St. Brendan's College, Yeppoon

St. Brendan's College (sometimes shortened to SBC) is a Roman Catholic all-boys day and boarding school founded by the Christian Brothers located in Yeppoon, Queensland. The school was officially opened in 1940 with a total of 59 students. The school describes itself as "Australia's Largest Country Boys Boarding School", and has nurtured the growth of several leading National Rugby League players.

St. Brendan's College, Yeppoon
Address
139 Adelaide Park Road

Yeppoon
,
Queensland
,
4703

Australia
Coordinates23°07′09″S 150°43′38″E
Information
TypeIndependent, day & boarding
MottoLatin: Ne Dubita Dabitur
(Do Not Doubt, It Will Be Given)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
EstablishedOctober 1939
OpenedFebruary 1940 (1940-02)
FounderChristian Brothers
PrincipalRobert Corboy
Grades7-12
GenderBoys
Houses
  • Duhig
  • Gettons
  • Hayes
  • Tynan
Colour(s)Green and gold         
Affiliations
Websitewww.stbrendans.qld.edu.au

History

Groundbreaking for the school started on 8 October 1939 and presided by Romuald Denis Hayes, Bishop of Rockhampton. The school officially opened in February 1940 with 42 boarders and 17 day students. The first headmaster of St Brendan's was Brother Basil Gettons.

The school's spiritual and academic policies are rooted in the traditions of Edmund Ignatius Rice and the school is a member of Edmund Rice Education Australia. The school is named after Saint Brendan the Navigator.

St Ursula's College, Yeppoon, a separate Catholic all-girls day and boarding school located further into the centre of Yeppoon, has shared a close relationship with St Brendan's. Both schools share a relationship with a Catholic primary school in Yeppoon, Sacred Heart.

The college song, Bordered by blue waters splendid, details the rural surrounds of the school near Mary's Mount, as well as confirming strength in faith-based learning.

House system

St. Brendan's College has four houses;[1]

  •      Duhig House named after Most Rev. Sir James Duhig K.C.M.G. D.D. the 3rd Archbishop of Brisbane (1917–65) & the 3rd Bishop of Rockhampton (1905–12); House colour: Yellow
  •      Gettons House named after Rev. Bro. J. Basil Gettons c.f.c. founding headmaster of St. Brendan's College (1940–45); House colour: Red
  •      Hayes House named after Right Rev. Romuald Denis Hayes S.S.C. D.D. the 5th Bishop of Rockhampton (1932–45); House colour: Blue
  •      Tynan House named after Right Rev. Andrew Gerard Tynan D.D. the 6th Bishop of Rockhampton (1946–60); House colour: Green

Headmasters

The Rector of St. Brendan's College has been a Christian Brother from the foundation of the college until the appointment of the 1st Lay Principal, Simon Dash in 2003.

No.RectorTerm
1 Bro. J.B. Gettons c.f.c. 1940-1945
2 Bro. H.I. Jackson c.f.c. 1946-1951
3 Bro. J.B. Duffy c.f.c. 1952-1957
4 Bro. N.B. Gallagher c.f.c. 1958-1960
5 Bro. P.T. McSweeney c.f.c. 1961-1963
6 Bro. M.F. Ziesing c.f.c. 1964-1969
7 Bro. C.S. Wright c.f.c. 1970-1975
8 Bro. D.F. Murphy c.f.c. 1976-1981
9 Bro. R.J. White c.f.c. 1982-1988
10 Bro. N.C. Langan c.f.c. 1989-1991
11 Bro. D.J. McMahon c.f.c. 1992-1997
12 Bro. R.S. Grundy c.f.c. 1998-2002
13 S. Dash 2003-2009
14 G. McManus 2010-2011 (Term 3)
15 Nick Scully 2011 (Term 4)-2017[2]
16 Robert Corboy 2018–Present[3]

Student demographics and facilities

Although the school is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, it accepts students of all faiths and backgrounds.

The school hosts the largest rodeo of the CRCA circuit. The rodeo is held annually over the Father's Day weekend (the first in September in Australia). The school also holds a cattle club and stud program. The school allows students to bring their own cattle to prepare for shows.[4]

Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby League

1st XIII Titles
  • Confraternity Shield (since 1980): 1982, 83, 85, 96, 2002, 04, 06, 07, 09, 10

2nd XIII Titles
  • Bob Linder Trophy (since 1988): 1998
  • Confraternity Plate (since 1996): 1996, 2004, 05

Queensland Rugby Union: Ballymore Cup

1st XV Competition
  • Championship: none
  • Runners-up: none

Under-15 Competition
  • Championship: 2012
  • Runners-up: 2013

Australasian Christian Brothers Cricket Week

1st XI Titles
  • Paul Forrester Shield (since 1977): none
  • Bro. David White Plate (since 1995): 2000, 04, 05, 08

Rugby League program

The college runs a schoolboy rugby league program and gym. Many of the students in the 1st XIII graduate with affiliations or contracts with NRL clubs. Several current and former professional players are St. Brendan's alumni.

Despite the school's reluctance to actively recruit students based on sporting potential, the depth of talent attracted to the school allows its second-string team to be competitive with its rival schools top-class teams. St. Brendan's rugby league has experienced a period of dominance in the annual Confraternity Shield Carnival which is run by the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby League.[5]

Australian Schoolboys Rugby League
  • Julian O'Neill, 1989
  • David Taylor, 2005
  • Ben Hunt, 2007
  • Ben Ridge, 2007
  • Maipele Morseau, 2009

Notable alumni

Politics, public service and the law

Business and philanthropy

List currently being compiled

Military and religion
  • Brigadier Neil Weekes, AM, MC
  • Bro. Terry Kingston CFC — Provincial of St. Francis Xavier Province (Q/NT) 1990–95
  • Bro. Steve McLaughlin CFC — Provincial of St. Francis Xavier Province (Q/NT) 1996–2001

Academia, engineering, science and medicine

List currently being compiled

Entertainment, media and the arts

Sport

Rugby League

Australia (Kangaroos) & Queensland (State of Origin)

Queensland (State of Origin)

Professional bull riders
  • Troy Dunn, PBR World Champion[9]

Associations

As one of the 27 Christian Brothers Colleges founded throughout Queensland, St. Brendan's College Old Boy's continue to provide Officials, Coaches and Players to this uniquely Queensland Association of Brothers Old Boys Clubs.

  • Confraternity of Brothers Clubs (Rugby League)[10]
  • Brothers Rugby Fraternity (Rugby Union)[11]

References
  1. "School Houses". St. Brendan's College. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  2. "Well-known CQ school principal resigns". Rockhampton Morning Bulletin. 9 October 2017. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  3. "Leading CQ boarding school announces new principal". Rockhampton Morning Bulletin. 3 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  4. Tuite, Kerry (2000). "St Brendan's College, Yeppoon" (PDF). Submission for the Federal Government Inquiry into the Education of Boys. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  5. QISSRL History
  6. "His Honour Judge Brendan Butler AM SC". Supreme Court of Queensland. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  7. Brij V. Lal; Kate Fortune, eds. (2000). "John Momis". The Pacific Islands: an encyclopedia. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-824-82265-1. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  8. "Hon. Bryan Jared Kramer, MP". Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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