudgee gentleman’. A Nudgee College
gentleman respects and understands
women, he knows how to have proper
and productive relationships with them
and can lead, and be led, by women.
“When the boys tell me about how a
social justice activity or immersion has
made them realise how lucky they are,
it always makes me smile. For example,
the passion behind the Walk to the
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DECEMBER 2014
Philippines, the global connectedness
the boys feel when they take on
fundraising and the subsequent benefit
the boys get out if it and all the social
justice activities, is something that will
stay with me.”
It goes without saying that running
a school, especially one as large as
Nudgee College, is a big job; however,
Daryl has never been one to sit in his
office all day, preferring to interact with
staff and students as much as possible.
“I enjoy the pleasant greetings in the
morning, the ingenuous expressions
of points of view and the freshness of
thoughts from the staff, watching the
boys who arrive troubled at the College
graduate or others achieve beyond their
expectations, and the stories from the
boys when I’m on Tuckshop duty.
“I have always tried to be approachable
and respect, and welcome, the students
and their views. I believe an active
presence is important in achieving this,
which is why I have always spent time
in the playground or in the dining room
with the boarders or at the Tuckshop.
“Seeing me in these situations shows
the boys they can approach me or
raise issues with me in a more informal
way. I have never had a student
who disrespected that position or
overstepped the mark in terms of the
Principal–student relationship.
“When I first started here, a Brother said
that I would like Nudgee College but
in time I would learn to love it – and he
was right.”
Even though he is retiring and will
miss teaching, Daryl already has a long
list of things he wants to do once the
demands of the workplace are left
behind, and he won’t be leaving the
education section entirely.
“I will still remain Chair of the
Stuartholme Board next year and will
also become Chair of the St Leo’s College
Council so I’ll keep involved with the
community. I am a community person
and I will always find a community to
work in.
“I will also undertake more study
when I pick up my PhD studies again
and am looking forward to imparting
the wisdom and knowledge that I’ve
gained over my years to other schools
in a consulting process, such as was
undertaken here with the school
renewal.
“One of the big things I’m going to do is
learn the piano, which is something I’ve
wanted to do since I was a young boy.”
History will ultimately determine Daryl’s
legacy at Nudgee College but as a proud
family man, Daryl is more concerned
with the legacy he will leave in his
family’s eyes than any he will leave in a
work environment.
“My priorities have always been my wife,
my sons and family and then my job.
If my wife thinks I have been a great,
loving husband and my sons believe
I have been a good father, I will have
been successful.
“For the students, staff and wider
College community, if in some small
way I have been able to make a
difference, I would be happy. Even
if just one or two persons thought
I empowered them and helped
them make a difference through my
leadership, that would be enough.”
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COMMUNITY WORDS
Dear Daryl,
Wishing you all the blessings for the
next chapter of your life. May it be filled
with happiness, love and laughter.
May the blessing of light be on you –
light without and light within,
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
and warm your heart til it glows like
a great peat fire - OLD CELTIC BLESSING
Much love,
Erin Wedge
Dean of Identity
Daryl’s support at the Tuckshop each
week greeting the boys is fantastic!
We will miss you next year.
Congratulations on your retirement.
Kind regards from the Tuckshop,
Tricia, Kirsten, Kim, and Melissa
Daryl Hanly has been an outstanding
leader in education in Queensland.
He is greatly respected across both
the State and Catholic sectors. His skill
in managing the demands of a large
boarding school like Nudgee College is a
great testament to his ability.
Despite this workload, Daryl’s
contribution extended well beyond
the school, including leading national
Principals’ associations and as a member
of the Queensland Studies Authority.
Daryl was gifted in the way he was
able to easily engage with students
and the school community, giving and
commanding respect.
He will be greatly missed in Catholic
education and we wish him all the best
for a long and happy retirement.
Mike Byrne
QCEC Executive Director
Dear Daryl,
I am thankful that I had a wonderful
opportunity to work with you; you have
always been a great mentor, companion
and support, both professionally and
personally. Nudgee College has been
blessed to have been touched by your
wisdom, compassion and vision.
As a former colleague once said to me,
“now you retire and can say goodbye
tension, hello pension!”
Thank you for everything,
David Johnston
Dean of Learning and Teaching
Daryl,
Your leadership has been one of
inspired presence and a courageous
commitment to delivering what is best
for students and families. You have
not only provided great educational
leadership but been an example of how
one’s faith can be truly lived and made
tangible in daily actions. I have every
trust in the fact that while you may be in
education retirement, Nudgee College
will never be too far away from your
thoughts as you were ‘Signum Fidei’ in
our community.
Thank you,
Paul Begg
Dean of Students
Dear Daryl,
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for caring
And for leading the way.
Although you’ll be gone
Your vision shall live on
Whatever may come NC’s way.
It’s been an honor to know you Daryl.
Wishing you all things wonderful for the
future,
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The NCOBA wish outgoing Principal
Daryl Hanly a restful retirement after
his significant tenure. Daryl’s influence
has helped strengthen our Association’s
program and we have appreciated
being able to work more closely with
the College on many fronts.
Anthony Hart
NCOBA President
Your presence in our lives has made
an indelible difference, not only to our
sons and their lives today, but to every
member of the College community
yesterday, today and into the future.
We are truly blessed to have shared the
company of such an inspiring Principal
and honourable man. On behalf of all
the mothers at Nudgee College I wish
you a retirement filled with the love and
laughter of family and friends.
From Our Hearts to Yours,
Anna Stewart
Catherine Lunney
Past parent and College Board member
Ladies’ Auxiliary Co-President
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
During the four years I worked alongside
Daryl, I gained an insight into the
Edmund Rice charism through Daryl’s
leadership of the Nudgee College
community and also his advocacy of the
students who he treats with compassion
and respect.
Dear Daryl,
Best wishes,
Thank you so much for your wisdom,
guidance, support and compassion
during my short time with Nudgee
College. Your leadership has made my
transition into education seamless and
enjoyable. I wish you all the very best
in your retirement. Enjoy the time with
your grandchildren, they are the most
special children you will have to spoil,
adore and dote on. Love and best wishes,
Evie Saunders
Rebecca Knezevic
PA to the Principal
Dean of Operations
that’s not the case. Dear Trish [Daryl’s
wife] is right out the front – quietly
leading the way and making
suggestions, even about Nudgee
College, from her own professional
standing and doing it so quietly and
well through those years. Thank you very
much, Trish.
Someone told me one day, when
Daryl parks his car just over there, it
takes him about an hour to get to his
office, which is just there, because he
wants to meet everybody. He knows
the very talented secretaries up above
can run the school, I’ve seen them
doing it. Even if a crisis occurred they
could call on that wonderful Maggie
Shaw – Mrs Nudgee – and she would
fix everything.
I thank Daryl for his leadership and
extend my best wishes for life after
Nudgee College.
Mr Hanly, we will be eternally grateful for
the phenomenal service that you have
shown to this College. You have led the
school and the students in a way that
not only harbours respect but inspires
change. Thank you for everything, you
will forever be remembered in the hearts
of our ‘10,000 brothers’.
Samuel O’Neill
2014 College Captain
I renewed my acquaintance with
Daryl after trying to teach him in Year
8 at St Patrick’s, Mackay. I renewed
my friendship with him in the 1980s
when he returned to Brisbane to
take charge of Kelvin Grove School
of Excellence. I received a phone
call during that year asking me to
attend his first speech night, which I
readily accepted. When I arrived at the
evening function two prefects led me
to the beginning of the procession of
educational dignitaries. As they lined
up, I thought “now I’ll just sneak into
the Hall”, but no, Daryl stood in front
of me and said “I want you to walk
beside me during this first speech
night”. By doing that, he was saluting
the many Brothers who taught him in
Mackay and St Brendan’s, Yeppoon.
That’s the Daryl we have known here
at Nudgee College. Daryl has spoken
frequently over these 13 years of his
links with the Brothers, and how the
Brothers work at this place must be
remembered. Of course, they worked
in very hard times, much harder
than now. Money didn’t flow readily;
during depression and wars, but that’s
my memory of Daryl – his support,
always, for the Brothers.
Now we know he is a strong family
man, and you know there’s that
saying, behind every good man,
there’s a better woman. However,
I didn’t ever have a row with Daryl
during the whole of the 13 years. I look
upon it sometimes as great fun; having
a row with the Headmaster, but I missed
out. There was one occasion when I
begged to differ and I said to Daryl,
“look you plant the name of the Brothers
on all these building around here,
even my name is on that plaque there,
what about a building that’s got ‘Hanly
Building’?” “Oh no, no, no, no,” he said.
“Why not?,” I asked. Daryl replied, “I have
my monuments. I have two great sons –
Richard and Nicholas – and they
are sufficient monuments for me and I
am very proud of them.” I had nothing
further to say.
Daryl’s hands have touched, literally
and metaphorically, every corner of this
place. Right from here [Treacy Building],
through to the Red Shed that the
Property and Services use, and even
the refurbished athletics track that is
used so well by the boys. However,
all those buildings don’t give the real
message about Daryl. His main interest
was the boys.
The boys have always been important
to Daryl. I noticed early on he took
the duty of Tuckshop Supervision.
It’s not a bad place to have a relaxed
boy, to give him a bit of a cheer up,
or a quiet little come on, we need a
little improvement there. That’s my
memory of Daryl; that the boys came
first, second and third.
I could go till midnight, so we’ll just
wind it up by thanking Daryl. Thanks
Daryl. Thank you. Thank you.
I’ll take a bit of liberty with a familiar
prayer where we ask God’s blessing.
I confidently say God will bless you,
Daryl and your family, and that Jesus
will definitely live in your hearts
forever.
Excerpt from Br Vic Larkin’s
speech at Daryl’s farewell soiree.
9
NUDGEE COLLEGE BOYS EXCEL
TANYA KING
While most of us were
asleep early on the
morning of September 5,
Year 12 student Cameron
Harder-Hutton was
chatting to Pope Francis
via a Google link-up.
Cameron’s historic chat
with His Holiness began
with a typical Aussie
hello – “G’day”.
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VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
Cameron’s participation in the
conversation was made possible
through Edmund Rice Education
Australia’s involvement with Pope
Francis’s initiative of Scholas Occurrentes
and EREA’s commitment to Edmund
Rice Education Beyond Boarders,” said
Dean of Identity Ms Erin Wedge.
“Cameron was chosen to represent
Oceania and was one of only five other
students from around the world – El
Salvador, Turkey, Israel and South Africa –
to be involved in the conversation.”
Scholas Occurrentes is a global network
of schools and educational institutions
launched by Pope Francis last year
through the Pontifical Academy to
encourage networking among
international schools.
Pope Francis requested a young nonCatholic Christian represent Oceania
during the live chat, and Cameron,
a baptised Anglican, was the ideal
candidate.
“Cameron was chosen by Principal Mr
Daryl Hanly, because he is extremely
intelligent and the perfect candidate
who would appreciate the opportunity
to talk to the Pope,” Ms Wedge said.
“Cameron plays a huge role in the social
justice league at the school and is a
major participant in our Big BBQ and
Big Brekkie programs. He also instigated
Vic’s Cafe (a cafe run by students each
morning using fair trade coffee beans)
where he organises the training for other
students using the skills he has learnt
from working at Zaraffas.
“Cameron was supported by a small
group of Nudgee College students
and teachers who were behind the
scenes on the night. He was articulate,
intelligent and gracious in his question
and his response.”
For some, speaking with His Holiness
on such a big stage may have resulted
in nerves taking their toll; however,
Cameron is a seasoned professional
when it comes to delivering speeches.
He has been involved with GPS
Debating for four years, culminating
in his leadership of the Senior A team
this year.
Despite initially not believing he was
going to speak with the “real Pope”,
Cameron said he was “honoured” to
represent Australia.
“I was extremely humbled by the
experience. I enjoyed the lead-up and
preparation and was honoured to
represent the College and Australia.”
Cameron’s question and the Pope’s
response follow.
Cameron:
G’day from Australia.
St Joseph’s Nudgee College is a Catholic
school in the Edmund Rice Tradition. We
follow in the footsteps of Scholas, having
several campaigns advocating peace
internationally and within our local
community. An example of this would
be our own interreligious soccer match
for peace last month between the school
and recent refugees who are being held in
detention centres.
Because of this we’d like to thank you
personally for the Scholas Program. It
allows us to have direct communication
with yourself as youths of diverse religions
and as such, we are all incredibly humbled
to have the opportunity to speak with you.
It is certainly a leap in the right direction
in terms of developing a global network
for peace and it is amazing how we can
use technology to have dialogue and
learn from each other. So what we want
to know, specifically, is how the Scholas
Program can bridge gaps between the
youths of various countries today?
His Holiness:
First, I’ll pick up on one phrase you said –
dialogue between cultures. You need to
do more of that. That is the future of our
world.
There are two types of people in the
world – those who build bridges, and
those who build walls. We need people to
build bridges. If we put up walls, we divide
people; however, if we’re bridge builders we
join and share.
In response to your question, “What can
be done?”, we can keep communicating,
communicate experiences... and through
communication no one commands but
everything works. It is the spontaneity of
life, a “yes” to life. In true communication,
we are all equal. Communication is
giving; communication is generosity;
communication is respect; communication
means avoiding all types of discrimination.
I encourage you and the young people
of the world to continue sharing; young
people have great hearts.
Pope Francis finished his dialogue with
Cameron by asking God to bless him
and the young people of Australia.
11
SPANNING THE GLOBE
TANYA KING
$5 an hour, cash in hand, as a factory
assistant, driving forklifts and batching
orders. I feel doing casual work while
at school or on holidays helps create a
good work ethic.”
As any company
director will tell you,
running a business is
hard work. Old Boy
Lliam Ricketts has
never shied away
from hard work,
though, and is the
company director of two
successful companies –
Future Sustainability
and Supply Partners.
“My mother always said to me growing
up that ‘if a job is worth doing, it’s worth
doing well’. By applying this to every
task, small or large, you set an example
of how you would like things done.”
After leaving Nudgee College, Lliam
worked for small businesses in various
fields, which allowed him to experience
what running a business was like. He
combined this with his hospitality
experience to open his first business
in December, 2003, just two years after
finishing school.
Lliam attended Nudgee College from
1997–2001 (Years 8–12). He was on the
GPS Cross Country team and played
water polo. Like many students, Lliam
took advantage of Nudgee College’s
diverse academic pathways that allowed
him to combine academic studies and a
vocational qualification.
“The best decision I made while
at Nudgee College was attaining
recognised TAFE qualifications in
hospitality and engineering while
completing my senior certificate,” Lliam
said. “The flexibility to choose any
direction in schooling, whether it is
TAFE qualifications, OP, music, sport or
something else, is definitely the College’s
best attribute.”
Lliam’s work ethic was forged early. He
joined the workforce at the age of 13,
even though he said, “technically, the
legal working age is 14 years and nine
months.”
“I got my first job in Year 8. I got paid
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“Throughout most of my years at
Nudgee College I worked in restaurants
at night and on the weekend,” Lliam said.
“This led to my first business, a mobile
cafe called Espresso Break Co, which
I ran with two other Nudgee College
Old Boys. It was during this time that I
realised my passion was to become an
accomplished entrepreneur.
“During the drought in 2007 and 2008 I
started my second company, a rainwater
tank supply and installation business
called Versatanks, with another Nudgee
College Old Boy.
“In 2009 I restructured the company
with two new business partners and
rebranded the business to Future
Sustainability, an electrical contracting
company focused on supplying and
installing renewable energy and energyefficient products, such as solar systems,
renewable energy battery-storage
systems and LED lighting products.
“After installing more than 2500 solar
systems in homes and businesses
across Australia, we established strong
relationships with larger manufacturers.
This led to the birth of Supply Partners
in January, 2012. Supply Partners is a
national wholesale and distribution
company of solar products, renewable
energy battery-storage systems and LED
lighting products.”
Being the entrepreneur that he is, Lliam
enjoys working within the day-to-day
operations of his businesses, even with
the challenges that sometimes arise.
“As an active part of the team, as well
as a company director, I find myself
working in levels of the business,
from management meetings and
marketing plans, to sales and business
development, to operations,” he said. “At
times I even drive the forklift, loading
and unloading trucks in our distribution
centre.
“The renewable energy sector is a new
and growing one, and keeping up with
the market movements and demand
is a daily challenge. However, creating
two quality-focused, ethical, profitable
businesses has definitely been my
greatest achievement to date, careerwise.”
Lliam recently returned to Nudgee
College to assist with mock interviews
for Year 12 English Communication
students, something he has done for
the past three years. The College stages
mock interviews to prepare students for
this often nerve-wracking part of the job
application process.
Each student is interviewed by a
member of the community from their
intended field of employment and is
observed by a teacher. The guest and
teacher then provide formal feedback
for each individual. It is an integral part
of the Achieving Career Success unit and
is an invaluable learning experience for
the boys.
Not content with running his two
businesses, Lliam and his wife are now
looking to follow their passion for good
food by opening a whole-food cafe in
Brisbane, although Lliam does value his
spare time.
“I love getting out on my boat, enjoying
good food and wine and being an
energetic entrepreneur – thinking up
the next idea,” he said.
13
SPANNING THE GLOBE
TANYA KING
By his own admission,
Matthew Sneesby’s
interests while he was
at Nudgee College were
“different to the usual”.
Luckily for Matthew,
Nudgee College offers
opportunities for all
students to follow their
chosen path.
Unlike most of his classmates, Old Boy
Matthew Sneesby (NC 2007–11) didn’t
play much sport at Nudgee College
because his interest lay in art. Matthew
followed his passion and later this year
he will graduate from a Bachelor of Fine
Arts degree with a major in painting.
“At school, I had interests that were
different to the usual ones of a lot of the
students but I found my niche,” Matthew
said. “Getting involved in art and not
worrying about it – even though it
wasn’t the popular thing to do – was
definitely the best decision I made at
Nudgee College. Throwing myself into
my art really helped to set me up for
what I’m doing now.”
While Matthew always had an interest
in art, making a career out of it was not
something he wanted to do from a
young age.
“When I was younger, I went to art
shows and exhibitions but I didn’t realise
my interest until I was in about Year 10,”
he said. “That’s when I started to warm
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to the idea. My mum and Gregg Elliot,
the staff member who probably had the
most influence in terms of my current
studies with the time, enthusiasm and
commitment he put in, really supported
me. In Year 11 I was fairly set on an art
career, or life path really, as it is a lifestyle.”
For some, building a career in a field that
does not have a guaranteed pathway
could be seen as a risk. However,
Matthew is committed to building a
future in the art industry.
“It is a struggle as there’s no set path or
job at the end of the course like with
some degrees. You need to be selfdriven to find a path to success,” he said.
“I am still very early in my career and it’s
a very slow process. You have to bang
your head a lot to get anywhere but I’m
doing things that others aren’t because
I’m committed to building a life in art.
“Ultimately, I’d like to be represented by
a gallery or involved in art in Brisbane,
broader Australia or internationally. Art
opens up lots of paths so being involved
in art could be as an artist or within
businesses related to art or galleries.
That’s how I’ll self-assess my career
success.”
While Matthew “loves everything about
art” he also admits you need to have
a “thick skin” in order to deal with the
criticism working in such a subjective
industry ultimately brings.
“The actual making of art I adore but
it is an incredibly personal moment.
It is just you and the paint,” Matthew
said. “That process then continues
with shows or exhibitions, which is a
completely incredible aspect as well. The
art community is a vast group filled with
interesting and smart people.
“However, you can’t please everyone.
If you enjoy what you’re doing, people
will find you and will hopefully offer
constructive criticism or ask questions
about why you are doing it. As a
professional, I’m learning to answer and
deal with that as I go.”
At the end of the year, Matthew will
participate in the Queensland College
of Art Grad Show at South Bank
where he will exhibit “several pieces of
independent artwork”. A gallery at West
End has also approached him about
being involved in a group show.
“My degree has gone so quickly that I’ve
applied to do honours next year where
I will be involved in research about the
arts,” he said.
“I’m also working with my housemate
on an Artist Run Initiative (ARI) called
Ratio Gallery, to open in Milton next
year. The ARI will be run and owned by
us and we will open the applications up
to emerging artists in Brisbane to have
shows in the gallery. Eventually we will
have our own art shows there too, but
we want to open it up to others and
have a couple of their shows first.”
Matthew’s advice to current Nudgee
College students is to “get involved”.
“Five years leaves a lot of imprints but
the importance of being part of the
community, which Nudgee College
emphasises, was the biggest for me.
It definitely benefited me as it is so
important in the art scene to get
involved and enjoy your time where you
can.
“Obviously, there will be things you don’t
want to do but there will always be
something you enjoy. At the end of Year
12, I thought, ‘Wow, that went quick’, and
now, at the end of my degree, I’m saying
again, ‘Wow, that went quick’.”
15
NUDGEE COLLEGE HISTORY
DR MARTIN KERBY
To us in Australia, who follow with interest and pride the grandeur and the
glory of the development of the work of the Congregation in other lands...
Nudgee epitomises all that is of best repute in other lands. The noble pile of
buildings that crown the Nudgee hill attracts the attention of every traveller,
by land, sea, or air as he approaches Brisbane... Its silver domes glistening
in the brilliant sunshine; its four hundred acres of playing fields and bushland;
the old Nudgee Creek glinting in its placid beauty as it sluggishly flows to
join the Brisbane River; surely earth holds nothing more fair.
Brother Ryan is rightly regarded as our
greatest headmaster. Though the author
of Brother Ryan’s necrology may well
have given into emotion while penning
this tribute to him, he was right in
devoting the first two pages to Nudgee
College as, for over half a century, in a
period stretching from 1894 until his
death in 1949, Nudgee College was his
spiritual home.
Ryan was born in Knockainy, County
Limerick, in 1872, and was educated by
the Christian Brothers at Doon. Professed
in 1890, he arrived in Australia shortly
after in October of the same year and
would make his final profession in 1898.
Ryan was sent first to Balmain where
he stayed until March, 1894, when he
was sent to Nudgee College, then in
its fourth year. The College he arrived
at was a world away from the one he
would last see in 1948, and a universe
away from the one that stands there
still in the second decade of the 21st
century.
The only portion of the property that
had been cleared of the giant gums
and eucalypts was around the original
part of the Treacy building, with the
rest of what is the modern campus still
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DECEMBER 2014
covered in forest and dense scrub, while
the lowland near the creek comprised
impassable mangrove. Ryan left after five
months for the “more congenial Gregory
Terrace”.
At Terrace Ryan was the Senior Brother
of those under Annual Vows, and here,
as elsewhere, he took no part in sport,
though he would later pursue sporting
triumphs at Nudgee College with a
single-mindedness remarkable even
for this bastion of sporting prowess.
After three and a half years at Terrace,
Ryan returned to Nudgee College in
January, 1898. In April, 1902, he was
made Superior for the new foundation
in Charters Towers, where he presented
students for the Public Examinations of
the University of Sydney as there was no
comparable opportunity in Queensland.
From there he was transferred to
Rockhampton in February, 1911, where
he met with similar success.
In 1916 he arrived at Nudgee College
for his first stint as headmaster. The
College would remain as he left it for
a generation. The author of his
necrology searched history for a
precedent for such a leader and his
influence on his “realm”.
Historians refer to the long and
successful reign of Louis XIV as an
epoch or an era. And when we seek
reasons for such terms, we find
them in the character and person
of the king himself, in the idea and
theory of kingship, in his absolutism
and autocracy, and in the grandeur
of the achievements which
characterised these years. And,
indeed, there are many parallelisms
in the period on which we now
enter, for Br Columban was in many
respects “le grand monarque”,
and the years of his successive
Superiorships became an era... the
grandeur and magnificence of
his concept became objectified
in Nudgee itself, and, under him,
Nudgee reached a pinnacle from
which, thank God, it has never
receded.
During this period Ryan opened the
Magee Chapel, Dunne (now Duhig)
Building, finished the Main (now Ross)
Oval and the TC Beirne gates, as well
as presiding over the formation of the
Nudgee College Old Boys Association.
His first absence from Nudgee College
during this period was a one-year
appointment to Charters Towers in 1922,
during which time his loyal deputy
Tierney assumed the headmastership.
A second one-year break in 1924 was
the result of Ryan becoming the first of
the Brothers of the Australian Province
to return to Ireland on a holiday. In
1928, he returned to Charters Towers
before beginning his final stint at
Nudgee College in 1931. When he was
succeeded by O’Neill at the end of
1933, he stayed on at Nudgee College
as bursar and he later filled the same
role in Perth at St Aquinas from April,
1937. In recognition of his contribution
to Nudgee College, he was permitted
to return to the College to celebrate his
Golden Jubilee in July, 1939. After a short
return to the West, he transferred to
Nudgee Junior in March, 1941, and from
there he became the Provincial Bursar at
Strathfield in 1944. He died at Lewisham
Hospital on 16 January, 1949.
As a man he lacked humour; in culture
he recognised only one tune, God Save
the Queen, and, as an Irishman, he
despised it. He had no knowledge of
sport and had not the least knowledge
of even the most basic of rules. Yet
he inspired affection, even love in
those who understood his deep and
abiding love for the College. In 1950
his biographer, writing for men well
acquainted with his foibles, suggested
that he was in heaven still celebrating
his connection with Nudgee College.
Perhaps less emotively, the College
history notes that his leadership was
such a success that Nudgee College has
“since worn JC Ryan as a second skin, as
he had once worn the College”.
For those who are convinced that
history does indeed repeat itself, the
departure of Daryl Hanly after 13 years at
the helm should hold few terrors. For it
was just over a century ago the College
bade farewell to another iconic leader
in the form of Br Bernard Felix Magee. If
the community feared that the Magee
years might be a summit never again
conquered, the arrival of Brother Ryan in
1916 for the first of his four stints should
have been evidence enough of the folly
of that view.
Shakespeare may well have been right
when he argued that “All the world’s
a stage, And all the men and women
merely players; They have their exits and
their entrances”. Daryl Hanly received his
well-deserved praise at his farewell mass
on 11 November, 2014, before exiting
the stage that he dominated for more
than one-tenth of the College’s history.
He leaves it as Magee and Ryan did... far
stronger for his presence but prepared
for the future.
17
ST JOSEPH’S NUDGEE COLLEGE
Each year all St Joseph’s Nudgee College Year 10 students participate
in a week-long Immersion Program, which allows them to explore
the concept of social justice through an area that interests them.
“The Immersion Program allows our
students to answer the call of Jesus
and to stand in solidarity with the
marginalised, and thus live out the call
to build a better world for all,” said Dean
of Identity Ms Erin Wedge.
“This compulsory program offers
students the opportunity to step outside
their comfort zone and interact with
those who are poor and oppressed,
to hear stories of those from different
backgrounds, to stand in solidarity with
the Earth and develop feelings of their
own value and individuality. It also seeks
to foster a sense of empathy within each
student.
“At its core, the program facilitates
the understanding that service is the
movement from charity to justice.
It provides real and appropriate
experiences for students, where they
have the chance to experience faith in
action in an area that is meaningful to
them.”
Following are reflections from students
on each of the experiences.
Behind the Wire
Kha Truong
On the first day, we were excited and
eager for what the day had for us.
We had the pleasure of welcoming
guest speakers who had close and
intimate experiences with refugees.
After listening to the guest speakers,
we headed off to Mu’ooz restaurant,
which is run entirely by refugees. We ate
foods like curries, rice and bread before
listening to the restaurant owner’s story
and the struggles she faced coming to
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Australia. It was a different experience
and the food was great.
Brisbane at the Margins
The day after, we arrived at Milperra
State School. We were nervous around
the students during class time, but when
it was lunch time it was a completely
different story. The definite highlight for
me was playing lunchtime soccer with
the students. Everyone got along and
we had good competition and friendly
rivalry for both days whilst we were
there. On the last day of our immersion,
we left for the Kedron Indoor Sports
Centre to play sport with, and get to
know, the Bhutanese community.
During this immersion we got to
experience a lifestyle that most of
us would not understand and we
witnessed first-hand what some of
Brisbane city’s homeless go through
each and every day. On the first day we
headed off to the 139 Club, which is
a homeless drop-in centre that opens
every day of the year in the Valley. This
club not only provides a free meal
but it also gives the homeless people
something to do. I was shocked to
notice that most of the homeless people
didn’t match my stereotype, with some
not much older than I am.
During the week I learnt to be more
thankful for the things that I’m blessed
with and lucky to have. I want others
to know that whatever you have, you
should cherish it, because someone out
there is doing worse.
Cooper Harland
On the second day we went in to the
city and wandered around by ourselves
with no phones or money, just as
the children and with the kids in the
kindergarten next door.
On our way back to the capital city, we
stopped by St Paul’s Institute, which
is a university set up by Bishop Olivier.
The university is primarily focused
on teaching vocational skills and has
brilliant facilities with good support from
foreign entities.
In Phnom Penh, we visited the national
museum, a Buddhist pagoda and the
Killing Fields, where people deemed to
be traitors of the Khmer Rouge were
taken to be killed. We also went to the
Toul Sleng genocide museum, spent
time at the Maryknoll Centre, which
assists people living with HIV/AIDS,
homeless people do. Walking past shops
with no money is frustrating and you
soon start to develop a temptation to
steal something. Later that night we had
a sleep out and slept in swags that the
school rolls.
At the end of the week we spent two
days at the Flexi School in Paddington,
where disadvantaged youth can catch
up on education that they’ve missed
out on. One thing I learnt from visiting
these places is not to judge someone
by their appearance. Some of the kids
that are at the Flexi School come from
very disadvantaged backgrounds, some
are young parents and others have
simply been neglected by their parents.
It is important for students at Nudgee
College to understand that going to
school is a privilege in itself.
Cambodia
Lachlan Green
Myself, five other boys and four teachers
visited Cambodia for two weeks. We flew
into Phnom Penh for the night before
travelling south to Kampot where we
stayed at one of the few small parishes
with Catholic missionary priest Father
Guan Luca. While spending time with
Father Luca we bonded with students
from the local school and attended small
masses. The people of Cambodia are
very friendly and always welcome a new
face – as long as you’re prepared to play
a few games of soccer and basketball.
The next few days and nights were
spent in and around St Francois school
where we met Bishop Olivier and
attended some English classes. We also
visited a centre that cares for disabled
children and spent some time with
19
and headed out of town to the Marist
Brothers-run Lavella School for children
with severe disabilities.
Our final stop, Siem Reap, was a fairly
tame and somewhat touristy experience
but still full of the Khmer culture that all
of us had grown to love. We spent plenty
of time at the temples of Angkor, huge
stone monuments and buildings that
are over 800 years old – truly wonders of
the ancient world.
Northey Street
Sebastian Holland
The immersion was a great, eye-opening
experience that changed the way I see
and treat the environment. When we
were helping out at the community
garden, we were told how locally grown
food is the best option for you because
it is healthier and it tastes better, too.
When we go to the supermarket, do we
really know where the food has come
from or if it was genetically grown?
How food is grown is a big part of our
health. We should start growing and
making our own food because, right
now, that’s the only way to find out if
it’s freshly grown, plus we should be
growing more plants and trees.
On the second day we went to visit
people’s houses to see how they lived
and how they were growing their food.
This gave us the opportunity to find
out how we could grow our own food
at home. On the third day we went to
the community garden and Jedd Darcy
and I built a large herb garden. On the
last day we went to an aquaponics area,
where we learnt new and interesting
ways to grow our fruits and veggies
and had our minds blown away at how
they were farming fish and food. They
showed us around and told us how
everything worked. The way they were
growing their food was just awesome.
This immersion was interesting and I had
fun. I learnt some new things and now
have a garden at home where we are
growing our own tomatoes.
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Country Exchange
Sam Bray
In August, five Nudgee College men
departed Brisbane and headed west.
For kilometre after kilometre all that
filled the eye was dry barren land, until
we arrived in the small rural town of
St George, where we were greeted by
the principal of St George High School
before partnering up with a Year 10 boy
who we would homestay with for the
next four days.
During our time in St George we spent
time in classes at the high school,
took a tour of the local dam and water
system, played indoor sports with some
of the Aboriginal boys and girls at the
Community Centre, and travelled to
a property about 45min west of town
alongside a Year 12 Agricultural class.
There we completed soil and water tests,
which provided us with some great
knowledge of the land, found out how
the property operated and learnt about
future plans and about the heritage of
the site.
On the Wednesday, sales manager Rick
gave us an exclusive tour of Vanderfield
Machinery. The tour gave us a good
idea of the costs involved with running
a farm, with some machinery required
costing up to a million dollars.
After spending time with our new
friends in St George, it was our turn to
play host when the boys we had stayed
with came to Brisbane. For three days
we toured around the city and South
Bank, went to the Pyjama Foundation
function at Movie World, visited the Ekka
and cheered on Nudgee College teams
playing BBC in rugby and basketball
games.
Buru
Zac Dawes
In the dark, early hours of the morning
where tents stand together in an army
and teenage boys have just started
stirring
it won’t be long before they turn barmy.
Kids Connecting
Tom Jefferies
The Kids Connecting immersion was
an emotional and physical journey that
put me well outside my comfort zone.
This immersion was an eye-opening
experience that really helped me
spiritually. It was hard to believe that
there are little children at our doorstep
that have gone through things in their
life that no kid should.
On the first day, we set out to Zillmere
State School and we didn’t really know
what to expect. As soon as we got there,
we were welcomed by all of the kids and
the teaching staff. The children couldn’t
take their eyes off us and all they wanted
to talk about was us and our school.
We helped with their Maths lesson
before having lunch where the kids
talked about their buddies and whose
were better.
The highlight of the immersion was the
day trip to Movie World where we were
partnered up again with our buddies
and were sent out in three big groups
to go on the rides. It was great to see
the children having fun together and
conquering their fears by going outside
their comfort zone. This immersion
experience will definitely stick with me
throughout my time at Nudgee College
and into later life as it made me realise
just how lucky I truly am.
So “Team 3” is pulled out of their tent
to get breakfast ready with great haste.
Then the teachers yell the boys’
favourite word
and all the boys ran and raced.
But not only did we help them,
they were inclined to return the gesture.
They took us to their sacred lands
which really were a treasure.
We saw the native life
from snakes to spiders.
They showed us nearly everything
even though we were outsiders.
They told us lots of stories.
They even made us laugh.
They impressed the many kids
and even most of the staff.
So in a line, they came,
prepared for what was served up.
Everyone knew the rules.
“Grab a bowl, spoon and a cup.”
But when all the fun
and all the games were over,
they shared facts and stories
that hit us like a boulder.
They grab their camp chairs
and gather around the fire,
singing in tune with the guitar
in some sort of choir.
And at Laura State School
where kids were destroying clichés
by being the nation’s best readers
the principal wanted them to leave, and
go other ways
Once breakfast was finished,
and boys were prepped for the day,
we all started our walk,
which would usually take all day
Once we arrived at Laura,
we went straight to the school.
The boys snuck into the class,
and the kids thought we were “cool”.
We helped them with a lot.
We helped the kids to learn.
Until the day was gone
we helped them each in turn.
Then we were packed up
and shipped off to Buru
for a 20-kilometre hike
which we all had to do.
We stayed there for a while
helping the elders fixing their shed.
We also had to landscape
which left us half-dead.
But aside from all the building
and all of the hard labor
they let us into their personal lives
and we got to do them favours.
And beneath the elders’ smiles and
happiness,
beneath the elders’ cheekiness and fun,
they were worried about their culture
that their stories and legacy were done.
But overall, it was a great trip
And we all became great friends.
But just like all great and joyous times
the time just has to end.
Philippines
Ian Trinh
The “Pag-Inupdanay with Spirit”
immersion was definitely an eye-opener
for me because of what I saw.
The first thing that struck me was the
slums. To say the least, the slums were
overcrowded and dirty. Despite this, we
were all surprised as the people living
there had little to no material goods
but were still very happy. The lack of
material goods was compensated by
unconditional love for their guests and
amazing hospitality.
21
The second eye-opener was Anawim.
Anawim is a deaf orphanage on the
Island of Negros (the island where we
stayed for the majority of our Philippines
immersion), which is run by one person.
Before going to Anawim, I knew that it
would definitely be an experience, to
say the least. What I didn’t know was
that it would be heart-warming. I learnt
that the person who runs Anawim didn’t
have any training beforehand and that
the kids are there for two reasons:
1. They were abandoned because their
families thought their deafness was
a curse by God because of their
highly religious background, and
2. The families didn’t have the money
to take care of them because of their
special needs.
Overall, this immersion was amazing. I
thought that the “Pag-Inupdanay with
Spirit” immersion really lived up to its
name: Bringing everyone together,
from different cultures. It brought us
Nudgee College boys together with the
local boys who came from the outlying
schools. It was an experience that can
never be replaced. Whenever you get
the chance to do an immersion that’s
culturally fulfilling, grasp it with both
hands as it may only come once.
Pyjama Foundation
Michael O’Sullivan
This immersion centred on us working
with children aged 8–13 in foster
care and supported by the Pyjama
Foundation. The Pyjama Foundation
sends volunteers out to read to foster
children every week and help them with
maths and homework. This improves the
kids’ reading skills massively and really
aids them at school.
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The 14 foster kids we met on the
immersion were ranging in age and
confidence levels. They all have their
own background and story. It was the
Nudgee College student’s job to make
them feel both special and wanted. We
took them to the beach and played
sports with them, took them to the
Flipside Circus and to Australia Zoo. All
of the foster kids responded with joy and
excitement, clearly showing that the task
was being fulfilled. One particular boy
Noah, aged 9, said that I was his best
friend; and I had known Noah for only
three days!
The Pyjama Foundation gets most
of its money from grants and events.
You can help the Pyjama Foundation
by getting involved in its events and
donating if you wish. All the Nudgee
College students that were part of the
immersion also attended the pyjama
party at Movie World. Please support this
worthy cause to make a difference in
these kids’ lives.
Survival in the
Majority World
Finn Diggles
From Nudgee College we drove southwest until the number of houses and
the quality of the road slowly trickled
away and the scenery became a dirt
road with no houses. We eventually
came to a point where the bus could
no longer proceed and we had to walk
with our big packs while the teachers
drove in all the food and tents. The hike
was really cool as there were all of these
little creeks that were mostly bone dry
because there has not been much rain.
When we reached camp, we were told
to set up our tents before performing
our last chore for the day – digging the
toilet (this was the first of many!).
The following days became freezing
cold nights, and we had several hikes
across various terrain and lessons in how
to make fire, a bed and a shelter.
My five days of immersion was one of
the best experiences in my life. I loved
the feeling of standing in solidarity
with the earth and being able to be a
valuable and reliable member of the
camp. Meeting Sam, the Aboriginal
elder who took us on a hike and showed
us how to use the plants to help us
fix injuries and keep cuts clean, was a
highlight. Although Sam had struggled
with formal education, his knowledge
and understanding of the land was
brilliant. Reflecting on feeling cold every
night when we were trying to fall asleep
helped foster in me a sense of empathy
for those who are not as fortunate as
us, those who are homeless through
war, country of birth or broken homes.
My experience on this immersion was
invaluable.
back to the city and all around. When we
eventually got down, we were treated
to an 8-kilometre hike back to where
the troop carriers were parked. After we
got back to camp, we picked up a few
wooden boards and then headed out to
what was called the desert, a parting in
the trees that was completely covered in
sand. We walked across the dunes until
we got to the biggest one of them all.
We took the boards up to the top and
then for the next hour we flung down
the dunes at lighting speeds. There
were a few stunning stacks and falls but
everyone got out fine.
Starlight
Calvin Jaques
For our immersion experience, three
other boys and I went into the Children’s
Mater Hospital to work with the Starlight
Foundation. The immersion was a oncein-a-lifetime experience and an eyeopening adventure. Nudgee College
is the only school that is privileged
enough to work with the Starlight
Foundation, so to be allowed to go into
the Starlight room and work with the
Starlight captains one must be truly
grateful.
On the first day I was unsure of what to
expect and what would be expected of
me. However, after walking through a
huge floor-to-roof pivot door, painted
the most vibrant red you could imagine,
and meeting the Starlight captains, all
my worries disappeared. The reassurance
they provide is amazing.
At the Starlight room we were tasked
with multiple small jobs to do if not
helping children to enjoy themselves.
A massive wall sketch of the Dr Seuss
characters had been drawn and taped
up. It was our job in our spare time
to paint this the best we could. While
we tried our hardest, we soon found
ourselves being outdone by some of the
children who were extremely eager to
try their hand. Other activities included
painting and sand drawings, playing
musical instruments or providing a
partner for PlayStation games. The
Starlight room also has a radio broadcast
centre to ensure those children in the
wards unable to come to the room were
not left out.
Each day when we broke for lunch we
would have to ask the kids to leave for
a while and the big red door would be
closed. Having to ask children to leave
the place where they are having joy and
return to reality was by far the hardest
and saddest part of the immersion. In
saying that, nothing was more joyful
than seeing their expressions when the
door opened again and we welcomed
them back.
Walking the Land
Tyler Cotter
I would recommend the Walking the
Land immersion as one of the greatest
immersions to do when you reach Year
10. You can really feel the connection
of Aboriginal culture and history.
Despite being an Aboriginal myself, I
had never tasted traditional Aboriginal
foods of kangaroo, crocodile and emu
before. These foods are the history of
animals that roamed Australia when the
Aboriginal people made the land their
home.
On one of the days, we got to hear the
history of Brisbane from Uncle Joe. He
told us stories of Aboriginal people in
Brisbane, how they became slaves and
about the stolen generation.
The most amazing day was when we
went to the Gold Coast and met up
with an Aboriginal couple who own
a canoeing place. They took us out
to South Stradbroke where we had
to canoe from one island to the next,
stopping at each one and being told
a story. Some of these were incredible,
especially the one told by the Aboriginal
wife about her involvement in the
terrible Stolen Generation when she
was younger. This was a hard story for
her to tell and she had tears streaming
from her eyes. We sat there feeling so
bad for her but it was one of the most
memorable days ever.
Walking the Land immersion is a great
one, especially hanging with friends
while learning about another culture all
learning about my own.
Wild Mob Moorgumpin
Jack Jordan
The third day saw us at an isolated
cove that was sheeted in litter that had
washed up from the mainland. On the
way there we carried jerry cans filled
with water and fertiliser as well as small
trees to plant in an erosion-prone area.
Wild Mob Woonoongoora
Pierce Braithwaite
When we first arrived
we didn’t know how it would end
For us it was just camping
in the forest with a friend
But as we saw the people
and the beauty of the land
we started to see it was
more than dirt and sand
Seeing the mountain ranges
and the tops of tall trees
was almost enough to bring
tears to eyes and shakes to knees
I think the one thing
the most that I took
was the beauty of nature
you can’t experience from a book
And as the feelings of serenity
and happiness grew
it soon became clear
what I had to do
Our immersion took us to a campsite
just off the beautiful beaches of Moreton
Island. We set up our tents and by about
one o’clock we found ourselves on a
strip of beach cluttered with rubbish and
a weed called Prickly Pear. Some found
great abundances of the weed while
others found next to nothing. When we
got back we had a quick swim in the
freezing ocean just by camp but were
out within 10 minutes. As night fell we
returned to our tents for, what we felt,
was a well-earned rest.
I’d done a bit of weeding
but it was only just the start
of helping the environment
and helping do my part
The second day we were taken to Mt
Tempest. After about a half an hour’s
hike we were at the top. The view was
completely breathtaking, you could see
And maybe, just maybe,
instead of being paved
these gorgeous, beautiful forests
can instead be saved
Now, hard work and spirit
I must employ
to save this place
that has given me such joy
So I ask you to come
and see nature’s art
Take in the scenery
or help and do your part
23
JUNIOR SCHOOL
CHRIS CAWLEY
One of the many
highlights for boys
in the Junior School
is their annual camp.
Below is a summary
of what the boys got
up to this year.
Year 5
The Year 5 students thoroughly enjoyed
their camp at the end of Term 2. We
were blessed with superb weather
throughout the duration of the camp
and the surrounds were beautiful. It
was the first Nudgee College camp
experience for the boys and, for some,
their very first camp. The students had
the chance to sleep in cabins with
their classmates and enjoy this new
experience.
During the camp the students were
involved in a number of activities that
were designed to challenge them
physically and encourage them to take
risks in a safe environment. They were
required to work as a team and use their
strengths to achieve a team objective.
24
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
At times, the students were placed in
situations outside their comfort zones
to allow for personal development and
growth. The activities included the sugar
glider, obstacle course, orienteering,
survival skills, Mt Tuchekoi hike, raft
building, camp fire, and peacemaking
skills.
There were many highlights with the
most popular being the mud run in the
obstacle course and the Mt Tuchekoi
hike which had amazing views over the
Mary Valley. It was a fantastic experience
for the students and they are to be
commended for their willingness to try
new activities and the respectful way
they interacted with their peers, camp
and College staff.
Year 5 Camp was the best camp I have
been to in my life, because the raft-building
activity was so much fun, even though the
water was freezing.” (Henry Coronis, 5H)
I found camp great, but the food wasn’t
up to the standard my mum feeds me.
Even though I tore my muscle and I was on
crutches, I enjoyed camp as much as my
friends. (Riley Granger, 5T)
Year 6
Year 6 headed to the idyllic location of
Alexander Headland for their camp. The
weather was perfect and the boys threw
themselves into the numerous activities
with gusto. As with the Year 5 camp, the
Year 6 students were challenged to step
outside their comfort zone. Standing 10
metres above the ground on milk crates
or flying 20 metres above the ground
on a flying fox are not your everyday
experiences for an 11-year-old. The boys
excelled in supporting each other in
group activities and the bonds formed
between friends will endure for years to
come.
At night we had a great deal of fun
in a number of activities and had the
pleasure of watching the second State
of Origin game live. Can I say, with some
regret, I was glad to see NSW win as
the boys went to bed in silence and
disbelief, and a quiet night ensued.
The Year 6 camp was a great success
due to the dedication of the staff
who attended and the way the boys
completed each activity. I thank the staff
of Higher Ground for their professional
approach to the activities provided and
also to the number of College staff who
gave of their time to aid our students in
this experience.
Last year’s camp I thought was great but
this year’s camp beats Year 5 camp by
miles – this camp was PERFECT. All the staff
were welcoming and made us achieve
goals we didn’t even think of. Also this
camp gave us great laughs because of
karaoke and the State of Origin loss. Above
all, everybody had an amazing time. Thank
you for the best three days and two nights
of my life, and no other camp can beat it.
Thanks everybody who made this perfect.
(Cooper Tamer, 6S)
25
NUDGEE COLLEGE NARRATIVE
26
participated in NAIDOC Week activities
with a trivia morning tea, professional
development with Georgina Kadel from
BCEC, breakfast with discussions from
our Mog-wi-dan students, a movie
afternoon and didgeridoo playing each
morning at Vic’s Café.
Swagtember
NAIDOC Week
A group of St Joseph’s Nudgee College
students joined TV celebrities, hotel
workers, council staff and others in
a swag roll-off in September to help
launch Street Swags Swagtember
campaign.
Nudgee College celebrated NAIDOC
Week in August with several activities
that feted our Indigenous culture. The
official NAIDOC Week was 6–13 July,
but being school holidays, the College
moved their celebrations to August.
Swagtember is an online fundraiser
that aims to raise much-needed funds
for homeless charity Street Swags.
The launch event also aimed to raise
awareness about the growing number
of Australians experiencing or falling
vulnerable to homelessness.
“National Aborigines and Islanders Day
Observance Committee, otherwise
known as NAIDOC, is the celebration
of our Indigenous cultures and the
opportunity to recognise and celebrate
the contributions of Indigenous
Australians,” said Dean of Identity Ms Erin
Wedge.
Tournament of Minds
As seasoned swag-rolling professionals,
the Nudgee College students easily
rolled more than double the number
of swags than the corporate teams in
the 10-minute period to again win the
“trophy”.
The week’s activities included
Indigenous students beginning the
prayer liturgy at assembly with dance as
well as lunchtime Aboriginal storytelling
and dance, didgeridoo workshops
and Indigenous painting. Staff also
This year Nudgee College entered
two Tournament of Minds teams,
combining boys from Years 6 and 7. This
competition allows the boys to develop
their teamwork and creative skills to
complete a chosen long-term challenge
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
Nudgee College also welcomed the
Trading Circle to Vic’s Café for the week,
where staff and students were able
to purchase Indigenous gifts from all
over the world supporting Indigenous
cultures and providing income for
people living in poverty.
and a shorter, unseen, spontaneous
challenge.
The boys chose to be entered in the
Applied Technology and Social Sciences
categories.
The Social Sciences boys presented a
case to the International Court of Justice
for, and against, a claim for the removal
of a national icon to another country. An
interesting case was made for moving
the Leaning Tower of Pisa from its
historical home in Italy!
The Applied Technology team
developed the idea of a new type of
contact lens – “Eye Cam” – which would
take a photo every time you blinked.
They presented this device through
both digital and performance formats.
The boys won their regional final and
took part in the state final in September.
Category 1
Jenny Cass
(The Long Paddock)
Category 2
Mela Cooke
(Take it if you can)
Category 3
Mary Ann Bland
(The Damselfly)
DimensionsNC
The annual DimensionsNC Art Festival
was held in August and was another
great success with more art, more art
sales, better food, a wider drinks menu
and incredible entertainment (both
student and professional) than ever
before. Judging this year’s winning
entries was again managed by Margaret
Campbell-Ryder, owner of Red Hill
Gallery. Margaret viewed over 300 pieces
of student and local amateur art before
selecting the following winners:
This year’s feature artists, Kylie Farrelly
and Amanda Russian, captivated guests
with their beautiful paintings. The artists
have very different styles but each has
their own fan base and they were happy
to see the red dots appearing next to
their artworks during the course of the
evening.
Guests were entertained during the gala
evening by NC Voices, NC Big Band and
27
Rock Bands 1 and 2. During Saturday,
visitors heard talented guitar/vocal and
NC String students, while on Sunday,
piano and cello students entertained
visitors to the exhibition.
Congratulations
In July, at the official launch of
Queensland’s Catholic Education Week,
long-serving staff member Mr Brian
O’Reilly was honoured with a 2014 Spirit
of Catholic Education Award.
Brian has been a member of staff at
Nudgee College for more than 30 years.
He has held a variety of positions, both
in the teaching and boarding areas. He
is an active member of the Social Justice
Team, as well as a senior boarding
supervisor and the Head of the Cattle
Club.
Brian was nominated for initiating a
program or activity in response to a
need. In 1989, Brian initiated the Big
BBQ and Big Brekky programs which,
with College student participation,
provide meals to the homeless and
marginalised around Brisbane. Brian’s
extensive involvement in local and
overseas community support includes
Street Swags, conservation groups and
an overseas employment-based charity
in Cambodia.
Brian received his award from the
Premier of Queensland, the Hon
Campbell Newman MP. The Minister for
Education, Training and Employment,
the Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, also
attended the launch event and delivered
an address.
Stella Fella Bow Tie Day
In August, Nudgee College staff
and students wore bow ties to raise
awareness of women across the globe
who are subjected to violence that no
one should be forced to endure.
Nudgee College, in conjunction with
other ERA For Change schools, has
28
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
stepped up as an advocate for antiviolence towards women and human
trafficking.
All funds raised from “Stella Fella Bow
Tie Friday” went to the Salvation Army’s
Trafficking and Slavery Safe House – a
refuge for all women who seek to feel
safe from abuse or harm. The “Stella Fella”
campaign is aimed at young men and
challenges them to engage others in
ending all forms of violence that most
Australian’s don’t realise takes place in
our country.
A “Stella Fella” is not only someone who
can respect a woman, but someone
who will fight for the rights of females
and stand up to their disrespectful
treatment. All women should be
treated the way one would expect their
grandmother, mother, sister or girlfriend
to be treated; with dignity and respect.
Global Youth Challenge
In November, a group of Year 11
Business students represented Nudgee
College at the Global Youth Challenge
at Brisbane’s City Hall. The competition,
which was held the weekend prior to
the G20 in Brisbane, allows international
students in their final two years of high
school to challenge their English skills
and business acumen.
Campbell Brendish, Jamie Browne,
Nick Debnam, Josh Mills, Nick Neroni,
Ben Rada Martin, Heath Trotman, and
Adam Wagner spent the majority of the
weekend gaining valuable experience
in leadership and communication. One
team managed to take out second
place for the ‘country’ they represented,
bringing home some very nice
silverware to add to the trophy cabinet.
All students agreed it was a worthwhile
and enjoyable experience.
29
ANTHONY CONNELLAN
The College were runners-up in the 1st
XV premiership but 16 teams finished
the season undefeated and there were
some outstanding representative
achievements from our boys.
The 2014 Nudgee
College rugby season
proved to be very
successful in terms of
participation and results
in the GPS competitions.
The College entered
40 rugby teams with
approximately 725 boys
playing, all representing
the College with great
spirit and pride.
30
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
The new-look Years 5–12 GPS season
saw a positive change for rugby with all
our teams playing in Term 3. This created
some great home days at Nudgee
College, with games involving U10s
through to Opens.
Our rugby program aims to develop the
core skills of rugby and instil values of
teamwork and fair play. It encourages all
boys to do their best and, whether win,
lose or draw, develop as young men. It
also strives to provide an opportunity for
boys to become match officials and for
coaches to develop their coaching skills
in a competitive environment.
This season, 82 coaches and age
coordinators were involved in our
program with an important balance of
teaching staff, boarding staff, Old Boys,
current students and parents. All worked
extremely hard to provide the best
experience for their teams. Many were
involved in our coach-development
program, focusing on the core skills of
ball carry, tackle, breakdown and attack.
We had six coaches gain their Level 1
accreditation and one coach complete
Level 2 accreditation.
With the change of rugby season to
Term 3 now in its second year, Nudgee
College put in place two optional
development programs to ensure the
boys continue to be as well prepared
as possible. In the April holidays, 130
boys participated in our first highperformance camp, which involved 16 of
our most experienced coaches planning
and presenting our Nudgee College
Rugby Core Skills program. This proved
to be a brilliant start to our season and
provided excellent grounding for players
to take back to their teams.
In Term 2, we ran a nine-week
development program for any boys
wishing to attend. The focus was on
basic skills, and all coaches did two
professional development sessions
to deliver the Core Skill program from
the April high-performance camp. The
aim of the development program was
to provide an enjoyable experience
that focuses on safety and skills
development. This program is very much
in its infancy and will continue to grow
and improve next season.
Highlights of our season included:


Undefeated teams: the 16 teams
that were undefeated in
competition rounds were: Open
3rd XV, Open 4th XV, Open 5th XV,
Under 15Ds, Under 14A’s, Under
14Bs, Under 14Cs, Under 14 Whites,
Under 14 Reds, Under 13Ds, Under
13 Blues, Under 13 Whites, Under
11A’s, Under 11Cs, Under 10A’s,
and Under 10Bs. This is an
outstanding achievement and
congratulations must go to the boys
and coaches of these teams.
The following boys were selected in
Australia or Queensland
representative teams (players are
named in highest honour):
Australian Schools – Reece Hewat,
Gavin Luka and Alex Mafi;
Queensland Schools – Eli Pilz, Tyrone
Hussey, Calvin Pritchard, Agassi
Stowers, and Jackson Evans.

Round 5 v TSS was our Opens on
Ross Oval day and Nudgee College
won from the Open 6th XV through
to the 1st XV.

The Under 14A’s were the winners
of the For and Against trophy, with
362 points for and only 26 points
against and a points differential of
42 per game. Congratulations to the
players and coaches, Mr Chris Lake
and Mr Kieran Prideaux. Second
place went to the Under 13Ds while
third place was a tie between the
Open 3rd XV and Under 11Cs.

With the addition of the Junior
School teams in Term 3, we had our
biggest home day in recent
memory, with 39 games played at
Nudgee College in Round 5 on
10 ovals.

Nudgee College Rugby Gala Ball –

The event was an outstanding night
of great entertainment and fun. The
special guest was All Black and New
Zealand 7s legend Eric Rush, whose
stories of rugby had the whole
room in fits of laughter. As usual
MC and Nudgee College Old Boy
David “Luttsy” Lutteral was in fine
form with his dry wit.
mention of Dan Dalton, who concludes
his official association with Nudgee
College rugby this year. Dan has been
president of the Rugby Support Group
for the past two years and treasurer for
a number of years prior. He has made
an enormous contribution to the rugby
program.
There were three new Super Rugby
debutants in 2014: Sean McMahon
(NC 2007–11) with the Melbourne
Rebels, Sam Jeffries (NC 2005–09)
with the Melbourne Rebels, and
Scott Gale (NC 2007–11) with the
Queensland Reds.
Finally, to the Nudgee College rugby
players, rugby is about having the
opportunity to play with your mates
and enjoy the camaraderie of being part
of a team. It is about doing your best,
improving your skills and ultimately
having fun. Congratulations on a great
season. I hope you achieved all that you
aimed for and enjoyed the experience.
Thank you to the many people who
contributed so positively to the 2014
season. I would like to make special
31
ACTIVITIES
WRAP-UP
Track and Field
The 97th GPS Track and Field
Championships were held at QEII in
October. The strong and motivated
Nudgee College team made their
presence felt from the first event when
Tuku Hopoate threw a magnificent
39.69m to win the 13 years Discus. As
the field events continued, 22 PBs and
some outstanding performances were
witnessed.
Our throws contingent were simply
outstanding with Jacob Wallace hurling
the Javelin over 8 metres further than
his best to take out the 13 years event,
while Conor Warren took out the 16
years event with a massive 63+ metres.
The other throwing events were equally
as impressive with all five Discus
throwers registering ‘bests’ and finishing
with two first placings (Tuku and Bailey
Tautau 14 years), and three seconds
(George Crossan 15 years, Conor Warren
16 years, JC Smith Open). Bailey Tautau
made it a double taking out the Shot
Put, and 15 year thrower Doug Bailey
unleashed three 14m plus throws (2m
PBs), to finish second.
In the jumps area Tuku Hopoate (who
had a Discus win and a Shot Put third
under his belt), jumped a High Jump PB
which he then followed with a cracking
Triple Jump (2nd). Nick Dooley in the
16 years jumped a 6cm PB in the High
Jump, then leapt close to 13m in the
Triple Jump to take third place. Ryan
Shepherd in the 14 years didn’t let a
broken wrist stop him with a PB Long
Jump just short of 6m, and a massive
12.30m in the Triple Jump – close to
2m longer than what he jumped at Met
North before his injury.
No better jumping was seen at the
Championships than Shem James in
Opens. Shem won all three jumps,
opening his day with a GPS Record of
7.67m in the Long Jump, and another
GPS Record of 15.59m in the Triple
Jump (set at 14.98m, in 1984). He then
popped over to the track to take a third
in the 110m Hurdles before heading
to the High Jump pit to contest that
event. Tweaking his ankle in the warm
up wasn’t ideal preparation, but Shem,
a true champion, took the event with
an easy 2m clearance, before heading
off to anchor the 4 x 400m Open Relay
team to a victory! Shem completed the
amazing feat of winning all three jumps
for all five years of his GPS campaign.
Turning to the track, the 200m saw
Isaiah Naawi (14 years) and Brandon
Herrigan (16 years) both win their
events. Brandon set a GPS record with a
blistering 21.21s performance. Will Harris
ran a tenacious and tactically brilliant
800m to claim first place in the 13 years.
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VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
In the 100m, all five races were tightly
contested with Nudgee College’s men
all improving or running within 0.05 of
their personal best times. The 400m’s are
always the turning point of the night
and Mitch Wood (14 years) and Dan
Mowen (Open) ensured Nudgee College
stamped our authority with outstanding
runs of 53.84s and 48.99s respectively.
The two 4 x 400m relays were terrific,
with Ryley Robinson, Isaiah Naawi, Tom
Blackmore and Jack Donovan coming a
close second in the All Age event, whilst
the Open team of Luca Cates, Jarrod Vos,
Jack Vollert and Shem James took out
the title in emphatic style. Third places
in the 1500m by Oliver Diggles and
Nelson Birogi, and a courageous second
to Open man John Lean saw Nudgee
College lead into the final events of the
evening.
Success in the relays meant Nudgee
College took home the Sir John
Goodwin Cup for the second year in
a row. Congratulations to all the GPS
schools for a fine day of sportsmanship
and quality athletics. Especially
rewarding was seeing both sides of “the
team” so obviously enjoying themselves
at the end of the night – the team who
had been on “the track and in the field”,
along with the team in “the stand”. Both
mutually contributed to a ‘Big N’ effort
which will be recalled fondly for many
years to come.
Congratulations
Rodeo
Nudgee College congratulates the
following students on their sporting
successes:
In September, the Nudgee College
Rodeo Team competed at the St
Brendan’s Origin Energy High School
Rodeo, held at St Brendan’s College,
Yeppoon. This event comprises four
separate rodeo competitions contested
over the course of one day.

Adam Bakker, who won bronze as
part of the Junior Australian
Team at the World Junior Rowing
Championships. Director of Rowing
Mr Christian Oneto was a coach on
the team.

Shem James, whose 2.14m high
jump – a 4cm PB – won bronze at
the Youth Olympic Games.
As in previous years, the College
competed in the St Brendan’s v Nudgee
College Challenge. Teams competed
in three events: Junior Steer, Steer and
Junior Bull. Nudgee College’s junior steer
riders – Jerry Tarpencha, Jesse Rayner,
Salathia Wasui and Paddy Hobson –
drew tough little steers, but managed
great rides to kick the College off to a
good start at the top of the points tally.
Keeping the score accumulating, and
doing battle with some good bucking
stock, were College steer riders Frank Poi
Poi, Zeph Kadel and Kyle Coulsen.

Will Magnay, who was selected in
the Australian 18s All Start team
to tour the US in December. Will was
selected as a result of his
performance in the Queensland
team, which took out the title at
the School Sport Australia National
Basketball Championships.
With only the junior bull event to go and
the overall points neck and neck, junior
bull riders Liam McCue, Isaac Westerhuis
and Fynton Collier went into battle
against the equally as tough St Brendan’s
bull riders. Riding some of the toughest
junior bulls in the country, riders from
both teams had the crowd on their feet

James Macklin, who competed
in the U19 School Sport Australia
Golf Championship in Toowoomba
in August. As a result of his
outstanding performance,
James was selected in the Australian
Schoolboys Merit Team.
as they fought it out in the rodeo arena
for those all-important points that would
give their respective schools the overall
win.
With each team’s scores tallied, and the
results closer than they have ever been,
the Nudgee College riders showed great
sportsmanship as they congratulated
the St Brendan’s Challenge team on
their win. The College was not to leave
the arena empty-handed though, with
an 87-point ride by team captain Isaac
Westerhuis convincingly taking out first
place in the junior bull ride.
The Bullzye Inter-school Rodeo featured
teams of six riders from schools around
central and southern Queensland
compete for the title of Inter-school
Rodeo champions. The Nudgee College
team of Jesse Rayner, Paddy Hobson,
Zeph Kadel, Fynton Collier, Liam McCue,
and Isaac Westerhuis rode well against
some of the leading junior riders in
the country, securing fifth place in the
competition.
On Saturday, 11 October, four Nudgee
College cowboys competed at the
Woodford Charity Rodeo, with all
proceeds going to the National Breast
Cancer Foundation.
33
The large number of competitors and
spectators made for a great evening of
rodeo action.
The first event for the evening was the
U16 Junior Bull ride. Wayde O’ Sullivan
was our first cowboy out of the chutes
on an extremely quick and strong little
bull. Wayde had one of his best rides
this year, being thrown only a second
before the 8sec bell. The next Nudgee
College cowboy to ride was Zeph Kadel.
Drawing one of the biggest junior bulls
of the event, Zeph sat up nicely on him
out of the chute. The bull proved a little
too strong on the night, putting Zeph
to ground without a judge’s score. The
last junior bull rider for the event was
Isaac Westerhuis. Isaac has had a number
of really good rides this year, winning
or placing in the top four in nearly all
Junior Bull events he has competed in.
Woodford was no exception, with Isaac
tying for third and fourth place.
The Poddy Ride was the next event, in
which Lewis Cammack was the cowboy
representing Nudgee College. The very
first poddy rider on the team and riding
for the first time in a rodeo, Lewis was
shown plenty of support and was given
lots of instruction from the older, more
experienced boys, as he settled in the
chutes ready for his ride. The first ride is
always the hardest and, although Lewis
didn’t ride time on the night, he put up
a great ride on an extremely quick little
poddy.
Chess
2014 was a great year for Nudgee
College Chess. The GPS season
concluded with Nudgee College’s
Premier Team defeating Southport and
Ipswich to tie with BBC. The College’s
other teams also performed strongly,
with the Open A and Open C teams
finishing fourth and Open B and Senior
teams finishing second.
The teams’ success was highlighted by
the strong performances from some
of the College’s newest players. Angus
Tully, Noah Smith and Henry Kennedy
had remarkable performances in their
first season of GPS Chess, which earned
them Most Improved Senior, Junior
and Primary respectively. Veterans
Andrew Trinh and Mackenzie Hope
consistently showed why they are at the
top of Nudgee College’s Chess team,
performing well in all tournaments,
including GPS, and winning Best
Performing Senior and Junior. Jacob
Martin, one of the team’s most
promising young players, joined them as
Best Performing Primary.
34
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
The Nudgee College Chess
Championships were hotly contested
this year, with play-offs needed to
decide both Overall and Primary
Champion. After some tough matches,
Mackenzie Hope managed to claim
the title of Nudgee College Champion
over Tom Kennedy, who walked away
as Junior Champion. Andrew Trinh was
Senior Champion and Henry Kennedy
Primary Champion. Special mention
should go to Jazz Born who, after
numerous victories over higher-rated
opponents, tied with Henry after the
championship, but narrowly lost to him
in the play-offs.
The high school players are now focused
on preparing for the 2015 season. The
primary school team has one more
challenge ahead of them in Term 4,
having won a place in the Queensland
School State Finals competition. This
tournament will pit them against some
of the strongest junior players in the
state and will be a fantastic experience
for the boys. Best of luck to the team
of Jacob Martin, Caleb Giorgas, Henry
Kennedy, Jazz Born and reserves Riley
Granger and Sam Schimming.
Kookaburra Cup
Cricket Tour
Nudgee College was well represented
by 17 boys from Years 5 and 6 and
three staff members who attended
the Kookaburra Cup Cricket Carnival in
Canberra from 30 September3 October. The carnival is convened
by Cricket ACT and draws a wide
cricket audience from across Australia
with over 35 x 8-a-side teams playing
five games of T20 cricket over three
days. This year, Nudgee College
entered two teams into the Under
12 Plate division and had some great
success with Nudgee Blue winning
four games from five and Nudgee
White winning two from five, which
was a great effort considering our
teams were primarily made up of
10-year-old boys.
The boys enjoyed a tour of the
Australian Institute of Sport before
settling into the carnival. After giving
their best on the cricket field for two
and a half days, the group also stopped
by the Australian War Memorial, which
was a truly humbling and grounding
experience.
A big thank you must go to the tour
coaches – Randall Corless and
Matthew Goggin – for their mentorship
of the young men off and on the field.
Their commitment leading into the
tour was outstanding and ensured
all the boys had a fantastic
experience.
A special thank you, also, to Richelle
Casley and Simon Pang for their
generous donation to the tour, which
helped with the cost of tour clothing
and excursions. All in all, the tour was a
great success and one the boys will be
talking about for some time.
Basketball
From start to finish, the Nudgee College
basketball season was one of progress.
This might sound a little strange
compared with previous years because
the results column across the board was
a little drier than usual. However, results
alone will never be the sole measure of
success in activities at Nudgee College.
Coaches in various sports say you learn
more from your losses than you do from
your wins, and the great achievement
of many teams this year was that,
despite being on the end of some heavy
defeats, the boys’ continued hard work
and resolve to improve underpinned
some stirring wins towards the end of
the season. These wins didn’t happen
by accident; they were due to the
hard work invested by players and the
persistence of their coaches.
Every coach of the 20 teams this year
must be congratulated and thanked for
the time and dedication they gave to
the program. Without their enthusiasm
and passion, the season would not have
been possible.
Each home day is a sizeable operation
with many pieces of the puzzle falling
into place with the help and expertise
of many people, who merit heartfelt
thanks. Mr Mik Scott, particularly, was
largely the driver of many things
behind the scenes this year, which
he managed in his own time. This
basketball season would not have been
possible without him.
35
NCOBA
NUDGEE
COLLEGE
President’s message
a sign of faith.
Sunshine Coast, Anzac Day,
Goondiwindi, Roma, Charleville,
Longreach, Sydney, Toowoomba, CBD
drinks, Gala, Business Breakfast, Golf
Day, Bowls Day, Reunion weekend,
two Business Networking functions,
Valedictory address, and a Memorial Mass!
The NCOBA also wishes outgoing
Principal Daryl Hanly a restful retirement
after his significant tenure.
This is just the visible evidence of what
has been a phenomenal year for the
NCOBA.
It is only possible to host these events
through the hard work of the NCOBA
executive team. I offer my sincere thanks
to Dr Simon Carter, Hugh Hamilton,
Doug Carrigan, Tony Gleeson, Andrew
McNamara, Lawrie Cusack, Vince Rao,
Saxon Mew, Matt Hart and Luanne
Wishart for their vision and tenacity in
delivering our demanding schedule to
both the Old Boy community and also
the wider Nudgee College community.
Obviously, these events are only as
successful as the community support
allows, and it is for this widespread
support that the NCOBA extends its
warmest gratitude to all who have
patronised our events and assisted us
in enhancing the bonds of the Nudgee
College family.
The NCOBA is delighted to congratulate
Dallas O’Neill for his significant
contribution to the Nudgee College
community. Dallas was recognised this
year by way of receiving a Signum Fidei
Award for conspicuous Achievement
and Service to Australian Rugby, to
his alma mater – Nudgee College,
and to the Nudgee College Old Boys’
Association Inc. Dallas, by his example, is
36
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
The NCOBA looks forward to continuing
its engagements in 2015 and invites our
community to join us as we all celebrate
125 years of Nudgee College and
welcome the class of 2014 to our band
of 10,000 brothers.
Anthony Hart
President
Levare
Film production by any stretch of
the imagination is no mean feat, and
animated film production is even harder
as it requires a particularly intense level
of focus and determination. It also
requires a strong passion for the art, a
passion that animator, film maker and
Old Boy Andrew Martin (NC 1996–2000)
possesses in spades.
The testament to Martin’s level of
passion comes in the form of his multiaward-winning short film Gus. It took
him over 7000 hours across seven years
to create the film, which claimed awards
at film festivals in Australia, America and
France.
After the international success of Gus,
Martin’s own Honeydew Studios and
his team are now hard at work on
their next production, Levare, which is
produced using 3D computer graphics,
technology akin to that used by Pixar
and Dreamworks. Levare looks to be a
stunning and wonderfully crafted tale
that is sure to be recognised equally as
its predecessor.
Andrew Martin
The story is of an elderly inventor,
named Valentino. He lives in a house
perched on the side of a cliff in a
mountainous fantasy world. His only
companion is his creation, a small
mechanical bird named Alida, powered
by a gem lit by direct sunlight.
The primary antagonist of the short film
is Libitina, the goddess of death in the
form of a ghostly, giant raven. Without
giving too much away, it is ultimately a
story of fulfilment, and asks what would
happen if death came to take a soul that
could carry itself into the afterlife.
It is a rich plot, accompanied by
beautiful artwork – the creation of
concept artist Nathan Geppert. Levare
draws similarities with other animated
films in that there is something for
everyone: impressive visuals and a rich
storyline for a younger audience, yet
a narrative that also holds existential
afterthoughts for an older demographic.
The seed for Levare has been planted
in Martin’s mind since 2005, and
production is currently underway.
Guy Stacey
Excellence rewarded at the
Duke of Gloucester Cup
Sundown is approaching. You’ve spent
the last 48 hours in jungle surroundings
with a pack that weighs as much as
you do, a thin swag to sleep on and a
plethora of weaponry. You wake up in
the pouring rain following two hours of
sleep, with leeches all over you. It’s your
job to expertly execute several offensive
and defensive stratagems, all under the
watchful eye of commanding officers. It
is a gruelling test of psychical strength,
endurance and willpower, and it’s only
one of a number of tests that you will
face over two weeks in the prestigious
Duke of Gloucester (DoG) Cup.
Each year, the best 12 members of each
battalion are handpicked to compete
in the DoG Cup, a competition that
is designed to test the mettle of the
top soldiers in the Australian Army.
Despite only having been enlisted since
May, 2013, Old Boy Tom Windsor (NC
2007–11) has established himself as an
exemplary soldier, culminating in his
selection to participate in this year’s
DoG Cup.
After graduating from Nudgee College,
Tom cut his teeth in the mines at
Olympic Dam for 10 months. It was a
formative experience, and one in which
his harsh surroundings enabled him
to gain invaluable life-knowledge. Not
satisfied with driving 20-tonne loading
vehicles underground, Tom signed up
for the army, a decision that was a long
time in the making.
“I’d always sort of had the idea of
signing up, and the mines got a little
bit boring after a while, so I thought I’d
go for something a bit more interesting,”
Tom said.
Interesting is one word that can be used
to describe his military experiences
thus far. At the start of this year, Tom
and his infantry section spent 70
consecutive days in the bush. This time
was composed of completing offensive
and defensive drills, trench warfare and
weaponry training. Tom, himself, was a
grenadier – the soldier who primarily
operates the artillery and carries
weapons such as an M72 66mm LAW (a
rocket launcher).
When he’s not out-bush he’s in barracks,
and Tom still has a Monday to Friday
commitment to the army. Daily personal
training sessions begin at 7.30am each
day, followed by a quick breakfast. Then
it’s time to get stuck into the admittedly
mundane jobs around the barracks, such
as cleaning the facilities and mobility
vehicles. However, there is value in such
tasks; an extremely high level of practical
fitness is not the only thing Tom has
picked up from this routine. He cites
discipline and a high level of maturity
as two of the more important skills he
has gained.
“Discipline and maturity are probably
the two main things I’ve taken on, and
they bleed into the other aspects of your
life,” he said.
We hear about this notion of militaristic
camaraderie often, and some people see
it as coming across a touch stereotypical,
but it is a sentiment that Tom echoes
genuinely.
“At the end of the day, you’re not really
fighting for king and country; you’re
fighting for your mates. It’s hard not to
when you go through all the things you
do together.”
The schedule for the DoG Cup is
gruelling. Running for almost two weeks,
Tom and his teammates were constantly
put through their paces.
men of the College. Countless Old Boys
were enlisted in the army, and served
overseas in conflicts such as two World
Wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam
War. While those wars were many years
ago, there are several current conflicts
in which Australia possesses a military
presence. Tom could find himself on
a tour of duty in the near future. This
would highly concern some parents,
but Tom’s parents, Mick and Michelle,
maintain a level-headed approach.
“Of course it is a concern about our son
serving overseas; it’s dangerous,” they
said. “Danger is everywhere, though;
you can go into the Valley on a Saturday
night and get king hit for no reason.”
It’s certainly not a job for the fainthearted, but Tom encourages those
currently at Nudgee College to take up
the challenge.
“In school I had the idea in my head
about joining the army, and it’s a huge
challenge, but I don’t regret it at all,”
he said. “At the end of the day, it’s a
good feeling to serve your country,
it’s a great source of income, and it’s
a fun job to do.”
Tom’s great achievement of being
selected in the DoG Cup is a wonderful
example of where a career in the army
can take you. Indeed, many great men
have had their start in the military.
Guy Stacey
A day after arriving, all teams were
unexpectedly dropped into six days of
jungle warfare, all whilst being marked
by directing staff. The following Saturday,
a competition took place to find the
best individual soldier. For the next three
days after that, the group competition
took place before returning to Singleton
on the Tuesday to complete marked
drills. The tests ranged from jungle
warfare, to building complex assaults, to
hostage rescue training. It was a great
test of skill, and an experience that Tom
will likely never forget.
“It was great because the Cup required a
balance between initiative and following
the plan,” he said. “I’ve never seen so
many ranking officers before in my life. It
was strange having a lieutenant general
yelling at me during a drill.”
Not only is Tom following in the steps
of his ancestors (many members of the
Windsor family have public service and
military backgrounds over the past 100
years or so), but also those of former
37
Tom McLellan
Jack Armitage
Tom McLellan and
Jack Armitage
have experienced rowing to some
degree and all would know just how
unforgiving the sport can be. Despite
the extreme rigours and demands, both
boys are highly enthusiastic in moving
further and achieving more. Tom wants
to be competitively rowing for as long
as he can and Jack is aiming for a spot in
the Senior A men’s pair.
For the last handful of years Nudgee
College’s rowing program has excelled,
producing some incredibly successful
crews. Consequently, we have also seen
some incredible individual performances
from current students and Old Boys alike.
Two of the recent successes are Tom
McLellan (2009–13) and Jack Armitage
(NC 2010–13). Tom represented Australia
at the recent World Rowing Junior
Championships in Germany, and Jack
competed at the World Rowing Under
23 Championships in Italy. While they
have achieved amazing feats separately,
it is hard not to pair the two.
Both are 2013 Old Boys, both were in
the 1st VIII together at Nudgee College,
and both rowed for the entire time
they were at the College. Both men
continued to row for different clubs
once they had graduated, and they
attended the same national trials in
Penrith earlier this year. Tom represented
Queensland in the men’s coxed four
and Jack represented Toowong Rowing
Club in the lightweight men’s pair. They
were subsequently selected to represent
Australia in their respective international
championship events.
Tom’s crew finished 10th overall, while
Jack’s pair finished sixth. Regardless
of final standings, to be competing in
the events in the first place is a huge
achievement, and both Tom and Jack
should be highly commended for their
efforts. Many boys at Nudgee College
38
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
Guy Stacey
NCOBA Golf Day
Another chapter in the history of the
NCOBA Golf Championships was
written on Sunday, 14 September, when
John Gallagher successfully defended
last year’s title. The event has been
contested since 1932, when it was won
by Bill Ahern at Virginia Golf Club. It has
been held at many venues over the
years, including Clontarf Golf Club and
as far afield as Gailes and Indooroopilly.
This year we were at Nudgee Golf Club,
where the course was in great shape
and proved more than a challenge for
our elite field. Next year we will again
contest the cup on the Sunday after
Father’s Day – Sunday, 13 September. All
are welcome.
Simon Carter
Business Breakfast
NCOBA Business Breakfast 2014 was a
full house at Victoria Park, with guest
speakers Chief Justice Tim Carmody
(NC 1969–74), Chief Magistrate Ray
Rinaudo (NC 1966–70) and Lord Mayor
Graham Quirk. Tim and Ray teamed up
for some questions, answers and banter,
where they gave each other a grilling,
reminisced about their times at Nudgee
College, and outlined the direction
both courts were now taking. The Lord
Mayor highlighted the forward path
for Brisbane and its burgeoning world
status leading up to G20. The 200 Old
Boys and guests enjoyed the chance
to celebrate recent successes, while
reconnecting and networking around
the room.
Tony Gleeson
NCOBA Networking Event
The NCOBA’s Professional Network
sub-committee hosted its first formal
event in September. This new initiative
aims to provide an engagement vehicle
for Old Boys with a corporate tilt. Many
Old Boys may, in fact, be mixing with
their co-members unaware of their
blue-and-white heritage. We aim to
help those members to recognise and
interact with each other in business to
further strengthen the bonds of our
association. Dr Chris Hart (NC 1989–90)
spoke impressively about his experience
as a professional and entrepreneur, and
the impact the Old Boys connections
and relationships had on his pathway to
success. There was strong support for
this type of event from our members
and we will be sure to include it in the
2015 schedule. Thanks to Saxon Mew
and Matthew Hart for their initiative and
drive on this front.
Anthony Hart
39
R U OK Day
On Friday, 12 September, Old Boys
Damian Mason (NC 1983–87) and
Andrew McNamara (NC 1985–89)
addressed the Year 10 students in Ryan
Hall. The talk followed on from R U OK
day the previous day.
Damian Mason is a radiation therapist
with Genesis Cancer Care and has over
20 years’ experience working in the
challenging medical field of radiation
oncology. As a direct consequence of
his daily interactions with individuals
confronted with life’s ultimate challenge
– a cancer diagnosis – Damian has
penned two books, Emotional SOS, and
more recently, Hope: A Cancer Doctor’s
Life Secrets. He has also completed his
honours in psychology.
Drawing upon his own experiences and
professional expertise, Damian discussed
with the boys three factors in life – pain,
pressure and peers.
Pain: “As males we are pretty good at
dealing with physical pain,” he said.
“From an early age, we learn to endure
or put up with physical pain and
discomfort. Just consider your own
rugby experience at Nudgee College.
In fact, if you consider our evolutionary
history as males, as hunters and warriors,
it didn’t pay to talk; it would scare away
the prey or give up your position to a
potential threat.”
Pressure: He said everyone had a
breaking point – it didn’t matter how
Caption
40
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014
big, or tough or strong you were, we
all had breaking points. “Just consider
the No.1 torture technique – sleep
deprivation. A lack of sleep can put
the hardest individual into the foetal
position.”
Peers: “What would you do if a mate was
getting picked on or beat up? You would
step in; you would look after your mate.
There’s no difference if you’re doing it
tough between the ears; a friend or a
mate would step in, he’d ask how you’re
doing, and he’d try and get you help.
“Equally, if your mate has put his chin
out there, you owe it to him to put
your hand up and get your problem
sorted. There’s no shame or need to feel
embarrassed. With the changing roles
and responsibilities of males in life, it’s
critical to source extra assistance if life is
weighing you down.”
Pain. Pressure. Peers. Everyone’s got a
breaking point. Step in if your mate is
doing it tough. Swallow your pride and
seek extra assistance if you’re doing
it tough. It’s not weak; it’s smart. It’s
evolutionary, dear Watson.
To order a copy of Damian’s latest book,
go to www.lulu.com, click on “shop”, and
type in “Hope: A Cancer Doctor’s Life
Secrets”.
The NCOBA would like to thank Margie
Wills for allowing us the opportunity to
address the students.
Andrew McNamara
Dallas O’Neill – Signum
Fidei Award
Dallas John O’Neill came to Nudgee
College from Mackay in 1957 and
completed his Senior in 1961. He is the
son of Noel (NC 1931–33) and brother
of Noel (NC 1953–57) and Paul (NC
1964–67).
Dallas was a member of the 1st XV rugby
teams from 1959–61, and captained the
premiership teams from 1960–1961. He
was a member of the combined GPS
representative teams from 1959–61,
captaining the GPS team in the latter
year.
He represented Nudgee College in
GPS athletics from 1958–61. He was
the College shot put champion and
placed second at the GPS Track and Field
championships.
Dallas was Cadet Under-Officer of the
Nudgee College Cadet Corp in 1960 and
1961.
In 1960 he was awarded the Collins Cup
for Conduct, Study and Sport. In 1961 he
was again awarded the Carlton-Smith
Trophy for Leadership, Character, Study
and Sport, together with the Principal’s
Prize.
From 1962–66 Dallas played rugby for
Brothers and captained the team from
1964–66. In 1966 he returned from a
badly broken leg to captain Brothers
Rugby XV (his first game back after
injury) to a premiership (10 tries to 3),
mainly through his on-field leadership.
He attained unique distinction in his first
year after school when, only 19, he was
selected in the Queensland Rugby XV
and in the Australian Rugby XV to tour
New Zealand. He was selected as an
Australian Rugby XV International from
1962–64.
He continued to play rugby for
Queensland from 1963–66 and was
captain of the state’s XV from 1964–66.
At that time, rugby union was still very
much an amateur game, and Dallas
chose to switch codes and join the
South Sydney rugby league team.
He later returned to Brisbane with a
contract to play for Wests Rugby League.
A bad knee injury prevented him playing
at his best so he chose, admirably, not to
hold Wests to a playing contract.
He returned to rugby union as a coach
and steered Brothers A Grade for five
years (1973–77), winning premierships in
1973, 1974 and 1975.
In being awarded the Collins Cup and
Carlton-Smith Trophy at Nudgee College,
Dallas O’Neill displayed the attributes
of leadership and character that have
remained with him throughout his life.
Dallas joined the staff at Nudgee College
in 1995 as school supervisor. He leads
by example and is greatly respected by
students and staff at Nudgee College.
He is a most worthy Signum Fidei.
Lawrie Cusack and John Wagner
60 Year Reunion
More than 90 men, including College
captain Tom McDonnell, who graduated
from Nudgee College in 1954 returned
to our beloved school in October for the
60 year reunion. The event included a
Mass celebrated by Emeritus Archbishop
John Bathersby and several Old Boy
priests, morning tea, a museum tour, a
bus tour of the new College buildings,
and lunch.
In 1954, Nudgee College’s student
capacity was just 303 students
compared to more than 1500 today.
A majority of boys also boarded at the
school.
The 1954 class produced six doctors,
three priests, three religious Brothers,
and many successful sportsmen, among
other professionals.
The Nudgee Gala
Following the success of the inaugural
Gala in May this year, we will again be
holding the event at Victoria Park Golf
Club in 2015. The theme will be an
extravagant White Christmas in July.
To ensure the success of the evening
we would like to hear from those willing
to be committed table captains and
welcome volunteers to register for the
committee.
Please contact Hugh Hamilton (VicePresident NCOBA) on 07 3009 6400 or by
email hugh@mwrecruitment.com.au
41
2199 Sandgate Rd,
Boondall, Queensland 4034
Tel: 07 3865 0555
contact@nudgee.com
A boys’ Catholic day
and boarding school in the
Edmund Rice Tradition
www.nudgee.com
Nudgee College congratulates and welcomes Mr Peter Fullagar
who commences as Principal in 2015.
42
VOLUME 18
DECEMBER 2014

December 2014

Transcription

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