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Dan McErlean Bryan McSweeney 12 Werona Street email:julieandb@iprimus.com.au Sunnybank Qld 4109 Dear Old Boys The Pre-Christmas meeting of our Brisbane Sub-Branch meeting of the Toowoomba (St Mary’s) Brothers Old Boys’ Association will be held on Friday 22th November 2019 at 12:00 noon in “Harlequin Jacks” Bistro in the Sofitel Hotel situated above Central Station. Access to the Bistro is via the escalator from within the Railway building, just look for the doors directly opposite the front “Go-Card” entry gates to the station platforms. On the 2nd October 1899 St Mary’s College began to accept its first students; 120 were enrolled with the first student named as William McGoldrick. It was staffed by three Christian Brothers – Principal Brother John Hugh Hurley and Brothers Quinlan and O’Donnell. On Saturday evening 19/10/2019 Old Boys, wives and partners, and teachers were welcomed back to their Alma Mater to celebrate our 120th Anniversary. There were welcoming speeches by the Toowoomba (St Mary’s) Old Boys’ Association President Mr Joe Guerrini and College Principal Mr Michael Newman followed by an interview with Ethan Lowe. A musical interlude was provided by the College Showband. Following Dinner there was the launch of the new History Book “Good Old Boys – Conversations with Dan” with an interview of author Felicity McArdle and Dan McErlean by Master of Ceremonies James O’Shea (year 12 – 1999). See Page 8 for photographs from the event. Felicity has written the book with flair and elegance and has selected stories to be included after conversations with Dan that make a striking portrayal of past Old Boys who once graced the grounds of St Mary’s College. It can be purchased for $50 pls postage from the College, phone (07) 4631 7333, or by contacting Dan McErlean.

M.C James O’Shea interviewing our special guest Ethan Lowe (yr 12 2008), the NRL Premiership and World Cup Challenge, Queensland and South Sydney Rabbitohs player. A major auction of sporting memorabilia followed where the proceeds went to the College to provide support looking after students whose families struggle with financial difficulties. All guests had the chance to celebrate all of the milestones over the last 120 years of St Mary’s College.

During November, the month of the Holy Souls, please pray in a special way for Old Boys and friends of the College who have passed to Eternal Life;

Brian Reginald Scott – husband of Kay and brother of Val (RIP), Shirley, Colleen, Glen, Colin (RIP), and Marie; Bradley Denis Wilson (1953/55 and 1961/62), husband of Bernadette and brother of Lance, Trevor (RIP), Peter (RIP), Paul and Matthew, and children Brad, Mark, and Toni; John Francis Kenafake (1946-1953) husband of Barbara and father of Shaun and Andrea; Matthew Rolland son of Kevin (dec) and Jan, and Val (Scott) McPherson.

Darryl James Brennan (1955-1963), husband of Dawn, father of Clayton and Shari.

Bryan McSweeney Dan McErlean Dan Reilly President Secretary Co-Ordinator

Mobile: 0420 565 712 (07) 3345 4404 (07) 3395 1813

November 2019

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Present Apologies

As a component of the 120th Year Celebrations of St Mary’s history, Dan McErlean was presented with a Blessed Edmund Rice Award at the College assembly on Tuesday 15/10/2019 by Brother Matt McKeon on behalf of the Christian Brothers as recognition for the work he has done in the production of the St Mary’s Old Boys newsletters since 2000. Fr Hal Ranger, six Christian Brothers – Brother Barry Buckley AM, Brother Gary Ferguson, Brother Matt McKeon, Brother Peter Sheldon, Brother Patrick White and Brother Denis Sullivan and a number of Old Boys were welcomed by the Principal Michael Newman.

Brother Barry Buckley AM was College Principal from 1970 to 1972 and again in 1990 & 1991, Brother Gary Ferguson was a College student between 1951 and 1956, Brother Matt McKeon attended College in 1938 as a student, while Brothers Peter Sheldon and Patrick White were College Staff teachers in 1960 and 1957 respectively, Brother Denis Sullivan’s link with St Mary’s College is through his father who was a student at the College from 1915 to 1923. We owe thanks to Mike Fitzpatrick (1952-1955) and (1958-1961) for the successful organisation of the event. Also please remember in your prayers a number who are unwell or recovering from surgery: John Arndell, Tim Coonan, Lyle Dornbusch, Brien Dunne, Colin Green, Eric Howe, Mike Ledbury, Gail (Rosenthal) Mahon, Margaret Murphy wife of Robin, Wally Nugent, Joe Short, Bob Sullivan, Philip Stephens, Grahame Swenson, Kevin Garrett, Syl Stower, Ted Gill, Jim Hannant, and Bevan Zeller.

Bryan McSweeney (TBOBA Brisbane Sub-branch President) Carl Betros Leigh Brady Brian Gagen Terry Gesch Gene Green Tim Hagan Peter Kennedy Barry Kuhnemann Doug Lee Dick Lynch Mick Lyons Leigh Madden

Michael Murphy Pat Mullins Robyn Murphy OAM Rod McDonald Dan McErlean Justin McErlean Peter McMahon John Noonan Reg Oliver John O’Neill Martin O’Sullivan Lindsay Reis Errol Ryan Philip Simpson

Fr Paul Chandler Fr Tyrone Deere Br Barry Buckley cfc AM Br Gary Ferguson cfc Laurie Atzeni (Hon) John Bagget John Brady Greg Butler Nat Chandler Bernie Collins Noel Cronin Jack Davis Frank Deighton Brian Dobbyn Les Duncan

Rolly Griffin John Hagan Fred Lincoln Jim Long Phil Long Dinny Madden Tom Mahon Jim Mullins Wayne Nuss Jack Parker Pat Stringer Kerry Taylor Trevor Taylor Peter Upton Glen Wiedman

Annual Membership Fee ($10.00) for Calendar Year 2020 is now due / or Life Memberships are available (Fee $100.00)

Cheques for Membership should be made payable to the “Toowoomba Brothers Old Boy’s Association” * * *

Cheques as donations towards the Indoor Sports Complex should be made payable to ‘Br. Baptiste O’Sullivan Building Fund’.

They are fully Tax Deductible and will be receipted.

T.B.O.B.A. (Brisbane Sub-Branch) Meeting – 20th September 2019

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“Coming Events”

17th November 2019 1950-1959 Class Reunion Luncheon to be held at the Toowoomba Irish Club at 12noon. Please contact Mick Quinlan (0418 465 159), Justin Kunney (0418 700 170) Pat Costigan (0432 583 498)

22nd – 24th November 2019

Class of 1979, 40th Year Reunion for any past students who attended the college during the period 1972-1979 (yrs 5 – 12) Contact Craig Bell email: craig@seplanners.com.au

22nd November 2019 Brisbane TBOBA Sub Branch Meeting at 12 noon – “Harlequin Jack’s Bistro” Central Railway Station

6th December 2019 TBOBA Sunshine Coast meeting at the Headland Golf Club, Buderim at 12 noon. Please contact Terry Murphy (54564340) or Redmond Byrne (54776705)

13th March 2020 Claimer date for the first Brisbane TBOBA Sub Branch Meeting

Bradley Denis Wilson (12/4/1945-6/9/2019)

Brad was the third of six sons born to Rupert and Mavis (O’Leary) Wilson. His siblings were Lance, Trevor, Peter, Paul and Matthew. The family early years were spent in Charleville and when they settled in Toowoomba, Brad, like his elder brothers, was

enrolled at St Mary’s College from 1953 to 1955. In 1956, as was required by the Diocesan practice at that time, he had to transfer to the newly opened St Joseph’s College until 1960. He returned to St Mary’s for his senior years in 1961 and 1962. Brad was a fine athlete as were his brothers and he and Peter were members of the College Firsts Rugby League team in 1962. Many of St Mary’s College Athletic records have been lost, due it is thought to metric conversion in the 1970’s. At the 1954 Annual Sports, Brad, then under 10, equalled the 50 yard Dash record of 6.9 secs that had been set by Darcy Owen in 1945. This fact is confirmed in the 1963 Sports Programme. Brad’s Long Jump record set 57 years ago still is the College record. It was a leap of 6.8 metres set at the Metropolitan Catholic Schools Association Carnival in 1962. At this event he also set two further records. First, he ran the 880 yard race in 2 mins 5.6 secs and then jumped 5ft 9 inches in the High Jump in the Open age group. At age 17 Brad gained a position with the Forestry Department on Fraser Island and took his father’s Bantam Motorcycle over there so he could get around. He continued to gain more senior roles with the department before being appointed Chief Ranger. Then he was appointed Manager for the development

of Brisbane Forest Park and spent 10 years implementing his ideas and identifying suitable plants which have made it such a successful project. While in Brisbane for a short time on a Departmental Training Course he met Bernadette (Tasker) while travelling on a train to Oxley and the couple married at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Corinda, in 1967. They were blessed with two sons and a daughter, Brad, Mark and Toni and five adored grandchildren – Caleb, Coen, Jess, Shay and Lily. Their early married life was spent in Oxley while Brad built what would be their home for forty years on acreage at Colleges Crossing. They had no reticulated water or electricity until they purchased a diesel generator to provide limited light and power. Eleven and a half years ago Brad and Bernadette decided to make a “sea-change” and bought a home in Buddina on the Sunshine Coast. Lance and Brad regularly attended our Old Boys’ Buderim meetings and it was after being at our luncheon there on 5th July 2019 that his serious illness was identified, and his health deteriorated quickly. He passed to Eternal Life on the 6th September 2019. His large funeral was held in the Mt Gravatt Funeral Chapel, MacGregor, and he was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery, Brian Reginald Scott

It was sad to learn that Brian Scott had died as a result of a car accident on the Warwick – Killarney Road on Thursday 29h August 2019. He had been driving his sister Colleen, wife of Kevin Killoran, home from a doctor’s appointment in

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Toowoomba when the accident occurred. His wife Kay was also injured. Brian’s siblings are Val, Shirley, Colleen, Glen, Colin and Marie. The boys all attended St Mary’s in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. Brian worked in New Guinea for some years on Coffee Plantations and then settled in Murray’s Bridge near Warwick about ten years ago. He devoted his time to charity works, including Meals on Wheels, the Killarney and District Historical Society and Killarney Memorial Aged Care. He is survived by his wife Kay, his son and four daughters and the grandchildren he idolised. MEMBERS STORIES

Getting in early for the 120th Year celebrations were some of the 1956 Class catching up on the morning of the big event. Front: Peter Kenny, Second Row: Kev McSweeney, Fr John Quinlan, Third Row: Vince Lester OAM, Barry Coonan, Back Row: Dave Robson, Vince McDonald Two of our Life Members have been following closely the activities of the College 120th year Celebrations. They are Life Members of our Old Boys’ Association and were seniors in 1947. Peter Sheridan was Dux of the College and John Sedl

received the Award for Character and Leadership that year. They were members of the First XV Rugby Union side, First XI Cricket team and Tennis squad. John was captain of the First XI and set a high standard of batting and bowling. Peter was able to attend the College Assembly on 15/10/2019 with Fr Hal Ranger, six Christian Brothers and a number of Old Boys when Dan McErlean was presented with the Blessed Edmund Rice Award. John had a career as an Industrial Chemist in the Sugar Industry and Peter was a Civil Engineer with Local Government Authorities.

ST. MARY’S CLASSES 1950-1959 REUNION SUNDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2019

IRISH CLUB HOTEL 80 RUSSELL STREET TOOWOOMBA

60 YEARS SINCE 16 OF US COMPLETED SENIOR - 1959

We would like to catch up with those remaining from the classes of 1950 -1959 to hear their stories of the last 69 years. Bring your stories, photographs and memorabilia to our gathering on the 17th. At our get together in 2017 attendees unanimously voted to hold reunions every year, This year we have set the date for Sunday the 17th November hoping you may be free to join us for an afternoon of fellowship. Venue:- This year we will gather for lunch in the Tara Room of The Irish Club Hotel where will have the room to ourselves. Preliminaries:- We are endeavouring to arrange for a tour of our Alma Mater probably commencing at 10am. We will advise of details closer to the date. Meet and Greet:- Tara Room – The Irish Club Hotel, 80 Russell Street 12pm-1pm. Drinks at own expense. Lunch:- 1pm with a choice from the Bistro Menu – Entrees, Mains and Sweets will be available according to your wishes – Tea and Coffee available. Accommodation:- There isn’t any accommodation available at this hotel but if you need accommodation you will have to find some nearby. Booking:- In order to facilitate our meal requirements please advise one of our Committee members by email or phone ASAP if you wish to attend. Pat Costigan 0432 583 498 costiganp@hotmail.com Justin Lunney 0418 700 170 jklunn@hotmail.com Michael Quinlan 0418 465 159 mickquinlan@bigpond.com

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Life Member Mervyn Henson (1946-1951) has advised us that he is now living in Ascot Street, Newtown after a number of moves during his lifetime. Some of Merv’s favourite memories of his days at St Mary’s College are the Athletic Carnivals. In 1949 his fifth-grade teacher and Sportsmaster, Brother F Ryan told the class that they would have no homework if the Under 13 Relay Team (John Littleton, John Appleford, Merv and Peter Gagen from sixth grade) won the event at the Darling Downs School Sports. They won, and who do you think were the Class Heroes for the day? At the 1950 Metropolitan Catholic School Association Athletic Carnival Merv was placed third in the Under 14 - 100 yard race. The love of his life has been the Scout Movement, firstly as a Scoutmaster while in Victoria in 1964. Subsequently he has served the Movement on the Gold Coast, at Ipswich and more recently back in Toowoomba where he is the Darling Downs Regional Leader and Manager of the Scout Shop. Old Boy Johnathan Thurston OAM (Yr 12 – 2000) was amongst eight Queenslanders presented with medals by the Queensland Governor Paul De Jersey AC at an Australian Honours Awards Ceremony in Townsville on the 23rd September 2019. Johnathan’s outstanding community service was recognised with his appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia. The retired North Queensland Cowboys, Maroon and Kangaroo rugby league legend received the award for his service to rugby league and as a role model for support programmes in indigenous communities. Johnathan said that “it was proud moment and he was humbled to have made a difference in the community” Old Boys Honoured by Queensland Racing At a special Queensland Racing ceremony in Brisbane on the 22nd September 2019 two Old Boys, Pat O’Shea and Tony Gollan were honoured. The late Darling Downs broadcaster, Pat O’Shea, was one of five new inductees into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame. Pat had a true passion for thoroughbred racing and called his first gallops race at Tara on Melbourne Cup Day in 1970 and started calling from Clifford Park in the mid 1980’s, making 29 Weetwood Handicap calls.

From 2016 the Toowoomba Turf Club has honoured Pat’s memory each year by naming the first two-year-old race run in Australia the “Pat O’Shea Hopeful Plate”. Over 1000m the 2019 event, worth $50,000, was held on September 28th. Tony Gollan (Yr 12, 1996) won the 2018/2019 Queensland Racing Trainer of the Year award. He has now won six Brisbane metropolitan premierships and attributes his biggest thrill to training the quinella in the 2014 Doomben 10,000 with “Spirit of Boom” and “Temple of Boom”. A must-read race book has just been released by The Courier Mail Racing Journalist, Nathan Exelby. His interest in Racing came from the great passion his grandfather Old Boy, Bill Oliver (1944-1947), had for this sport writing a ‘Turf Topics’ column in the South Burnett Times and mentoring callers with their broadcasts. Nathan’s uncle Reg Oliver (1942-1947) is a Life Member of our Association and a regular at our Brisbane TBOBA luncheons. Peter Kennedy (1945 & 1948-1952) What do you do if you have a passion for steam locomotives and Heritage Railways, English Villages and their pubs? Well follow Old Boy Peter Kennedy’s journey to England in July/August 2019, for England has, by far the greatest number of steam Heritage Railways run by thousands of volunteers from all walks of life. These Heritage Railways were saved from many of the Branch lines closed in the ‘Beeching’ era of the 1960’s and gradually rebuilt by local volunteers. Peter’s first stay was near Clapham Junction Station in London, the busiest one in the UK with 18 through platforms. He then ventured to the ‘Bluebell Railway’, his first Heritage Railway, and it was a time warp back to the 1920-1938 era. Staff were dressed in appropriate smart period uniforms attending pristine stations often with flowering garden beds. One could experience the sights, sounds and smells of the steam locomotives hauling heritage trains and producing that almost forgotten ‘clickety clack’ sound. Next stopover was at Dawlish, a pretty seaside village on the South Coast. A day trip from here takes you to Paignton from where the heritage railway runs beside the beach and over the hill to Dartmouth, home of the British Naval College and a very busy tourist area.

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At Dartmouth Peter enjoyed an enjoyable cruise on the Dart River on the last genuine operating paddle steamer in the UK. Onwards then to “Minehead” a pretty flower decked holiday beach town on the Bristol Channel which features the Dunster Castle, many holiday parks including “Butlin’s” camp. It is also home to the 24 mile ‘West Somerset Railway’ which provides Steam Heritage services to villages along the beach front before it turns inland. This allows passengers to enjoy the sounds of steam locomotives climbing the hills while, perhaps, enjoying a cuppa in the ‘Buffet’ car. From ‘Minehead’ it is on to ‘Kidderminster’ on the Severn River and terminus of the ‘Severn Valley Railways’. The route is (21) miles long and very busy with about ten full trains per day. It follows the Severn River to Bridgenorth. Dogs can accompany passengers on all National & Heritage Railways although on some lines a cheap day ticket is essential. The next Heritage Railways line was boarded at Llangollen just over the border in Wales. It runs beside the Dee river and will have a two mile extension open next year. Llangollen straddles the river and high above the town is a canal which gives tourists barge access across the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct built by Thomas Telford in 1805 and towering 126 feet (38 metres) above the river Dee. Then onto York with its narrow shopping lanes in an area known as the Shambles, much of the remains of the walled city, the York Railway Museum, ‘Minister’ Cathedral and St Wilfred’s Catholic Church located almost in the shadow of the huge Minster Cathedral. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is the busiest of the Heritage Railways carrying over 400,000 passengers annually and appearing in many TV programs. One station on the line is Goathland (alias Aidensfield), this Village is as it appears in the series ‘Heartbeat’ and is very popular with tourist visitors. At the ocean end of the NYMR is the bustling town of Whitby famous as the port from which Captain James Cook sailed on his discovery voyage to Australia. The last stop on Peter’s UK holiday was in Sheringham a village on the East Coast near Norwich and which has a Heritage Railway known as the North Norfolk Railway extending for (8) scenic miles with the English Channel in view. Here a special train, one of those run in various forms, was being run consisting of 4 ‘Buffet’ cars hauled by a very old locomotive for a wedding reception.

Good things do end, so it was home again for a Railway Buff having once again experienced ‘Steam’ travel and enjoyed B & B’s, their huge traditional breakfasts, old village pubs, bangers and mash or fish and chips washed down by an odd local ale. Brother Patrick White who taught Grade 5 at St Mary’s in 1957 has been in contact recently. Brother recalls there were 100 boys in that class. He recalled that it took ten minutes to call the roll. First was Delbert Aldridge, last was Brian Zablonski. Other names he remembers include, John Costigan, a Mullins, Chris Shapland, a Zeller, and that's about it. If any of the students from that year who might be interested in contacting Bro White his details are as follows; Ph 0417682457, mail Unit 207/2141 Sandgate Road, Boondall, 4034 or email pjwhite@edmundrice.org Brett Robinson (1979-1984) and vice-chairman of Rugby Australia will step down in April from the Board after serving his maximum three terms, totalling nine years. Celebrations Life Member Bill Blacka celebrated his 90th Birthday with family and friends on the 26th June 2019. Sadly, Bill’s wife of over sixty years Irene and sons Gary and Tony are deceased. His other children are Kevin, Bryan, Laurie and daughter Kathryn. Bill worked as a Railway Signalman and served as Secretary of both the Toowoomba Railways Cricket club and the Toowoomba Cricket Association. He enjoys both golf and lawn bowls. Life Member Reginald Oliver (1942 – 1947) and his wife Averil (Kowitz), a Mt Tyson lass, celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary recently. The Best Man was Bill Oliver and Averil’s bridesmaid, Lynette Mann. Sixty years ago the couple spent their honeymoon in Bundaberg, Noosa and Redcliffe. They now live in Morayfield and have three daughters and four grandchildren. Two Old Boys celebrated their Birthdays in September. Jack Parker (1948-55) enjoyed celebrations with his wife Jan and family and friends. Robin Murphy OAM hosted an enjoyable surprise evening at his home for his former classmate, Brian Fagan (1947-56) on the 11th September.

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News has reached us that Alf Zeller (1948-57) has moved down from Yungaburra to Alligator Creek, Townville. Alf was Manager of the Yungaburra Hotel for four and a half years having taken up the role for, as he thought at the time, 3 months; but he found it difficult to leave such an idyllic location. Kickboxing

Kickboxer trainer Leon Spain has two fighters contesting Title events overseas. His 19 year-old son Brandon, who completed Year 12 at St Mary’s College in 2016 won the ISKA lightweight title in June and will head to Japan in November to compete in the K-1 World GP as the first

Australian to be invited to fight in the 57.5 kg division at the prestigious event. Brandon will fight in an eight-man eliminator tournament – needing to win three fights in one night to secure the Title. Leon is also the coach of 13 year-old Holly Nguyen, daughter of David Nguyen (year 12 – 1998). Holly won gold at the Australian Junior Championships and then another Gold medal when she competed in the 46-48 kg division at the recent IF-MA Youth Championships in Turkey. COLLEGE NEWS

As they have done for the past 60 years students from St Mary’s College paraded their College colours during the Grand Central Flower Parade through the City streets for the annual Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers procession to the tunes of the College Marching Band.

Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education Week provides the opportunity to recognise educators who have spent their lives teaching and working in Catholic Schools.

This year Alwyn Rix was recognised for his 40 years teaching service during which he has spent the past 36 years as an outstanding educator at St Mary’s College.

Pictured here are staff at St Mary’s who received Long Service Awards during the week; Back – Alwyn Rix 40 years, Phillip Cutler 35 years, Brian Steer 30 years,

Front; - Principal Michael Newman 30 years, and Frank Strachotta 20 years.

Kris Glass who was a College student from 1998 (Year 4) to 2005 (Year 12) is now in his second year as a member of the Teaching Staff at St Mary’s College. In Year 12 Kris was the Rice House captain and a member of the College cricket firsts and the AFL side while he and Craig Smith represented Queensland in the Under 19 Cricket Team. He now coaches the College Hockey and Open Cricket sides. Two St Mary’s students are amongst the fifty best young footballers in the State, named by the Courier Mail after analyses of games in the Langer Cup, GPS Rugby and A J C Rugby League series: Xavier Va’a played for St Mary’s in the Langer Cup. He has come through the Queensland junior program, captaining the Maroon’s Under 15 team last year. Regarded as a player of enormous promise, Xavier has been placed on the Brisbane Development program. Brayden Paix is the younger brother of Broncos fringe player Corey (Year 12 – 2017). Brayden showed plenty of class in a difficult season with St Mary’s in the Langer Cup. His combination with schoolmate and fellow development Bronco Shaun Packer is silky smooth. College Year 12 2018 graduate and Player of 2018 Confraternity Carnival and Player of that Final, 17 year-old Jake Simkin, played with Wynnum Manly Seagulls this year. Jake has also represented Queensland at junior levels. The highly regarded No.9 will be joining West Tigers, having signed a (3) year deal and will be part of their development squad in 2020. Jake will be unable to play 1st Grade until after Round 16 in 2020 and will join that Club’s NRL squad in 2021.

St Mary’s College 120 Year Celebrations Old Boy’s Dinner

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120 Year Old Boys Dinner

Ethan Lowe and James O’Shea

Auction Items

The College Band

“Good Old Boys – Conversations with Dan”

Dan McErlean and Felicity McArdle

Old Boys, Partners and Family members

The College Band