English: ''Truth conquers''
, religious_affiliation =
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
(
Order of Saint Augustine
The Order of Saint Augustine, ( la, Ordo Fratrum Sancti Augustini) abbreviated OSA, is a religious mendicant order of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1244 by bringing together several eremitical groups in the Tuscany region who were fo ...
)
, patron =
Augustine of Hippo
, established =
, founder = Fr.Thomas Alphonsus Hunt,
, educational_authority =
New South Wales Department of Education
The New South Wales Department of Education, a department of the Government of New South Wales, is responsible for the delivery and co-ordination of early childhood, primary school, secondary school, vocational education, adult, migrant and hig ...
, chairman = m
, principal = Jonathan Byrne
, chaplain = Senan Ward OSA
, grades_label = Years
, grades =
5–
12
, gender =
Boys
A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man.
Definition, etymology, and use
According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is "a ...
, enrolment = 1,200
[Augustinians.org.au - ''Augustinian Communities & Ministries - St Augustine 's College, Brookvale''](_blank)
(retrieved 12 February 2019)
, enrolment_as_of = 2019
, campus =
, colours = Red
Green
Gold
,
, affiliation =
Independent Schools Association Manly-Warringah Football Association
, website =
St Augustine's College - Sydney is an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
single-sex primary and
secondary day school
A day school — as opposed to a boarding school — is an educational institution where children and adolescents are given instructions during the day, after which the students return to their homes. A day school has full-day programs when compa ...
for
boys
A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man.
Definition, etymology, and use
According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is "a ...
, located in , on the
Northern Beaches
The Northern Beaches is a region within Northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, near the Pacific coast. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), west to Middle Harbour and north to the en ...
of
Sydney,
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, Australia. The school caters from approximately 1,200 boys in
Year 5
Year 5 is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the fifth year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between nine and eleven however some childre ...
to
Year 12 with an education
ethos
Ethos ( or ) is a Greek word meaning "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology; and the balance between caution, and passion. The Greeks also used this word to refer to ...
of
Augustinian. It was founded by the Priests of the
Order of St. Augustine
The Order of Saint Augustine, ( la, Ordo Fratrum Sancti Augustini) abbreviated OSA, is a religious mendicant order of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1244 by bringing together several eremitical groups in the Tuscany region who were fo ...
and is situated directly opposite
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval (also known by the commercial sponsorship name 4 Pines Park) is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Northern Beaches Council and is primarily used by th ...
.
From its founding until 2003, the college was known as St Augustine's College, Brookvale. When the college began its International Student Program by encouraging enrolments of students from other countries, the name was changed to St Augustine's College - Sydney.
The school is a member of the
Independent Sporting Association (ISA), a collection of independent schools grouped primarily for the purpose of sporting competition. Its brother school is
Villanova College, located in
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, Queensland also instituted by the Augustinians.
History
The college was founded in 1956 as an all-boys school by Fr. Thomas Alphonsus Hunt, OSA, the
Provincial superior of the Province of Australasia of the
Order of Saint Augustine
The Order of Saint Augustine, ( la, Ordo Fratrum Sancti Augustini) abbreviated OSA, is a religious mendicant order of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1244 by bringing together several eremitical groups in the Tuscany region who were fo ...
, at the request of the then Archbishop of Sydney
Norman Cardinal Gilroy
Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy (22 January 1896 – 21 October 1977) was an Australian bishop. He was the first Australian-born cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Early life and priestly ministry
Gilroy was born in Sydney, to working-class pa ...
.
The Augustinians wanted a Parish in Sydney. Cardinal Gilroy offered the Augustinians the Parish of Manly Vale on the condition that they start and run a school for boys within three years of them taking tenure of their Parish. The site of the disused tram terminus in Alfred Road Brookvale was identified and proceedings for its purchase were begun. The land consisted of two lots, A and B in DP - with the easternmost one being purchased by the Sydney Archdiocese and the westernmost one by the Augustinians. Over time, more land surrounding the school has been purchased but ownership of the Eastern lot has remained with the Diocese - now the Diocese of Broken Bay.
In accordance with Augustinian tradition, the Priest who was the head of the school was called "Rector". The first Rector of St Augustine's College's was David John Brimson, OSA who served from 1956 to 1964. The title "Principal" is now used for the lay headmasters.
From its founding, like many Australian Catholic schools of its time, a significant proportion of its staff were professed religious - in this case Augustinian
friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ...
s or priests - until the order withdrew
professed
A vow ( Lat. ''votum'', vow, promise; see vote) is a promise or oath.
A vow is used as a promise, a promise solemn rather than casual.
Marriage vows
Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a weddin ...
teaching staff when the then Rector Dave Austin retired in 1993 and was succeeded by the first lay Principal - John J. O'Brien. The school then moved to a fully lay Catholic (cf.
laity) staff in co-operation with the Augustinian order and
ethos
Ethos ( or ) is a Greek word meaning "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology; and the balance between caution, and passion. The Greeks also used this word to refer to ...
.
The College originally operated under the auspices of a College Council and since it was Incorporated in 2004, is operated by a Board of Directors.
The school teaches the curriculum of the
NSW Board of Studies as well as traditional Catholic values and the Catholic and Augustinian approach to
ethics
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concer ...
and moral life.
2006 was the 50th year "Golden Jubilee" of the school's operation. All students of the school in 2006 were given a "Jubilee Medallion" to commemorate this occasion.
[St. Augustine's College Website - ''Tolle Lege (School Newsletter) - Volume 1''](_blank)
(retrieved 15 September 2006) Also, the official school Jubilee tie (to be worn only throughout 2006) was created to celebrate this anniversary. The 50 Year Jubilee Tie
is gold with green and red stripes as opposed to the older tie, which was green with gold and red stripes. There was also the creation of a new occasional school emblem/logo (only to be used during the Jubilee year of 2006) which displays this celebration.
In 2016, the college celebrated its 60th Anniversary.
On 25 February, over 1200 students, Old Boys, and past and present staff attended the 60th Anniversary Commemorative Mass at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. The principal celebrant of this Mass was Peter A Comensoli, Bishop of Broken Bay, assisted by Old Boy of the college, (Class of 1967) Christopher Saunders, Bishop of Broome as well as Dave Austin OSA, Prior Provincial, and several other Augustinians. Students were presented with a new 60 Years tie and lapel pin to wear at the Mass and for the rest of the year. The original Augustinian logo/crest was incorporated into the design of the tie.
Patron
![Augustine of Hippo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Augustine_of_Hippo.jpg)
The Patron of the college the 4th century
saint,
Augustine of Hippo, and its
motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
''"Vincit Veritas"'' (Truth Conquers) is taken from his writings.
Demographics
The school is located in the
Northern Beaches Council
The Northern Beaches Council is a local government area located in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The council was formed on 12 May 2016 after the amalgamation of Manly, Pittwater and Warring ...
area. Most students are Roman Catholic.
Over recent years, the college has offered the opportunity for
international students
International students, or foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their tertiary education in a country other than their own and move to that country for the purpose of studying.
In 2019, there were over 6 million internati ...
(usually from
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
n countries such as
China) to study at the school - usually with the hope of progressing on to an Australian University and then returning to their homeland, being educated in both Australian and Augustinian culture. The fees are often significantly higher for a student coming from overseas compared to a local student because the
Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
does not
subsidise
A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...
their
tuition fees
Tuition payments, usually known as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in Commonwealth English, are fees charged by education institutions for instruction or other services. Besides public spending (by governments and other public bo ...
.
[Augustine's College Website - ''Information For International Students''](_blank)
retrieved 8 September 2006) The college usually accepts entrants from overseas in Years 10–12, so that an appropriate ratio of local to overseas students is maintained.
Sport
Since the foundation of the school,
sport
Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...
has been an important part of the college
curriculum
In education, a curriculum (; : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view ...
as a means of promoting teamwork,
sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport, or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake. This is with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" refers to o ...
and fair play. Five Olympians have graduated from the school, and The college has also produced numerous State and National representatives in
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
,
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...
,
football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
,
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
,
athletics
Athletics may refer to:
Sports
* Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking
** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport
* Athletics (physical culture), competi ...
,
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...
,
AFL,
water polo
Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...
and rowing.
Rugby
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/St._Augustine%27s_College_1st_XV.jpg)
At the time of the college's opening in 1956, Rugby Union was chosen as the Winter sport. It was played between the Colour "Houses" on Thursday afternoons – Sports Day. The various locations for these Colour Comp games were Brookvale Oval; Griffiths Park, Collaroy; Millers Reserve and David Thomas Reserve, Manly Vale; Manly District Park – now known as Nolans - and Kierle Park, Queenscliff.
Another reason for choosing Rugby was that the Brisbane Augustinian School, Villanova College played Rugby and St Augustine's was later to institute annual games against Villanova – the first of which took place at Kierle Park in 1962.
There is some anecdotal evidence that Rugby League might have been played by the college in local competitions on the weekends. Photos in the college's Archives Collection would seem to support this.
It has also been said that the Augustinians aspired to become a GPS school and GPS Schools played Rugby.
St Augustine's was also to help establish and later join the ISA – Independent Sporting Association and this group of schools also played Rugby.
2008 saw the selection of the first St Augustine's first Australian Schoolboys Representative. The list of reps since then is as follows:-
*2008 Kotoni Ale
*2008 Salesi Manu
*2010 Malietoa Hingano
*2012 Matt Philip
*2015 Will McRae
*2017 Albert Hopoate
*2018 Daniel Ala
Several boys have also represented as NSW Schoolboys including in addition to those Australian Reps above - Tevita Haliafonua, Salesi Ma’afu and Mitchell Greenway. St Augustine's has, since 2008, won the prestigious state-wide
Waratah Shield
The Waratah Shield is a rugby union knock-out competition for high school teams from New South Wales, Australia. First contested in 1963, it is organised by New South Wales Rugby Union in conjunction with NSW Schools' Rugby Union and NSW Combine ...
in nine of the last ten years under the tutelage of Head Coach John Papahatzis and Assistant Coach Mark Downey.
Pastoral Houses
When the college opened in 1956, the boys were allotted to one of three Colour groups named after the college colours of Red, Green or Gold. To make competition easier, a fourth group - Blue - was added. Later these Colour groups became known as Houses each being named after an Augustinian Bishop.
* Murray (red), named after James Murray osa. Former
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
of
Cooktown
Cooktown is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. Cooktown is at the mouth of the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland where James Cook beached his ship, the Endeavour, for repai ...
, 1898–1914.
* Goold (blue), named after
James Alipius Goold osa. First
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
and
Archbishop of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, 1848-1886
* Crane (green), named after Martin Crane osa. First
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
of
Sandhurst, 1874-1901.
* Reville (gold), named after Stephen Reville osa. Second
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
of
Sandhurst, 1901- 1916.
* Hutchinson (purple), named after John Hutchinson osa. Former Bishop of Cooktown, Far North Queensland 1884-1897
* Heavey (light blue), named after John Heavey osa. First Bishop of Cairns, Far North Queensland. 1914-1948
The boys now compete against each other annually to win the Bishop's Shield. The yearly sporting events include an athletics carnival, a swimming carnival, and the Easter Road Race, a race relay run at
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval (also known by the commercial sponsorship name 4 Pines Park) is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Northern Beaches Council and is primarily used by th ...
where each house has a representative. The Easter Road Race was initially run on the roads around the college and in the college grounds, but over time, this became too dangerous and so the course was transferred to Brookvale Oval.
Co-curricular
Co-curricular sports and clubs at St Augustine's each are designated points depending on the time required to participate. a certain number of points are required of students at the college every year. The most popular choice among current students is to take part in two medium-high point score sports (usually one sport in Summer and one in Winter). Music, art, design, drama, chess and
debating
Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, a ...
as well as
Tae Kwon Do
''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean martial arts, Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast k ...
,
ceramics
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
,
public speaking and tennis are also popular student choices.
The Red Land Club named from Australia's "red centre", and uniquely Australian and Indigenous in its focus, the Red Land Club was another early co-curricular organisation at St. Augustine's.
[College Yearbook 1976 pp 40] This was a student group founded and run from the 1970s by Rod Cameron OSA during his long teaching tenure at St. Augustine's College,(1964–84). Cameron had a long-established extensive personal relationship with Indigenous Elders throughout Australia. The Red Land Club specifically fostered a sense of connection and understanding with Indigenous Australians. It did this through poetry, drama, music, performance, meetings, seminars, regular Aboriginal elder guest speakers such as
Mum (Shirl) Smith
Coleen Shirley Perry Smith AM MBE (22 November 1924 – 28 April 1998), better known as Mum Shirl, was a prominent Wiradjuri woman, social worker and humanitarian activist committed to justice and welfare of Aboriginal Australians. She wa ...
, as well as travel into indigenous communities and
Dreaming sites through Australia.
Music
A
choral tradition was established at the Brookvale college from the 1950s.
[St Augustine's College Year book 1976 pp 34 & 35]
Instrumental and secular music
Band and Instrumental music were fostered through the music department's many peripatetic teachers, including players and principals from the internationally acclaimed
Sydney Symphony
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra that was initially formed in 1908. Since its opening in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has been its home concert hall. Simone Young is the orchestra's chief conductor and fir ...
such as Walter Suttcliffe (Double Bass) and Edwin Lorentzen (French Horn, band). The full-time music staff included Ronald Bopf O.S.A. (Recorders and classroom music, on staff 1957-72), Paul Whelan O.S.A. (flute and piccolo, on staff 1962–66, 68-79), Lynne Leak, Gareth Jude (band) and Graham Press (band). Under Ann Sutcliffe, the college taught
Early Music through its
madrigal
A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance music, Renaissance (15th–16th c.) and early Baroque music, Baroque (1600–1750) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The Polyphony, polyphoni ...
group, and its brace of recorders in the
recorder group. It also played and sang in
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...
's
Noye's Fludde
''Noye's Fludde'' is a one-act opera by the British composer Benjamin Britten, intended primarily for amateur performers, particularly children. First performed on 18 June 1958 at that year's Aldeburgh Festival, it is based on the 15th-century ...
together with
St Andrew's Cathedral School
, motto_translation = The Way of the Cross is the Way of Light
, established =
, type = Independent school, Independent Mixed-sex education, co-educational comprehensive education, comprehensive and speciali ...
in
St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral in 1977. In conjunction with the drama department, the school also produced musicals such as
Gilbert and Sullivan operettas including
Trial by Jury
A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions.
Jury trials are used in a significan ...
in 1978 collaboration with
Monte Sant' Angelo and Stella Maris Girls College at
Manly.
Drama
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
's plays were among dramas performed by students at the college during the 1970s, under drama head Barry Hayes (on staff 1969-75). Then from 1977 to 1980 under the direction of Les Solomon (now well known in Australia and New York as a theatrical manager and agent), in 1977 the school produced
The Pirates of Penzance
''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 187 ...
[St Augustine's College Yearbook 1977 pp 27-29] (in collaboration with
Monte and Stella Maris), 1978 Frank and Eleanor Perry's
David and Lisa, Bob Babalan and
Gary Burghoff
Gary Rich Burghoff (born May 24, 1943) is an American actor who is known for originating the role of Charlie Brown in the 1967 Off-Broadway musical ''You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'', and the character Corporal Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly in ...
's
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
''You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'' is a 1967 musical with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner and (in a 1999 revision) Andrew Lippa. It is based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip ''Peanuts''. The musical ...
, 1979 James Hilton's
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' is a novella about the life of a school teacher, Mr. Chipping, written by English writer James Hilton and first published by Hodder & Stoughton in October 1934. It has been adapted into two feature films and two televi ...
,
The Crucible
''The Crucible'' is a 1953 play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692–93. Miller wrote the play as ...
by
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are ''All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...
and in 1980 Harvey Schmidt's
The Fantasticks
''The Fantasticks'' is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the 1894 play ''The Romancers'' (''Les Romanesques'') by Edmond Rostand, concerning two neigh ...
. Most recently the school produced "The Musical, The Musical", written by college staff, in the 1990s and again in 2006. In 2008 the school produced the musical
Little Shop of Horrors. The school is also involved in the production of short films by students.
In March 2016 the college launched a co-production with Stella Maris College of
In The Heights
''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...
under the musical direction of Joe Montz with Owen Vale and Geoff Cartwright directing.
Facilities
The school's main classrooms and facilities consist of several buildings some stand-alone and some interconnected. In recent years the college has undertaken further refurbishments and expansion meaning many facilities located within the buildings have been moved multiple times. In 2016, two new buildings were constructed and many offices and classrooms renovated. The main buildings in the school are as follows:-
Augustine Wing
The Augustine Wing is the oldest of the buildings at the college. its Foundation Stone was laid and blessed on 1 April 1956. It was initially a two-storey full-brick structure built to house 5 classrooms but was extended to the north to house another 4. The first section was officially blessed and opened by
Norman Cardinal Gilroy
Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy (22 January 1896 – 21 October 1977) was an Australian bishop. He was the first Australian-born cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Early life and priestly ministry
Gilroy was born in Sydney, to working-class pa ...
on 17 March 1957, despite already being used since November of the previous year.
[St. Augustine's College, Sydney - School Diary, 2006 - Milestones in the 50-year history of St. Augustine's College] The wing, like the school, is named after
St. Augustine of Hippo.
Clancy Wing (formerly known as the Mendel Wing)
The Mendel Wing, opened in 1961, was specifically designed to hold the school's science classrooms and
laboratories
A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physici ...
.
The current Clancy Wing - which incorporates the original Mendel Wing - was opened in 2017. It houses the new Good Counsel Wing for the Primary School, teachers' offices and an Open Learning Centre. It is three stories high and was initially named after the Augustinian
geneticist
A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic processes ...
,
Gregor Mendel
Gregor Johann Mendel, OSA (; cs, Řehoř Jan Mendel; 20 July 1822 – 6 January 1884) was a biologist, meteorologist, mathematician, Augustinian friar and abbot of St. Thomas' Abbey in Brünn (''Brno''), Margraviate of Moravia. Mendel was ...
. Mendel was
Abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...
of the
Abbey of St. Thomas in
Brno in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, and the Brno Augustinian community is unique in having an Abbot rather than a
Prior to lead it. It was recently upgraded and the science classrooms moved to a new Mendel block located opposite.
Tolentine Wing
The Tolentine Wing was initially constructed in 1972 as a single storey building to hold the school's expanding library.
However, over time, like the Augustine Wing, the building was greatly expanded and eventually became a three-story building used to hold the bulk of the school's classrooms. The building also housed offices and - formally on the ground floor after the Library had been moved in 2003 to the ARC - senior common rooms. It is named after the Augustinian Saint,
Nicholas of Tolentino. The common rooms were refurbished to become extra classrooms and moved to the then newly constructed Moran House and Cameron House. The common rooms have now been relocated to the new Clancy Wing following 2017 upgrades. The Tolentine Wing joins to the Clancy Wing via a stairwell and a lift which is used only by students at the College who are injured.
Goold Wing
The Goold Wing - named after
James Alipius Goold
James Alipius Goold (4 November 1812–11 June 1886) was an Australian Augustinian friar and the founding Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne in Australia.
Life
Early years
Goold was born in Cork, Ireland. Upon leaving school he entered the Or ...
, the first-ever Augustinian to come to Australia and the first
Archbishop of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
- was added to the school in 1987.
It was built to contain classrooms, music rooms, an
auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances. For movie theatres, the number of auditoria (or auditoriums) is expressed as the number of screens. Auditoria can be found in entertainment venues, community ...
, and (on the lower floor) staff facilities. In 2005 the second and third floors of the building underwent refurbishment, aimed to coincide with the construction of the new "Lecceto Arts Centre". As part of these upgrades, the auditorium was relocated to the Lecceto Arts Centre. The Goold Wing is currently being demolished and rebuilt as part of a major rebuilding project due to be completed in late 2019. The building was used primarily for Languages and Design and Technology. The Design and Technology Workshops have been (2019) relocated to the lower floor of the Brimson Centre replacing the ARC - the Augustine Resource Centre - which has been relocated to the Clancy/Mendel Wing.
Brimson Centre
The Brimson Centre is a two-storey building that was constructed in 2003 to provide the school with first-class indoor sports and
gym
A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational i ...
nasium facilities.
It was designed to house a full-size
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
court as well as many other indoor sports that require a hard-floor surface. The building has a large stage area and is also used to hold whole-school assemblies and productions. Underneath the gymnasium was the Augustine Resource Centre originally colloquially known as the ARC. This section of the Brimson Centre was designed to be the new library. The old library was located on the ground floor of the Tolentine Wing. The ARC was also home to several computer/technology areas and two seminar rooms. The Brimson Centre above the ARC was home to several offices, a weights room, a large industrial kitchen and originally the Principal's Office. The weights room has been reformed into the Monica Chapel, named after the mother of St Augustine, and moved to the Mary MacKillop Building. The Brimson Centre was named after the first Rector of the College - David Brimson OSA, .
Lecceto Arts Centre
The Lecceto Arts Centre was constructed in 2005 as a modern creative arts facility.
Prior to its demolition and rebuild in 2019, it housed the music facilities, two computer rooms and a brand-new auditorium (the old auditorium was located in the "G-Block"). The building has a large landing which was often used by the school to hold casual lunches and presentations as well as classrooms adjoining to the Goold Wing that is primarily used for software and engineering classes. It was named after the
Lecceto Monastery, in Rosia,
Tuscany
it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Citizenship
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 = Italian
, demogra ...
, an Augustinian
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...
which dates back to the "Grand Union" of the Augustinian Order in 1256.
Good Counsel Wing
The original Good Counsel Wing - opened in 1995 and demolished in 2016 - was a u-shaped building located at the back of the College behind the Mendel Wing. It consisted of six classrooms that were used exclusively by the Primary School - years 5 and 6.
When the new Clancy/Good Counsel building was opened, it was a three-level structure that houses a ground floor car-park and an all-purpose room named The Haven.
Old School Chapel
The Old School Chapel is the building located at the front of the school, alongside the main driveway. It was constructed in 1955 as a Church by the Manly Vale Parish and was the location of the first classes when the school opened in 1956. It was refurbished into classrooms primarily for the teaching of religion but has further been refurbished with a small stage for drama and the remaining classrooms used primarily for English/Drama due to this also being the location of the English and Drama staff offices. It also houses the only teacher toilet not located inside a building.
Moran and Cameron Houses (Previously Senior Study Centres) and Tolentine Park
Moran House and Cameron House are situated at the back of the Tolentine Wing. They were originally used as Senior Common Rooms and study centres for the Year 11 and Year 12 boys. The two individual free-standing Houses called Cameron House and Moran House are named after past rectors Ralph Cameron OSA and Joseph Moran OSA. They back on to the College grounds, and prior to the building program of 2016/17, were a special domain for the boys to focus on both study and exam preparation. The study rooms also contained kitchen areas for the students to use and were fitted with microwaves, fridges and ovens but have now been refurbished for use by staff of the Religion, History and Geography Departments. Tolentine Park is a beautiful outdoor area which includes three cricket practice nets and the facility to plug-in and uses an electric bowling machine.
Chalets (P Block)
2013 brought the introduction of four new demountable classrooms located behind the current Tolentine wing. The four classrooms can be accessed through Tolentine Park and the back doors of the metal/wood workrooms, and contain smart boards and air conditioning for an enhanced learning environment. As two of the classrooms are located more than 1.5 metres off the ground, a permanent concrete ramp allows for disabled access. These classrooms have now been demolished (2019) and replaced by the renewed reconstruction of the G Block.
Mendel wing (2017)
2016 brought the introduction of two new builds of which Mendel was one. The Clancy block was previously called the Mendel wing. The new Mendel wing contains 6 science classrooms, 6 Laboratories, has 2 seminar rooms and features a large storage facility for scientific equipment as well as a staff room. The building is organised so that the staff car park is on the ground floor and there are two levels of classrooms and an outdoor area above. The classrooms open out onto a paved area that is located directly above the carpark. this joins the wing to the primary school (Years 5-6). The building is joined to the Clancy wing via a two-storey bridge.
Rectors of the College
# The Rev'd David Brimson OSA (1956–1964)
# The Rev'd Steve Moran OSA (1965–1967)
# The Rev'd Ralph Cameron OSA (1968–1974)
# The Rev'd Kevin Burman OSA (1975–1982)
# The Rev'd David Austin OSA (1983–1993)
Principals of the College
# John O'Brien (1994–2001)
# Tim Cleary (2001–2016)
# Jonathan Byrne (2017–)
Augustinian friars at the College
The 40 Augustinian friars at St. Augustine's College over its history include:
*Rector David Austin (1983–93, 1996)
*Anthony Banks (1985–90, 2003-)
*Rector David Brimson (1956–65)
*Ronald Bopf (1957–74)
*Patrick Bourke (1964, 1997–98)
*Rector Kevin Burman (1975–82)
*Rector Ralph Cameron (1958–75)
*Roderick Cameron (1964–84)
*Barry Clifford (1982–84)
*Patrick Codd (1974–84)
*Patrick Crilly O.S.A. (1965–74)
*William Donlevy (1964)
*Michael Endicott (1970)
*Patrick Fahey (1959–72)
*Tom Greally (1975–87)
*Joe Hegarty (1961–62)
*Peter Jones (1990–92, 1994–96, 1999- )
*Noel Hackett (1975–77)
*Peter Hayes (1961–75)
*Patrick Love (1983)
*John McCall (1963–83)
*Michael McMahon (1970)
*Jim Maguire (1962–71)
*Paul Maloney (1967–74)
*Laurence Mooney (1985–88)
*Michael Morahan (1991–94)
*Gerry Moran (1962–64)
*Rector Steve Moran (1956–69)
*David Murrin (1993)
*Tom Power (1958–64)
*Michael Price (1956)
*Michael Slack (1979–89)
*John Sullivan (1974–82)
*Peter Tangey (1964–78, 2007-)
*Senan Ward (1975–82, 87-89)
*John Paul Whelan (1962–66, 68-79)
*Abel van der Veer (1964)
*Peter Wieneke (1982–87)
Notable alumni
Media, entertainment and the arts
*
Harley Streten (Class of 2009)aka
Flume
A flume is a human-made channel for water, in the form of an open declined gravity chute whose walls are raised above the surrounding terrain, in contrast to a trench or ditch. Flumes are not to be confused with aqueducts, which are built to t ...
, producer, DJ, musician. Winner of four 2013 ARIA awards including Best Male Artist
*
James Mathison
James Mathison (born 14 January 1978) is an Australian television presenter and former independent political candidate.
Early life
Mathison was born in Sydney, New South Wales and grew up in Northern Beaches suburb of Frenchs Forest. He atte ...
(Class of 1995)television presenter of
Australian Idol and
Channel ">*
Dr Andrew Rochford (Class of 1997)Doctor of Medicine, television presenter of Australian health show ''
What's Good For You'' and ''The Living Room''
*
Hayden Quinn (Class of 2004)winner TV reality cooking show ''Masterchef'', TV personality
*
William Singe
Liam Anthony "William" Singe (born 2 July 1992) is an Australian YouTuber, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is most notable for his online videos on YouTube and Facebook.
Singe started his career as a member of The Collective, an Australian ...
(Class of 2010)singer, songwriter known for his covers on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
. He was a member of ''
The Collective'' from 2012 during ''
The X Factor Australia
''The X Factor'' is an Australian television reality music competition, based on the original UK series, to find new singing talent. The first season of the show premiered on Network Ten on 6 February 2005. Ten dropped ''The X Factor'' after ...
,'' until February 2015
*
Josh Quong Tart
Josh Quong Tart (born 18 September 1975 in Sydney) is an Australian actor.
Early life
Tart attended the McDonald College before he was accepted into National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1994, graduating in 1997 with a bachelor's degre ...
(Class of 1993) actor on television soap ''Home and Away''
* Adrian Thomas (Class of 1989)aka
DJ Ajax
Adrian Thomas (5 August 1971 – 28 February 2013), better known as DJ Ajax, was an Australian Electronic Dance Music DJ known for playing a wide range of styles, including electro, techno and electroclash.
Career
Thomas was a radio sh ...
, music producer and DJ
*
Jeff Truman (Class of 1975)actor (
Bliss
BLISS is a system programming language developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) by W. A. Wulf, D. B. Russell, and A. N. Habermann around 1970. It was perhaps the best known system language until C debuted a few years later. Since then, C b ...
, etc.) and screenwriter (
Neighbours, etc.)
*
Matthew White (Class of 1987)TV sports presenter
Sciences
* Geoff Bicknell (Class of pre-1970)Professor, Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University
Sport
*
Matthew Barton (Class of 1997)Australian tennis player; made his Grand Slam singles debut at Wimbledon in 2016
*
Michael Blake (Class of 1978)played rugby league for the
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Sydney's Northern Beaches. The team colours are maroon and white, while their namesake and logo is the sea eagle. They compete in Australia's premier rugb ...
, the
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby ...
and
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional Australian rugby league club based in Redfern, a suburb of inner-southern Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and are one of nine existing tea ...
*
Philip Blake
Philip Anthony Blake (born November 27, 1985) is a professional Canadian football offensive lineman for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Baylor University. He has also been a member of the ...
(Class of 1981)played rugby league
halfback for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
*
Christopher Cairns (Class of 1975)Olympian
yachting
Yachting is the use of recreational boats and ships called ''yachts'' for racing or cruising. Yachts are distinguished from working ships mainly by their leisure purpose. "Yacht" derives from the Dutch word '' jacht'' ("hunt"). With sailboats, ...
winning a bronze medal in the Tornado Class at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
*
Phil Daley
Phil Daley (born 1 April 1964) is an Australian former premiership-winning and representative rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. His club career was played with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Gold Coast. His po ...
(Class of 1981)played rugby league for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, also represented ''
The Blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the African- ...
'' in the
State of Origin
A State of Origin competition is a type of sporting event between players representing their state or territory. State of Origin began in Australian rules football on 8 October 1977 between Western Australia (WA) and Victoria, at Subiaco Ov ...
and ''
the Kanagaroos'' in the 1980s
*
Brad Dalton
Bradley Dalton (born 12 September 1959) is an Australian former basketball player, who played for the Sydney Kings, City of Sydney Astronauts (1979–1980), West Adelaide Bearcats (1981–1982), Sydney Kings, Sydney Supersonics (1983), Geelong ...
(Class of 1976)represented Australia at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and at Seoul in 1988. He went on to play for the
Sydney Kings in the
National Basketball League in Australia
*
Mark Dalton (Class of 1982)represented the
Sydney Kings in the
National Basketball League in Australia
*
Mickey Edwards
Marvin Henry "Mickey" Edwards (born July 12, 1937) is an American politician who was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Oklahoma's 5th congressional district from 1977 to 1993.
Edwards was a founding trustee of T ...
(Class 2012)played cricket for
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
Sheffield team and
BBL team - Sydney Sixers
*
Steve Hegarty (Class of 1979)played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 1984 taking over fullback and goal kicking duties from
Graham Eadie
Graham "Wombat" Eadie (born 25 November 1953), is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He has been named amongst Australia's finest of the 20th century. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian ...
*
Jason King (Class of 1998)played
Rugby League prop for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
*
Sam Lane (Class of 2009)played for the
Super Rugby team Queensland Reds
*
Lucas Neill
Lucas Edward Neill (born 9 March 1978) is an Australian former soccer player. Neill played as a defender, often playing as a centre back as well as a full-back. Neill spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Austr ...
(Class of 1995)captain of the
Australian National Association football (soccer) team, played for
A-League club
Sydney F.C.
*
Rory O'Conner (Class of 2012)played for the
Super Rugby teams Melbourne Rebels and the
NSW Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs ( or ;), referred to as the Waratahs, are an Australian professional rugby union team representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super Rugby competition. The Riverina and other southern parts of the sta ...
*
Matthew Philip (Class of 2012)played for the Super Rugby team Melbourne Rebels
*
Brett Sheehan
Brett Sheehan (born 16 September 1979) is an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer. He was also included in Australia's squad for matches during the 2006 Tri Nations Series.
Sheehan previously played for the Queensland Reds, play ...
, (Class of 1997)played for the Super Rugby team NSW Waratahss, and the
Wallabies
*
Matt Shirvington (Class of 1996)six-time 100m Australian Sprint Champion. Currently sports commentator on FOX TV
*
Mat Philip (Class of 2014)Player for the Melbourne Rebels, and the Wallabies.
*
Jack Edwards (Class 2017)played cricket for
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
Sheffield team and
BBL team - Sydney Sixers
See also
*
List of Catholic schools in New South Wales
Below is list of Catholic schools in the state of New South Wales. It is correct as of 26 September 2009.
Systemic primary schools
Systemic secondary schools
Systemic combined primary and secondary schools
Non-systemic schools
...
*
Catholic education in Australia
Catholic education in Australia refers to the education services provided by the Roman Catholic Church in Australia within the Australian education system. From 18th century foundations, the Catholic education system has grown to be the ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
External links
Saint Augustine's College websiteOrder of St Augustine, International HomepageAugnetInternational Cooperative Web Site for Schools in the Tradition of St. Augustine
Augustinians in AustraliaAugustinian Abbey of St. Thomas at Brno
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Augustine's College Brookvale
Augustinian schools
Boys' schools in New South Wales
Educational institutions established in 1956
Catholic secondary schools in Sydney
Catholic primary schools in Sydney
Junior School Heads Association of Australia Member Schools
Independent Schools Association (Australia)
Private schools Northern Beaches Sydney
1956 establishments in Australia