Bernie's Bulletin

Event Calendar

Reunion Calendar

Save the Date for your class reunion! Registration will open closer to the date so we can track numbers. Each year level will receive emails with more information closer to the date as well.

A reminder for our final two reunions of the year - the 35 Year Reunion and the combined 45 & 50 Year Reunion.

To all from the St Bernard’s classes of 1990, 1980 and 1975:  your old classmates would love to see you there.

Taking place at a great local venue, the Moonee Ponds Club, these events are a great chance to catch up with old mates and see what they’re up to now.

Visit the Trybooking links below or contact us at development@sbc.vic.edu.au to register for free!

35 Year (Class of 1990): https://www.trybooking.com/DCXGM 

45 & 50 Year (Classes of 1980 & 1975): https://www.trybooking.com/DCXGO 

This week we're shining the spotlight on accomplished author and leading strategy advisor Charles Hardman (Class of 1993) 

Charles was our College Vice Captain in Year 12 and also represented the school in ACC Athletics. In the 1993 Clairvaux he described his future aspirations in one word - "Success" - and he's delivered in spades! He has gone on to work across a variety of roles, disciplines, and industries, from frontline to middle management to senior management, to director and non-executive director. Since 2010, he has trained, coached, mentored, consulted for, and advised organisations on leadership and management and strategies/tactics for how to achieve their goals. 

Since helping lead our College, Charles has extensively studied and practiced leadership for 30 years. He has channelled all of this into a recently published book, titled Leadership called Leadership is not Leadership -  the distillation of thousands of conversations with experts all around the world. It is the first in a series of books by Charles on leadership, with his second volume Taking the Leader out of Leadership due out on 25 July 2026.

If you know any old collegians who have been successful lately, let us know at development@sbc.vic.edu.au - we'd love to celebrate them!

The Old Collegians Association's annual Chris Lane Golf Day is back! Get your team together and head down to Medway Golf Club on Friday, 21 November for a chance to be immortalised on the Chris Lane Cup!

A must on the calendar, come and join us for a fantastic day of golfing, food, drink and catching up. There are plenty of prizes to be won, including a BMW on offer if you can make a hole in one! Lunch and dinner are provided, and drinks can be purchased at the clubhouse.

This event is not to be missed for any golf enthusiast. Tickets are $100 per person (inclusive of food and green fees) and can be booked here: https://www.trybooking.com/DFJOF If you're under 25, contact development@sbc.vic.edu.au for tickets at a special young alumni price of $75.

Bookings are open until 11:59pm Sunday 16 November.

On Friday, 24 October, the St Bernard's College Foundation held its third Cox Plate Lunch at the Moonee Ponds Club. We welcomed back our MC Andrew Bensley, who skilfully guided proceedings while providing plenty of laughs, and Moonee Valley Head of Racing Charlotte Mills, who once again gave us a special perspective on the Cox Plate and what the future of the Moonee Valley Racecourse will look like. Joining them were a fantastic panel of speakers including highly regarded trainers Tony McEvoy and Nick Ryan, and racing presenter Michael Comerford, who all shared plenty of stories and racing insights.

Charlotte Mills with MC Andrew Bensley

Tony McEvoy (left) speaks to Andrew 

The event featured an array of impressive raffle items, successfully raising vital funds for the Foundation's work in bursaries and scholarships. Awards were presented for the best-dressed female and male, celebrating their stylish outfits, while a few lucky guests were randomly selected to win a cap signed by jockey Darren Beadman and trainer Chris Waller (whose horse won the very next day - definitely increasing the value of those caps!)

Old Collegian Michael Comerford gives his predictions for the race

Andrew conducts the raffle with our Deputy Principal Therese Wilson 

SBOCA President Jasper Brettell (centre) with fellow alumni Max Nagle (left) and Dan Spencer (right)

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Moonee Ponds Club for hosting us, and to our sponsors McDonald Upton, Essendon BMW, Bendigo Community Bank Keilor East, MNG Lawyers, and Scotchmans Hill.

Most importantly, thank you to all who joined us for a wonderful day filled with camaraderie and support for our College community - and hopefully you loaded up on Via Sistina!

Each year, our community gathers to honour and remember the lives of our dearly departed Old Collegians—men whose presence shaped the spirit and legacy of our school. We invite our community to attend our Annual Deceased Old Collegians Mass. All those recently passed will be acknowledged on the day.

Date: Saturday, 8 November at 9:30am.

Location: St. Bernards College Chapel. (Enter through GATE 6 for parking). 

RSVP: Via the link https://www.trybooking.com/DFVXH or email vmcguire@sbc.vic.edu.au.

Following the Mass, light refreshments will be served in the Peter Hogan boardroom. 

Last Tuesday, the 500 Supporters' Group held their annual Spring Racing Lunch, with all proceeds going towards the Ruben Centre in Kenya, an organisation close to our hearts here at St Bernard's. Since SBC Hall of Fame Legend Noel O'Brien established it in 2001, the Group has raised in excess of $8 million, helping the Ruben Centre provide education, health and social services to those in need.

Our Principal Dr Michael Davies, senior College staff and some of our student leaders attended the event, as the guests enjoyed lunch in the MCG Member's Dining Room and heard from VRC CEO Kylie Rogers and celebrated racing expert and television presenter Francesca Cumani. The Melbourne Cup was also on display, and a lively charity auction raised further money for the Group's cause. 

It was also great to reunite with former College Principal Tony Paatsch - now principal of St Joseph's College in Geelong.

Tony Paatsch (left and Dr Michael Davies (right) with students from St Bernard's and St Joseph's and the Melbourne Cup.

Well done to the 500 Supporters' Group whose fundraising work continues to make a real difference in the lives of thousands of people. We encourage you to check out their website The 500 Supporters' Group to learn more about their valuable initiatives and fantastic events.

We look forward to their AFL-themed lunch in 2026!

As the Class of 2025 prepares to graduate, our newest Young Alumni are beginning to take their first steps beyond the College gates exploring pathways into employment, apprenticeships, and work experience. It’s an exciting and pivotal time as they prepare to apply the skills, values, and knowledge gained at St Bernard’s to the next stage of their journey.

The strength of our community lies in the connection between past and present students. Time and again, we see the remarkable difference our Old Collegians make when they extend a hand to support those following in their footsteps.

We warmly invite any members of our alumni and friends of the College community who are in a position to offer employment, apprenticeship, or work experience opportunities within their business or organisation to contact us. This includes opportunities suitable for students pursuing university studies, as many are seeking part-time roles that may lead to ongoing employment once their studies are complete.

By offering such opportunities, you are not only providing valuable professional experience but also helping shape the futures of young men who are ready to learn, contribute, and grow.

To express your interest or learn more, please email the Development Office at development@sbc.vic.edu.au. 

While cleaning out a storeroom last week we found a piece of history! This beautiful wooden sign used to adorn the Mitchell Hall, at the ground floor of the very first building on our Essendon campus (now named the Tobin building). 

The multi-purpose hall was of huge benefit to the teachers and students, who were able to use it for exams, assemblies, plays and more. The Hall was also hired out for events and has hosted birthdays, wedding receptions and more. In 1967 it was named the Mitchell Hall after the late Joseph P Mitchell, who played a crucial business administration role throughout the early years of the Essendon campus.

The Mitchell Hall then eventually became the Mitchell Library, where for decades students were able to learn, research and experience new technology (such as these computers from 1997 that were cutting-edge at the time!)

The Hall is now undergoing redevelopment as part of our Quays Project - when it reopens the space will be a brand-new study area with an attached cafeteria, open for extended hours before and after school, continuing to play a crucial role in our students' education. As for the sign, it now has a new home in our Archives room.

Honouring our esteemed old collegians is deeply important to the College. If you wish to submit Vale notices for inclusion in The Strand magazine, please send them via email to development@sbc.vic.edu.au. Your contributions allow us to respectfully remember and celebrate the remarkable individuals who have been part of our community and have sadly passed away since our last publication in mid- 2025.

The December Edition of the Strand goes to print soon, any Vale notices submitted after this will be acknowledged in the next edition of the Strand in Term 2 of 2026.

We greatly appreciate your support in helping us honour their memories.