Advent Prayer

Lord God, we adore you because you have come to us in the past.
You have spoken to us in the Law of Israel.
You have challenged us in the words of the prophets.
You have shown us in Jesus what you are really like.

Lord God, we adore you because you still come to us now.
You come to us through other people and their love and concern for us.
You come to us through men and women who need our help.
You come to us as we worship you with your people.

Lord God, we adore you because you will come to us at the end.
You will be with us at the hour of death.
You will still reign supreme when all human institutions fail.
You will still be God when our history has run its course.

We welcome you, the God who comes.
Come to us now in the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Caryl Micklem – Contemporary Prayers for Public Worship

Mr Stephen Meara
Dean of Identity

This term has gone well and I would like to congratulate the Barrett Seniors for finishing their final weeks with dignity. I wish them well for their future years in the real world. Our final House Assembly was a special event that gave the boys a chance to acknowledge their time at Nudgee College and to think about their future. The Valedictory Mass and presentation on Ross Oval was a very special event.

A big thank you to the Barrett PC tutors of 2020: Mr Ben Williams, Ms Kim Spicer, Ms Maureen Toohey, Ms Ellen Cunningham, Ms Chloe Arnold, Ms Rebecca Taghizadeh, Ms Emel Corley, Mr Richard Bauer, Mr Sam Dickinson, Mr Damien Raciti and Ms Julie Winter. They have all done a wonderful job in caring and supporting the boys in their tutor groups. Ms Alyssa Walke returns from maternity leave so we farewell and thank Ms Kim Spicer for her care and support of the BA2 boys.

Well done to Bond Bradley for successfully captaining the Junior GPS Track and Field team to their third victory in a row.

Well done to the boys who received Learning Habits and/or Old Boys’ awards this semester. They have been recognised for their commitment and diligence in the classroom: James Carroll and Oliver Steven (Year 5); William Conway (Year 6); Augustus Moloney and Paddy Williams (Year 7); Samuel Cassee, Kai Anderson and Nicholas Petridis (Year 8); Hayden O’Sullivan and Oliver Kele (Year 9); Luke Doig and Ryan Hadden (Year 10); Jonty Trethowan (Year 11); and James Hong (Year 12).

Academic Awards

• Year 5: George Dart, Harrison Saurini and James Carroll (Proxime Accesit)
• Year 11: Jack Fuller, Jack Harkins, Lachy McGarry and Liam O’Hara
• Year 6: Benji Brandt, Cooper Kele, Matthew Fuller and William Campbell
• Year 7: Paddy Williams (Proxime Accesit)
• Year 9: Sam Houston
• Year 10: Bailey Thomas, Byron Cason, Hamish Needham, Lachlan Russell, Owen Collins and Ryan Hadden

Activities Awards

• Year 7: Paddy Williams (Drama and Oratory)
• Year 12: Ben McMillan (Rowing), James Hong (Chess), Will Cartwright (Volleyball) and Jamie Dickman (Theatre Sports)
• Year 10: Clancy Thomas (Cattle Club) and Harry Dixon (Rowing)
• Year 11: Tom Balkin (Cricket)

As well as these awards each year the school acknowledges a group of students with Awards of Distinction at the annual Awards Ceremony for their outstanding efforts in the school community and in the classroom. Congratulations to Oliver Kele (Dux of Year 9) and Basil Nolan (Year 11 Sign of Faith Award).

Best Team Man Awards

• Tennis: Callum Stringfellow, Luke Doig and Chris Hernik
• Basketball: James Carroll
• Rugby: Tom O’Rielley, Lachlan Russell, Tarquin Clarke and Rhys Williams

Barrett House held a successful Barrett Bake during the term. Thank you to the many parents who provided food for the hungry hordes. There were plenty of leftovers.

As College Captain Injarra Harbour said in one of his end of term speeches, “it has not been a difficult year, but a different year”. I applaud this sentiment as the whole school did a fantastic job with coping with COVID-19. I’m sure the community is looking forward to the Christmas break and a return to some semblance of normality next year.

I wish Christmas blessings for all in the Barrett community.

Mr David Kelly
Barrett House Dean

Wow, Term 4 has never felt so busy! Congratulations to all our departing Year 12 men. They have finished strong and it is with a mixture of sadness and excitement that we wish them well as they embark on the next stage of their lives. In particular, our House Prefects Vuli Anganjuan, Campbell Rose and Harry Neville led the House with energy, enthusiasm and hard work. They were outstanding role models for all students and I offer them my thanks and best wishes. Similarly, Parker Prout, Thomas Raymond, Jordan Ball and Ellis Mahoney have finished their essential role of Junior School Big Brothers. I know they will be missed by all of their ‘little brothers’.

The cycle of school life means that the next layer of leadership is ready and waiting to step up. We in Duggan are very fortunate to have such an excellent cohort of Year 11 men. They, in turn, will become the House leaders in 2021. From within that group we have appointed three House Prefects, Matthew Johns, Luke Rohan and Callum Wallace. Harry Coventry has been appointed as one of the inaugural Boarding Prefects. Franco Lim Santos Faria, Joey Kingston, Jacob O’Mealley and Conor Holloway have been appointed as Big Brothers. Further to the growing list of leaders we also have Thomas Raymond and Oliver Harvey, who will be back to complete Year 12 again and further their sporting ambitions. Please see the photo below of most of these 2021 leaders wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

All Year 11 men were involved in the Year 11 retreat earlier in the term. This was a powerful and significant retreat that allowed the Year 11 men to really grasp where they are and where they are going. Ultimately it challenged them to think about how they want to arrive, as a cohort, for their external exams in 2021. It was a challenging couple of days but the Duggan men thrived upon this and are now better for the experience!

As I write this I would like to affirm Jake Gardiner for his incredible achievement in winning the Queensland Under 21 Golf Tournament. What is incredible is that Jake is only in Year 9! What a talent! Jake will now represent Queensland at the National Finals. Duggan is right behind you Jake!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the amazing Duggan PC tutors who have gone above and beyond for our students: Ms Belinda Drury, Mr Nick Toohey, Mr Richard Dupuy, Mr Paul Doneley, Mx James Makiol, Mr Jamaal Sugars, Mr George Goves, Mr Armand du Mont and Mr Chris Dods. I hope you all enjoy a well-deserved break and I look forward to seeing you in 2021.

I would like to extend a final and heartfelt thank you to all in the Duggan community for their ongoing support and friendship. Being trusted to be a House Dean is something that I do not take for granted. In simple terms, my role is to support you, as students and families, to reach your own goals.

I hope you all have a restful and blessed Christmas and New Year.

Mr Karim Sedour
Duggan House Dean

This year has been a trying time for all involved. Like Australia's efforts, Nudgee College’s unified, patient, flexible, understanding and positive approach has resulted in our micro-community pulling through this time comparatively successfully. Congratulations and thank you are well deserved by all.

Thank you to the following boys who volunteered to compete for Fogarty in Inter-house Chess: Jeremy Deakin, Will Reid, Joshua Price, Kade Lamont, Henry Kidd, Tito Hamala, Ibrahim Hassen, Harrison Cahill, Hugh Thomson, Ethan Ostwald, Nathan Frederiksen, Jadyn Iswariah, Frank Gilbert, Benjamin DiDonna, Hugo Timbs, Lucas Jebreen, Angus Twist and Dominic Gillies. Whilst not achieving the same excellence as our Term 1 Swimming victory, it was pleasing to see so many give up their Friday afternoon to compete in this modified, online version of the competition.

It is my pleasure to share the amazing work that our 2020 World’s Greatest Shave team did in raising funds for our House charity, the Leukaemia Foundation. This initiative continues to grow each year, with the 2020 team raising an astonishing $20,600. It was devastating that we had to cancel the much anticipated shave event the night before, due to the justified growing concern of COVID-19. This total raised almost doubled last year's efforts and all participants (from Years 5 to 12 students, staff, and even volunteer hairdressers from Toombul Barber) are to be highly commended on this inspirational effort. We had a total of 29 students and 13 staff register to raise funds online, and commit to shaving their heads to stand in solidarity with people suffering from blood cancer. These participants encapsulated all areas of our diverse student and staff body.

We were very blessed to have been still able to run our Kairos retreat for the Year 12 cohort. Every year this is a highlight of the College calendar and this year’s group certainly enjoyed the experience.

Although they looked significantly different this year, we were able to host a Semi Formal and Formal for our senior year levels.

Congratulations on a wonderful Senior year to Declan Henry who is both a member of the Academic Firsts and was also awarded a Mid-Year Prefect position. He joined the Fogarty Prefect leadership team of Kade Lamont, Joshua Price and Henry Kidd for the latter half of the year.

Congratulations to the following Year 11 students who were successful in their leadership applications, and will lead the College in 2021: Douglas Gemmell (College Vice Captain – Sport), Nicholas Graham, Aiden Woolf and George Pola (Forgarty Prefects).

As always a sincere thank you to all of the House parents, and especially Ms Marisia Woolf, for everything you do to help the boys throughout the term. The boys are extremely lucky to have such an amazing, supportive parent body.

Finally, thank you to the incredible Fogarty PC tutors for all they do for the boys: Mr Brent Mitchell, Ms Allana Herrod, Mr Declan Markey-Towler, Ms Nicole Simpson, Mr Gerard McKeown, Mr Nick Lee, Ms Elizabeth Todd, Ms Kimberley Bell, Mr Trent Palmer, Ms Andrea Kewley and Ms Maria Egan.

Mr Ken Adams
Fogarty House Dean

It was with great relief that life returned to somewhat normal – although a ‘new normal’ – at Nudgee in Term 4. It was so good to be able to pick up most of our usual events, particularly in terms of farewelling our Seniors.

Year 8 retreat was held the day prior to Year 8 camp, so it was a busy time for our Year 8 Magee men. Thanks to Harry Lloyd, Lochlan McClean, Charlie Dezius, Lachlan Barrett, Jonah Nelson and James Carey (Year 10s) who assisted on the day.

Ethan Petcos was named Captain of the Track and Field team this term. Ethan is an outstanding athlete with proven leadership skills. The team was in great hands.

GPS Track and Field Team:

• Junior: Josh Kelly, Liam Ganley, Nate Lowrie, Xavier Hicks and Xavier Gibson
• Senior: Nate Barnett, Ned Curran, Will Curran, Alex Romano, Daniel Maiava-Tapusoa, Izayha Kelly-West and Ethan Petcos

Year 11 leadership days were a great success, with Mr Michael Fitzpatrick facilitating the first day and then we got down to the ‘nuts and bolts’ of 2022 on the second day. Our leaders next year –

Prefects Rohan Astbury, Dylan Eastland and Ethan Petcos, and Big Brothers Sam Klein, Nikhil Lalwani, Oska Boyd and Byron Smith – will do an excellent job. Fortunately, they are supported by so many solid Year 12 leaders.

We also farewelled our 2021 Seniors. It was sad to say goodbye to Prefects Blake Keir, Oscar Varricchio Tom Walsh and Alec Watson, and Big Brothers Kyle Schramm, Christian Mills, Zida Wasiu and Justice Wasiu. They have all done an amazing job in keeping the energy and enthusiasm going in the face of challenges. Huge congratulations to our Magee men Injarra Harbour (College Captain) and Michael Jones (College Vice Captain) on steering the student ship during COVID-19. We also farewelled a number of long standing Magee families. We wish them well post-Nudgee College.

Well done to our Old Boys’ Award recipients:

• Year 7 Patrick Donovan Award: Ben Mason
• Year 10 Stephen Daley Award: Isaac Lofaro
• Year 8 Ian Brusasco Award: Akira Chen
• Year 9 Steven Cook Award: Tom Eyles

The following is a list of all the Magee award recipients from the College Awards Ceremonies:

• Edward McDonnell: Dux of Year 5
• Liam Ganley: Academic Excellence Award
• Matthew Bale: Academic Excellence Award 
• Ethan Easton: Academic Excellence Award
• Flynn Twomey: Academic Excellence Award
• Jackson Gosney: Academic Excellence Award
• Luke Hardingham: Academic Excellence Award
• Dermot Clancy: Proxime Accessit
• Nate Barnett: Academic Excellence Award
• Tejas Ashok: Academic Excellence Award
• Khy Dhawan: Academic Excellence Award
• Liam Astbury: Academic Excellence Award
• Aidan Easton: Oratory Champion, Academic Excellence Award
• Anthony Mineo: Debating Most Consistent Award, Academic Excellence Award
• Jackson Copeland: Academic Excellence Award
• Joseph Wesche: Academic Excellence Award
• Max Pilgrim: Swimming Under 14 Champion, Academic Excellence Award
• Alec Fuentes: Academic Excellence Award
• Alex Romano: Track and Field Under 15 Champion
• Daniel Atkins: Dux of Essential Mathematics
• Gabriel Fuentes: Academic Excellence Award
• Isaac Lofaro: Dux of Modern History
• Jonah Nelson: Rowing Year 10 Best Oarsman
• Lachlan Barrett: Dux of Biology, Dux of Japanese, Dux of Literature, Year 10 Ladies' Auxiliary Award for Conduct, Study and Co-curricular, Dux of Year 10
• Thomas Robertson: Academic Excellence Award
• Yashodhan Rayani: Academic Excellence Award
• Ethan Petcos: Track and Field Open Champion
• Flinders Noble: Dux of Construction - Cert I, Dux of Industrial Technology Skills
• Luke Sedgman: Visual Art Incentive Award
• Nikhil Lalwani: Dux of Chemistry, Dux of Legal Studies, Dux of Literature, Dux of Mathematical Methods, Dux of Study of Religion, Dux of Year 11
• Oscar Toaldo: Visual Art Emerging Artist Award
• Rohan Astbury: Dux of Specialist Mathematics, Academic Excellence Award
• Samuel Klein: Football Players' Player (1st XI)
• Tobey Phillips: Dux of Agricultural Science
• Zac Smullen: Dux of Physical Education
• Blake Keir: The Kelleher Family Award for Consistent, Unrecognised Achievement
• Christian Mills: Edmund Rice Student Award
• Heath Lillicrap: Volleyball Most Consistent Player (1st VI)
• Injarra Harbour: Br O’Brien Memorial Trophy College Oratory Champion, The Old Boys’ Award for Outstanding Service to the College, Br J G Hodda Memorial Award for Leadership and Diligence as College Captain
• Joshua Atkins: John Francis Treacy Memorial Award For Service to the Boarding Community
• Kyle Schramm: Rugby Best Forward (1st XV)
• Michael Jones: Br J G Hodda Memorial Award for Leadership and Diligence as a College Vice Captain
• Oscar Varricchio: Rugby Best Back (1st XV)

Well done boys!

Year 11 men Tobey Phillips and Flinders Noble were the driving force behind a barbecue and lolly bag fundraiser to raise money and awareness for men’s mental health. It is an important cause and it is great to see the boys wanting to be proactive.

I can’t thank all of you enough for the support that you give Magee. In particular, I would like to thank Ms Jo Smith (Head House Mum) along with Ms Wendy Astbury and Ms Danielle Mills, for their energy and commitment in organising so many House events. Magee is the thriving community it is because of the contribution of so many. Wishing you all the best for the Christmas break.

Ms Julianne Daunt
Magee House Dean

What an extraordinary year we have had as a society, and it has been no different at Nudgee College. As the year comes to a close, I wanted to thank the McKenna men for all of their hard work in what was a very challenging and interrupted year. COVID-19 has very much pushed a number of us way out of our comfort zones. The boys have had to adjust and adapt to a completely different learning environment. A lot of responsibility was placed on the Nudgee College students. One learning I had from the whole experience has been not to underestimate the intelligence, resilience and maturity of our students. The boys have more than exceeded expectations and created a lot of positives from a difficult time.

We weren’t able to compete in a number of Inter-house events this year; however, we did an excellent job in the annual Inter-house Debating. In addition, we fought hard in the Inter-house Chess to be crowned the champions for 2020.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 we were not able to host any fundraisers for our House charity Youngcare. Youngcare is a not-for-profit organisation spearheading powerful change for young people with high care needs. Through building high care housing, providing vital grants and the Youngcare Connect support line, Youngcare is creating a future where every young person has the freedom and choice to live the lives we all deserve. McKenna House will make an annual donation to Youngcare in the coming weeks of approximately $1,000.

A huge thank you to all McKenna parents for your generous support of Ed’s Pantry. Your donations have allowed Nudgee College to continue to contribute to those who are in desperate need of food during the pandemic and into the future. Thank you very much!

One of the highlights for the McKenna men this year was having the opportunity to hear professional boxer Jeff Horn speak. Jeff visited one of our final House Assemblies for the Seniors. He spoke about his experience being bullied as a teenager, reaching out for help and wellbeing in general. The boys were also very lucky to be able to ask him questions about his fighting career. At the conclusion many students stayed around for a photo with Jeff. A special thank you to Mrs Tammy and Mr Barry Stanton (parents of Brent and Callum) for arranging this wonderful opportunity for the McKenna men.

Our Year 11 students continued their leadership journey for Nudgee College at the start of Term 3. The Year 11 cohort met on a number of occasions this term during Student Formation. During these conversations the boys discussed the importance of all of them leading within McKenna House and ‘modelling the way’. A smaller group of nine McKenna Year 11 students have applied for the position of Prefect (either Boarding or House). These boys addressed the House with a speech, answered some questions from the PC tutors, volunteered their time throughout the year, completed an application process and had an interview. I can honestly say that I am very proud of the way all nine of these gentlemen conducted themselves. This group, along with their McKenna peers, will lead the House well next year. As a McKenna year level we spoke about leading without a badge or title and I am confident that these gentlemen will do just that.

Congratulations to Caleb Reiher, Mitchell Doyle and Logan Azzopardi who will be McKenna Prefects for 2021. In addition, congratulations to Bill Hutchinson, Jack Moses, Ethan Innes and Toby Quy-Verlander who will take on the Big Brother roles in the Junior School. Also, congratulations to Atticus Johnston who was selected as the Cotter Boarding Prefect for 2021, and Morgan Chippendale who was selected as College Vice Captain – The Arts.

These gentlemen will form the leadership group for their McKenna cohort for 2021. I wish them and all of the 2021 Year 12 cohort huge success for next year.

Last week, Seniors finished their external exams and enjoyed their Valedictory. It was a great celebration of their time at Nudgee College. They have been resilient in a very tricky year and have endured everything thrown at them, but remained upbeat. I wish them all the best on their journey beyond the gates of Nudgee College.

A very special thank you to our caring and experienced McKenna House PC tutors. We are once again so lucky to have PC tutors who have remained consistent in McKenna House over many years. It took an extra special effort for them to keep connected with the students and look after them during the COVID-19 period. Thank you to the following tutors: Ms Nicolette Beecham, Mr Gerard Alexander, Mr Peter Gledhill, Mr Kevin Ayres, Mr John Hodder, Mr Pep Cappello, Ms Alison Kilgour, Ms Jaimee Trembearth and Mr Matt Waters.

I feel very lucky to be a part of such a strong community in McKenna House and Nudgee College. The young men of McKenna House make my job a truly enjoyable one. It certainly isn’t without its challenges at times, but it is very rewarding. Thank you for your support in what was a very challenging year for all. I am very much looking forward to what 2021 brings.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Mr Paul Kehoe
McKenna House Dean

Wow! Term 4 and 2020 are over and what a year it has been. Our inspirational motto, ‘with spirit’ challenged the boys to think about how they can approach everything they do this year with both the Riley and Nudgee Spirit. This was something the boys lived by this year in all aspects of their Nudgee College lives; academics, Sport and Performing Arts, Social Justice, in the classroom and online, around the College, and in their relationships with friends and family. 

The Junior School students were well supported throughout the year by their Big Brothers: Aiden Richards, James Hueppauff, Elton Shibble and Mitchell Watson. Each boy brought their own unique personality and talents, yet they all contributed something special to our Riley family. It was great to witness Mitchell Watson be presented with his Mid-Year Prefect badge in Term 3. He was a fine addition to the Riley Prefect team. 

Our focus on House spirit and participation ensured our pursuit of the Br Vic Larkin Shield started and ended in high spirits, even with COVID-19 restrictions. Our placing in Swimming again proved we are not water babies in Riley House, but our Debating team were again crowd pleasers with a newly formed ‘young but wise’ trio of Oliver Bryans, Oscar Roati and Sejin Lee gaining us a worthy third place (joint with Barrett House). The Riley Chess team continues to grow in strength, gaining another amazing third place in the unique online Chess competition this year. A big thanks to Ben Ditchburn, Dominic Stein, Declan Ford, James Armitage, Daniel Kuskie and Cooper Corless for their participation in the competition this year. Academically too, our results continued to be among the best in the College. In the fight for the Br Vic Larkin Shield, this was even more important, with the academic medal tally and learning habit reports contributing to the competition. While we didn’t get to hold the shield, I am so proud of our second place this year. It is clear we have the brains, if only we could get slightly better at swimming! 

Participation in Social Justice activities continues to be an integral part of the Riley House identity. 2020 was the 24th year in which we have collected for the Salvation Army’s annual Red Shield Appeal and this year saw us raise our biggest figure to date – and without knocking on a single door. Once again, COVID-19 hit us with a curveball but, for once, this had a positive result – the Digital Doorknock – and lots of money raised for such a worthy cause. This is probably a format that will be adopted for years to come due to its success for the Salvation Army. Riley House will continue to be a part of such a wonderful organisation. 

We have a wonderfully active group of Riley House parents, and we offer our deepest gratitude to all of them for their continued support and bid farewell to the wonderful House parents who leave us this year. Ms Rebecca Kuskie, who has been my rock since I became the House Dean for Riley House in 2018, is finishing up this year as her son Daniel graduates. I will be eternally grateful to Rebecca for her support over the years. She is truly an amazing person who had the difficult job of making me look good – I think she did pretty well. I am so pleased to announce that our new Head House Mum is Ms Lisa Board, mother to Harrison in Year 10. I am looking forward to working with Lisa next year and hopefully not having to deal with as many restrictions. I thank Lisa for taking up this role.  

Prefects James Armitage, Cooper Corless and Daniel Kuskie were great role models for the boys. Rowan Burton, Will Mann and Keiran McCarthy were selected as our Prefects for 2021 from a talented pool of eight applicants. We look forward to what these young men can offer as a leadership group next year. At our final House Assembly with the Seniors, we also congratulated an outstanding young man, James Armitage, as the recipient of this year’s Br Riley Award for his meritorious conduct, participation and service to the House and College.

I would like to acknowledge the support of our PC tutors who have been so wonderful in caring for the Riley boys on a daily basis: Ms Stephanie Spicer, Mr Sam Proctor, Mr Tim Bird, Mr Damien Gannon, Mr Simon Lilley, Mr Thomas Hughes, Mr Andrew Hook, Ms Jai Dwyer and Mr Michael Ford. Riley House thrives on a strong partnership between the boys, their families and our PC tutors. This continuing relationship is a pivotal aspect of the pastoral support of the young men in our care.

This year has been another big year for me. I thoroughly enjoy my role as Riley House Dean. I love getting to know all of the wonderful Riley men. I am inspired on a daily basis by their amazing spirit, kindness and unrelenting energy. I continue to have high hopes for what Riley House might achieve in the years ahead – we could be holding the Br Vic Larkin Shield next year! Across all of our year groups, we have a wonderfully diverse collection of interests and talents – academic, spiritual, cultural, sporting and social awareness – and a great sense of family and community. This gives Riley House a great balance. What we have in Riley is something very special, and it is an absolute honour to be part of this family. 

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope that you enjoy the break with family and friends. See you in 2021.

Ms Lynsey Hale
Riley House Dean

For the students of Ross House, it certainly has been a school year like no other and I am immensely proud of our young men for the way in which they navigated the challenges and inevitable disruptions to the usual routines of College life. Despite the unusual year, Ross House students are to be commended for continuing to achieve great things across the different areas of the College.

I am always proud of the willingness of the Ross House students to have a go at any challenge put before them. We may not always have the most gifted athletes in a particular activity but we always turn up in numbers and give it our best. Our results across the Inter-house events that were able to take place this year were seventh in Swimming, ninth in Chess and an impressive first place in Debating.

This year saw limited opportunities for students to be involved in the College’s Social Justice programs. The one big initiative that Ross House students organised and ran was the PNG Cultural Celebration Day that highlighted the College’s connection with PNG and raised money for our new House charity. Callan Services provides inclusive education and disability services to communities in PNG. Callan Services also help to facilitate some of the activities for the Year 10 Immersion program. We are looking to support the work of the Christian Brothers in the community and develop an ongoing relationship that will see Ross House students visiting and working there during Immersion. The plan is that those students will then come back to Nudgee College and be ambassadors for the charity, driving our fundraising initiatives. I highly recommend that all Ross students get involved with a Social Justice opportunity as it is a vital part of Student Formation that helps develop each young man to be Signum Fidei – a ‘Sign of Faith’.

Ross House is very proud of the calibre of its leaders and this year our House was led extremely well by our Prefects Isaac Babao, Mattias Dahlstedt and Ben Weber. Our Junior School Big Brothers Ben Brandt, Lachlan Carmody, Owen Mitchell and Morgan O’Dwyer did a fantastic job in helping our new Year 5 students settle into life at Nudgee College and ensure our Year 6 students enjoyed their year. Lastus Auakai is to be congratulated for being such an excellent role model and College Vice Captain this year. This year’s Seniors will be remembered for their strong leadership of the House, especially during the challenging learning@home period in Term 2. We wish our Year 12 students all the best as they leave Nudgee College as a student for the last time. They will be missed.

Next year will see the Nudgee College student leadership team consist of another Ross House man. Chad Oehlman will be the 2020 College Vice Captain – Identity. This is a great acknowledgement of his service to the College and a vote of confidence by his peers. The Prefects for Ross House next year form a strong team made up of Tony Fuimaono, Hunter Lim and Joseph Picone. The Ross boys in the Junior School are in good hands with a fantastic group of Big Brothers to look after them: Darcy Carmody, Luke-Darbyshire-Roberts, Jamie Knight and Ewen Lalor. I am confident in the future of Nudgee College and Ross House with these fine young men leading the way, supported by a great team of 2021 Seniors.

I would like to acknowledge the efforts of our PC tutors who are terrific mentors and a day-to-day presence in the students’ journey through Nudgee College. A huge thank you to Mr Peter Kropp (Ross 1), Mr Brendan McGuinness (Ross 2), Mr Sam Smith (Ross 3), Mr CJ Massingale (Ross 4), Mr Dave Fraser (Ross 5), Ms Sue Minor (Ross 6), Mr Dave Fletcher (Ross 7), Ms Heather Hume (Ross 8) and Ms Sharon Williams (Ross 9). A special mention must go to Sharon, who is leaving the College at the end of this year. Thank you for your care of the boys in Ross 9. We also wish Peter all the best for his well-deserved long service leave for Semester 1 next year.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank our long-serving Head House Mum Ms Emma Babao, who is completing her final year as a current parent of Ross House Senior, Isaac. Emma has always been a great supporter and ambassador for Ross House and she will be missed.

It has been a privilege to be working with the young men of Ross House and their families again this year. I look forward to 2021 and the challenge of motivating and supporting our students to be the best they can be.

Mr Michael Byrne 
Ross House Dean

We will all remember 2020 as a challenging year and one that will never be forgotten. The impact COVID-19 had on our community has been astounding, yet also rewarding: new friendships formed, new learning opportunities, and family time that we have not experienced for many years. The support network the College and the community has offered the students and their families academically, pastorally and spiritually was outstanding and I hope you have felt supported during 2020.

Term 4 was extremely busy with Year 6, 8 and 11 retreat and leadership days. We said farewell to our Senior Shaw students with a heartfelt House Assembly, chapel service and rose garden ceremony, and Valedictory. To the Year 12s of 2020, thank you for your energy, humour and good grace. We also welcomed our new Shaw House Prefects for 2021: Frank Bundock, Degenhard Beschel and Cameron Reppel. Congratulations to Rodin Martin who was named the Hodda Boarding House Prefect for next year.

I take this opportunity to thank our Prefects for 2020 – Xavier Nicolaidis, Oahu Davey-Phillips, Max Grant, Howard Yanda and Christian Mills – for their enthusiastic and dedicated leadership this year. I sincerely thank our fabulous PC team of Mr David Sen, Mr Mark Reiken, Mr Anthony Gibb, Ms Marie-Rose Burton, Mr Thomas Eichinski, Ms Kate Fraikin, Ms Kathleen White, Ms Susan Reid and Ms Melissa Miller for their continued, outstanding pastoral care for all Shaw students. I extend a most sincere thank you to our graduating Head House Mum Ms Jules Born, for all the years of fabulous ideas and support. Thank you to our new Head House Mum Ms Anne Gray, and her merry band of helpers. Your support and effort are greatly appreciated, and what makes our community a family. The heart of the House is of course our patron, Ms Maggie Shaw. We thank Maggie for her continued enthusiasm, love and guidance she gives to the Shaw students.

It has been a very successful and rewarding year overall and I commend the Shaw students for their hard work, dedication, respectful attitude and vision for new possibilities in learning. I feel very privileged to care for such an outstanding group of young men. We continue to build a vibrant, strong, caring and welcoming House community filled with compassion and support for each other. I very much look forward to an equally fulfilling 2021and wish you all a safe and joyous Christmas break.

Ms Robyn Mann
Shaw House Dean

As we near the end of not just another term, but another semester and year at Nudgee College, it’s incredible to consider just how much has occurred in only eight weeks. Much like the year that has been 2020, this term was one of change, challenge and opportunity.

GPS Track and Field was early in the term and involved many Tierney students from Years 5 to 12. Congratulations to our students who represented Nudgee College in this competition – from our youngest participants through to our more experienced senior students. In particular I’d like to mention Ashley Wong who won the 100m, 200m and 400m. Building on his successes in GPS and State Championships this year, Ashley is currently ranked number one in Australia for the Under 18 and Under 20 200m. At just 16 years of age this is an incredible achievement for Ashley, who will be spending some of his Christmas break at the AIS in Canberra training as part of the Australian Under 20 Relay squad. We wish Ashley all the best with this exciting opportunity.

Our Year 6s attended retreat and our Year 8s attended retreat before a three-day camp. I’d like to acknowledge our Year 11 students who began their leadership journey during a two-day retreat, preparing to be Seniors of 2021. Congratulations to our 2021 Tierney leaders: Ciaran Casey, Simon Vollert and Shannen Gerard Solker. These boys capably led the Year 11s on our retreat and Orientation Day, and will no doubt do an outstanding job as Seniors of 2021.

The prestigious Old Boys’ Awards were also recognised at Assembly and for Semester 2 were awarded to the following Tierney students: John Oneto, Daniel Rostron, Ethan Rigby and Darcy Turner.

It was certainly a highlight for our community to be announced winners of the 2020 Br Vic Larkin Shield at the final Assembly for our Seniors. So much of what we do in Tierney is about working together and being present to the opportunities in front of us. Once again the Tierney lads achieved outstanding results with their learning habits and participation, and this is something that they can take pride in and aspire to maintain in the years ahead. In what has been a year of such unpredictability and change, it is a lasting legacy of our 2020 Seniors to have led the House to this unexpected win.

Another highlight of our final College Assembly was the recognition of Tierney Senior and Nudgee College Music Captain Sam Schimming. In October, Sam was part of the Australian Honours Ensemble Program at Griffith University. This program brings together musicians from across the country for a few days of intense rehearsals with an expert conductor, and culminates in a concert at the Conservatorium Theatre. Additionally, Sam has been awarded the Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship, which is worth $24,000. We congratulate Sam and wish him all the best for the future.

During the final House Assembly for our Seniors, it was wonderful to present the joint winners of the Br O.P Tierney Award. Congratulations to Joseph Hunt (Ti2) and Denzel Huuma (Ti8). As Seniors they both epitomised all that it is to be a Tierney and Nudgee College man of high standing, servant leadership and humility, from their interactions in PC, to their effort and enthusiasm across all areas of Nudgee College life. 

It was wonderful to see the representation of Tierney students at our Awards Ceremonies held recently. Tierney House was proudly represented in each year level and a sincere congratulations goes to every Tierney student who was recognised for academic excellence, encouragement, improvement, and sporting and cultural achievements. 

Tierney House is blessed to have incredible tutors who ensure every day begins with a smile, a conversation and an opportunity to feel part of a supportive class and community. While we have had some staff changes throughout the year, the support and professionalism has been consistent.  I’d especially like to thank and acknowledge Mr Paul Raven who will be leaving us to pursue a new opportunity at Ambrose Treacy College. For several years Paul has been a wonderful mentor and role model for our community, particularly Tierney 3, and we wish him all the very best.

I’d like to personally thank each and every Tierney student and PC tutor who made this term particularly significant for me. As I clocked over a ‘milestone’ birthday I was treated to my first ever surprise party thanks to a few sneaky Seniors who managed to pull off a secret Tierney House birthday gathering one morning. Only a few weeks later a very similar gesture was repeated in an effort to demonstrate gratitude as I head in a new direction. After six years as Tierney House Dean it is exciting to be given the opportunity to take up a new position as Director of Students (Acting) for 2021. I’d like to sincerely thank the entire Tierney community for the incredible support, memories and experiences over the years. There is no doubt a position in pastoral care is one of great privilege. I am confident that this community will welcome the change that 2021 will bring with the positive attitude and energy that greeted me in 2015.  

It has been an honour to work with the students of Tierney and their families and a privilege to share in the adventures of these young men of Nudgee College. Thank you again for your support throughout the year and may you and your families have a safe and blessed Christmas and New Year.

Ms Joanne Barrett
Tierney House Dean

Many have labelled 2020 as a year to forget; however, I would strongly contest this in Cotter House. In a year which has given us great adversity, the Cotter motto has never been more relevant: “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”.

As always, Term 4 has been a ‘sprint finish’, with plenty of milestone moments. We started the term with Rites of Passage for our Seniors and finished with a heartfelt farewell to Mr Christian Oneto. We have welcomed new boarders, acknowledged our 2021 leaders, and enjoyed our formal dinner and Christmas supper. Term 4 has had it all!

Whilst there is always excitement as we approach the long break, we have also said some emotional goodbyes this term. The 2020 Seniors will be remembered for their resilience in an incredibly difficult and unusual year. In many ways, I believe the difficulties that this group faced brought with them an increased sense of camaraderie.

In the midst of closing out 2020, many of our boys have started their preparations for 2021. Year 10s and 11s have started next year's academic work and our 2021 Seniors have certainly started planning how they will make their mark.

Next year we will see some significant changes in Cotter House, which will require the boys to take ownership and show leadership. We are adjusting our floorplan in order to create more cohesion between cohorts. The boys have been involved in the planning process for this initiative and I am sure it will be a great success. With this change will come the inaugural ‘top versus bottom’ competitions that will kick off in Week 1 of 2021. More on this to come!

In Cotter, we are very fortunate to have a strong leadership team for 2021, including the College Captain, two Vice Captains, two day House Prefects, as well as our Prefect and leader. Congratulations to the following boys:

• Atticus Johnston (Cotter Prefect)
• Aidan Dohnalek (Cotter leader)
• Leo De Clara (College Captain)
• Doug Gemmell (College Vice Captain – Sport)
• Morgan Chippendale (College Vice Captain – Performing Arts)
• Cameron Reppel (Shaw House Prefect)
• Degenhard Beschel (Shaw House Prefect)

In addition to these fine young men, we have a group of Seniors that will lead by example and continue to build on Cotter’s amazing culture.

In writing this I must acknowledge the amazing Cotter staff. They are one of the most dedicated, caring and selfless groups I have ever worked with. Boarding simply cannot function without a group of people like them. I must also thank all of the Cotter families. Thank you for putting your trust in us and for supporting us in all that we do. You, and your boys, are the reason we all love our jobs. Most importantly, I must thank the Cotter men. You keep us on our toes, brighten up our days and make our jobs so fulfilling. I am blessed to work with an outstanding group of young men.

Finally, I would like to finish with some words from the boys. In Cotter, the boys provide bi-annual feedback for the staff. This year, it has been an extremely affirming process, with the boys sharing their deep love for their ‘home away from home’. To finish, I share with you just a few of their comments:

• “The staff are good to have a joke with and I look forward to seeing them.”
• “I like the inclusive community and the interactions I have with staff members.”
• “I like the boys and staff members in Cotter, as well as the unique activities that separate us from the other dorms.”
• “The way staff and students interact, everyone talks to each other as friends rather than as a teacher speaking to a student, which is how I think a dorm community should be.”
• “I like the way Seniors interact with their younger peers.”
• “We all have good mates who feel like brothers, which makes it even more like a home away from home.”

Mr Casey Brealy
Head of Cotter Boarding House

I have thoroughly enjoyed leading Hodda staff and caring for the Hodda men in 2020. I am blessed to have such a wonderful position at this College. I am passionate about boys’ education and the pastoral care of young men. I enjoy watching them grow and learn how to balance their lives, mature and progress to manhood. I find it extremely rewarding to be part of their journey here in Boarding and help contribute in some way to their overall growth and development while they are essentially living away from parents and their home. We have tried to make their experience a home away from home.

In speaking at this year’s Boarding Formal Dinner in Term 4, I explained briefly what our motto, ‘dare to be different’, means. I referred to the wonderful example of Jesus and Edmund Rice. They were true examples of leadership, making the right decisions and doing what was right. Not in the sense of wearing weird clothes or getting a crazy haircut, but rather linked back to the Gospels and what lessons Jesus was attempting to teach us through them. Values like forgiveness, compassion, respect, standing up for what we know is right and just, and generally making decisions based on what is right and not what is easy. This is ingrained in what we teach our young men every day and highlights how we think each boy should act on their journey to becoming Signum Fidei – a ‘Sign of Faith’.

Without the help and dedication of committed staff, we could not do what we need to in order to care for our boarders. I would like to thank and congratulate the following staff for their work and commitment in 2020: Mr Alex O’Regan, Mr Joel Crighton, Mr Corey Braithwaite, Mr Alan McLean, Mr Kobie Smith, Mr Andy Hynes, Mr Mike Slaven, Mr Zed Kiwai, Mr George Harnetty, Mr Keelan MacGillivray, Mr Declan Markey-Towler and Ms Cassandra Smith. Without the dedication and care of these wonderful staff, the Hodda Boarding House would not function as well as it does. I know and appreciate that our staff have a genuine sense of care and willingness to do extra things for the boys to help make sure they are safe and happy.

The Reach for the Stars program of academic support has again been appreciated and successful for the many boys who have benefitted from the presence of academic staff in Boarding Houses at night. This program is only successful because of the dedication, effort and willingness of the teachers to give up their time at night each week so that the boys can receive the help they need. I’d like to sincerely thank the many teachers who have been involved and congratulate them on their many hours of service.

It is always a mix of emotions as we farewell the Year 12 boys at the end of each year. We know we have done our best with them and have prepared them well for life after Nudgee College. We also look forward to the next time we see them and hear the stories about what they have been doing and achieved, whether that is at university, work at home on the property, employment or apprenticeships. Either way, it is always rewarding to see what Nudgee College has done for them and the friendships they forge along the way. I wish them all the best as they venture out into the world and aim to make their own way forward with their own skills and personalities.

Each year, we present a shield to one of the Seniors for outstanding contribution to the Boarding House and a general commitment to Boarding life. The 2020 recipient is Henry Kidd. He is always well behaved, giving, cooperative, always willing to do extra jobs, a pleasure to have in the House and he gets on well with staff and students alike.

Finally, I would like to thank the parents and guardians for your support throughout the year. The partnership between you and the College is invaluable. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the boys and feel privileged to have served another year at Nudgee College.

Mr Ken Mitchell
Head of Hodda Boarding House

Term 4 was a short, but very busy term within the Boarding and wider College community. The term started very quickly with the Boarding Formal Dinner taking place in Week 1. This was a great event where we recognised the leadership of the Senior cohort and announced the leaders for Murphy in 2021. Congratulations to Harry Coventry for being named as the Murphy Prefect and Oska Boyd for his appointment as Murphy leader. We look forward to these boys leading the men of Murphy House next year.

Along with the Formal Dinner, there were a number of other exciting and special events that took place this term. The Seniors had their final Mass and were applauded out of the Chapel as they left for the final time. The Boarding community farewelled the Seniors on Ross Oval on their final night before external exams commenced. The College Awards Ceremony took place in Week 7 and saw a number of Murphy men get recognised for the achievements in their schooling and co-curricular endeavours. The Seniors of 2020 graduated and said their final goodbyes and the Year 11 cohort were announced as the new leaders of Murphy House.

This term saw the continuation of the Mini-Teams competition. It was great to see the boys embrace this again and get involved in the various activities that occurred throughout the term. The highlight of this competition this term was the athletics carnival that took place in Week 3. Well done to the Grey Buffaloes for winning this. However, a special mention must go to the Brown Moles for finishing the year on the top of the Mini-Teams table and winning the competition for 2020. I look forward to this initiative getting bigger and better in 2021.

It has been a pleasure to be the Acting Head of Murphy Boarding House this Semester. I have been particularly impressed with the way in which the men of Murphy have finished the year. They have all made the most of their opportunities and it has been great to see boys of all year levels engage so positively with one another within the Boarding House.

A reminder to parents and caregivers to ensure that your son returns in the new year with an appropriate haircut. Boys should not have any colour or ‘tracks’ in their hair and their hair should not cover the ears, collar or eyebrows.

Finally, I would like to wish everyone within the Murphy and wider Boarding community a Merry Christmas and a very happy new year. I hope you all have a joyful and safe holiday.

Mr Alex O’Regan
Head of Murphy Boarding House (Acting)

It has been a short, sharp and hectic term. It seems like we were only just welcoming back the boys for Term 4 and we’re now saying goodbye and Merry Christmas. While there has certainly been enough said about 2020 and how it will be etched into our history, there have been many highlights and positives which we can honestly say helped us build resilience, made us laugh and even helped us develop new and interesting methods to develop the Boarding community.

One of the Term 4 highlights for O’Brien was the Boarding Formal Dinner, during which we present our boarder of the year and announce our leaders for 2021. At this year’s dinner, we were pleased to present Jack Weise with the O’Brien Community Spirit Award. Since arriving at Nudgee College, Jack has always displayed limitless amounts of energy, hard work, effort, generosity and, most of all, a caring attitude toward others. While he may not have received the public accolades and awards of some students, his work, effort and care have never gone unnoticed in O’Brien.

Thank you to Angus Wishart and Tom Hansson who led our community this year. Angus and Tom have been excellent role models for our youngest boarders through their willingness to support others, good behaviour, respect for every boarder and staff member, application to their studies and co-curricular activities and organisation of House activities. I certainly believe that the experience they gained this year will make them valuable boarders in the Senior Houses next year.  Angus and Tom also had the privilege at our recent Formal Dinner of passing the O’Brien flag to our 2021 leaders, Liam McBride and George Coorey. Congratulations to George and Liam on their appointments and we look forward to you leading our community in 2021.

I am really pleased to be able to report that Mr Jeff Campbell is progressing really well in his recovery and is looking forward to leading O’Brien again next year. We were very lucky to have Jeff join us this week for our pizza party and to present some awards to those O’Brien boarders who may not have been recognised for their efforts at our Formal Dinner. These winners included:

• Award for Consistent and Unrecognised Achievement: Samson Naawi
• House Mother’s Award: Myles Armstrong
• Award for Conduct, Study and Sport: Emmanuel Taviri
• Award for Living the Dorm Motto ‘The Little Things Matter’: Finnigan O’Rielley
• Sign of Faith Award for a Compassionate and Selfless Attitude: Angus Wishart

On behalf of all the O’Brien staff and boarders, I’d like to recognise Mr Christian Oneto, who is leaving us to pursue new and exciting opportunities. Christian has been a dedicated Dean of Boarding and we thank him for all of his hard work, guidance and support to all the young men and staff in O'Brien. Christian’s work in reinvigorating the numbers of young boarders at Nudgee College in recent years is testament to his hard work and passion for Boarding. He has certainly left Boarding at Nudgee College in great shape and we are sincerely thankful and wish Christian, Kym and their family all the very best for the future.

One of the very special people and roles in every Boarding House is the House Mum. A Boarding House simply does not function or feel like a home without its ‘mum’. We have been blessed to have Ms Megan Brealy as our House Mum. While Megan has been a ‘mum’ in O’Brien for the last two years we are thrilled that she is taking some maternity leave next year to start her own family.  We congratulate her and Mr Casey Brealy on their new and exciting adventure. We know Megan will be a great mum and hope that she remains a part of our community.

I also wanted to acknowledge and thank the Year 9 O’Brien boarders who now move to senior Boarding Houses in 2021. You have been outstanding role models for our youngest boarders and we wish you well in your future journey in Nudgee College Boarding. Remember that you are always an ‘O’Brien Boarder’ and will always be welcome in our dorm.

Thanks to former Nudgee College boarder and current Broncos player Mr Ethan Bullemor. He recently donated some of his Broncos gear, which we used as weekly prizes. Ethan also donated a signed Broncos jersey to hang in the dorm. Mr Jarrett Subloo, a former boarder who made his NRL debut with the Canberra Raiders this year, has also donated a signed Raiders to the dorm, which we will proudly hang in our recreation room.

Thank you to Sr Glenda Elliott, Ms Jenny Jordan and the Health Centre staff for their care of the O’Brien boarders. This year they have gone above and beyond and their incredible work allowed us to have boarders back much earlier than expected.

A Boarding House cannot function with the dedication and professionalism of its staff. Thank you to our supervisors Ms Sue Minor, Ms Tracey Hoffmann, Mr James Kasch, Mr Hamish Smith, Mr Conor Martin, Ms Wendy Green and Mr Andrew McTaggart, who support the senior staff and the boys and play a very important pastoral role in their formation. A special thanks must go to our senior staff Mr Chris Dods and Mr Brent Mitchell who have done a magnificent job in supporting myself and Jeff this year. Their hard work and dedication are much appreciated and certainly never taken for granted.

Mr John Cross
Head of O’Brien Boarding House (Acting)

Term Bus Passes for Term 1, 2021

Term 1 Bus Passes for 2021 will be available for purchase from the College Payment Gateway from Monday 14 December. Please refer below for prices.

• Term *pre-paid term pass (discounted): $245 if purchased before midnight Thursday 21 January 2021
• 10 trip tickets (pay as you go): Once term is underway, $30 for each 10 trip ticket
• Term pre-paid term pass (no discount): $255 if purchased before midnight Tuesday 26 January 2021

* Note the early bird dates for a discount.

To allow for collation, printing and distribution in a timely fashion, these dates are fixed. Should you miss the cut-off, you will have to purchase 10 trip tickets for the term, which cost $30 each and can be purchased from the Tuckshop, Locker Room or Junior School.

Returning students can collect their passes from their House Dean in Week 1. New students to Nudgee College (no photo on system) will receive their passes in Week 2 of school.

If your son loses his term bus pass, this can be re-issued at a small cost through IT/AV Services.

2021 bus routes and stops can be viewed here. Any queries about stops and routes can be directed to the Transport team via transport@nudgee.qld.edu.au.

Should you have any queries regarding bus passes and tickets, please feel free to contact on finance@nudgee.qld.edu.au or 3865 0403.