St Bernard’s College Old Collegians Association

A Reunion for the class of 1976 being hosted by Greg Natoli and Mark Dalmau- Details below

If you have any questions in relation to the 1976 Reunion, Greg is contactable on 0407045004 or via email at gjnatoli@alphalink.com.au

With our reunion season well and truly underway, it is now more important then ever to ensure your personal contact details are up to date to ensure you are kept in the loop for any and all Old Collegian events

The easy way to do this is via our College website - Please click here to go to the webform to update your details!

We are on the home stretch with reunions and its been fantastic to see so many Old Collegians being able to reconnect with peers!

To view all our Reunion dates for 2022 and RSVP, Click here!

We wanted to provoke some reminiscing of years gone by, so we're going to dig into the St Bernard's College Archives and fish out some memories! We'd love it if you have photos from your time at St Bernard's and would be willing to send them in to share with us!

The year was 1965 , actor, dancer and choreographer Sir Robert Helpmann is named Australian of the Year! Prime Minister Menzies announces a new concept in tertiary education as recommended by the Martin Committee on the Future of Tertiary Education in Australia, The Kinks and The Rolling Stones tour Australia

A rare colour photo of the College from the 1960s

Want to request a specific year or photo for the next "The Way We Were"? Reach out via email - cnicholl@sbc.vic.edu.au or hit the socials!

Our Santa Monica Campus continues to be a pivotal experience for our Year 9 young men as we strive to instill the values of our community, I am sure many of our Old Collegians reading this recall there time at the campus - hopefully fondly!

Sensational summer days allowing for meaningful experiences in the outdoors that are then contrasted against the current colder months in Terms 2 & 3, each bringing with them their challenges and their benefits.

No matter what time of the year it is that these Year 9s begin their adventure on the coast, they all see the benefit of engaging in Service Learning that supports the future generations of St. Bernard’s students at Santa Monica. Group 5 is our current cohort for 2022 and here they can be seen collecting and drying wood for the fires the groups love getting going in Terms 2 & 3 as they battle it out in the evenings over some table tennis or pool

Old Collegian Todd Sinnott - US Open

Old Collegian Todd Sinnott is playing in tomorrow's US OPEN! I know we have plenty of avid golfers within our Old Collegian ranks so if you do tune in tomorrow morning from 4.20am, make sure your cheering him on! You can keep track of his progress by clicking here



Patrick Gillespie, class of 2006

What do you do?

I’m a Firefighter with Fire Rescue Victoria. I absolutely love it. If I won $20 Million, I’d still show up to work tomorrow and wouldn’t quit my job.

What does that involve?

Helping people in their time of need. When someone dials 000, it's because they don't know what to do. When we turn up they look to us to handle whatever the situation is – fires, medical emergency, rescues, car crashes. We respond to a wide range of incidents across the state.

How did you end up working at FRV?

One day I was on the bus and I saw a car on fire and thought that the fireys looked pretty cool putting it out. A year later I applied and failed. Seven years later I finally got in, but I had to keep learning and improving at every failed attempt about my areas of weakness that needed development.

What does a typical day look like?

Honestly, no two days are the same, and that's what I love. It could be – show up and check all your trucks and equipment; wash the trucks; take care of admin and then hit the gym. After gym you might head out to do some community inspections, come back to the station for a cook up with your colleagues and do skills development in the afternoon. All of this happens while you are being called out to incidents across the city, meaning all plans can go out the window. That lunch can still be sitting there waiting for you at 6pm!

What skills do you need to do your job?
Discipline to keep your body, mind, skills and equipment in good condition. Teamwork, communication, and ability to get on with a wide variety of people, from colleagues, to superiors, to the general public.

Was there anything that you learnt about your job once you got there, or did you know it all??
I knew NOTHING when I got there, and had total imposter syndrome. Turns out we all get that, no matter your age!

What are the greatest challenges you face at work?
Working when you are physically exhausted can be challenging. Shift work means that things in your personal life get missed from time to time, I’ve worked a lot of Christmases etc. But it’s all worth it.

What are the greatest rewards in your role?
Driving Santa to the Children’s Hospital on Christmas day. Hearing my son say, “Daddy is a Fireman.” Saving someone’s life or home. Knowing that you are doing good in the world.

What interests you most about your work?

I just want to help people and this allows me to do that and make an income. Also the skills you develop become very useful outside of work too, like when you come across someone who is having a medical event and you are walking by, you know what to do.

What do you enjoy most?

Being a dad.

Which parts about your role do you least enjoy?

It’s all good fun with good people.

What did you study at uni/college/TAFE after life at St Bernard’s?

I didn’t do any post-SBC schooling, in fact I barely scraped through high school. If it wasn’t for VCAL I wouldn’t have finished year 12. I always have been (and still am) a terrible classroom student! When I joined the Fire brigade they put you through their own studies which I found quite challenging but didn't have a choice in the matter because I knew nothing about the job and needed to learn it, but ultimately my biggest education has been spending time in the workplace.

What advice would you give a student considering doing tertiary study?
I support those who have a goal to go for it. But if you are like me and are only considering it because you feel it is expected/an obligation, I found my way by getting jobs, and lots of them. Workplace experience is very valuable and can make you stand out. For me – getting a job as early as I could was better.

What personal qualities and attributes help you in your role/work?
Being personable helps because you need to learn how to work with strangers and trust them with very little introduction. A positive attitude goes a long way too. Personality and a good attitude are very important, skills can be learned.

What are your stand out memories of SBC?

Acting like an idiot with my mates. Playing soccer on the basketball courts. Learning how to use the gym.

If there’s something you could say to your 17 year-old self, what would it be?

Come out of the closet. Your mental health will benefit massively. People will support you. It’s safe. You can still be the same guy.

Has anyone helped you in your career journey?
More than I could ever remember or name. Mentors are so valuable. If you find someone doing something cool - ask if you can buy them a coffee because you’d like to get there one day. They will help you identify the gaps between where you are and where you'd like to be

We've added an update personal details page to our website to make it easy for Old Collegians to provide updated contact details to the College. Ensuring your contact details are up to date with the College is essential to continue to receive our publications and invitations to Old Collegian events, such as the Reunions.

Please click here to update your details!