Class of 1991

The Wyatt name has become synonymous with indigenous affairs at the state and federal level. Ben Sana Wyatt, son of Cedric and Janine Wyatt, was born in Wewak, Papua New Guinea and grew up in the goldfields of Laverton and Kalgoorlie. He studied at Aquinas College from the age of 14 and finished with the Staff Award for General Excellence in 1991. He was a very well-known and popular student who threw himself into all aspects of college life from the cadets to the annual drama production.

Ben read law at the University of Western Australia and went on to graduate from Duntroon Military College. At university, he found politics as “a young aboriginal man trying to be normal” and wanting to establish his own credentials independent of originality. His parents were politically active and he was drawn to it after spending five or so years in practice at Phillips Fox. Ben served as counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions. He continued his study and holds a Master’s Degree with distinction from the London School of Economics.

But politics was calling and when he stood in 2006 for Victoria Park in a by-election triggered by the resignation of former Premier Geoff Gallop, it was his moment. Ben was elected to the Legislative Assembly and has served WA for more than a decade in an area he lived in for more than twenty years.

Ben was appointed Australia’s first Indigenous Australian Treasurer in March 2017 and also held the position of Minister for Finance, Aboriginal Affairs and Lands. He was largely credited with being well on the way to turning the finances of WA around in the two years following the victory over Colin Barnett’s government. This also meant that the portfolio of Aboriginal Affairs was held by Wyatts at both state and federal level: Ben’s father being a cousin of Ken Wyatt AM MP, Federal Member for Hasluck.

Someone who remembers Ben well from Aquinas describes him as “quite self-assured and centred, confident but not brash and very humble. He was very happy to be part of the crowd and not wishing to attract attention to himself.”

In standing down from WA politics in 2021 Ben cited the need to spend more time with his wife and young daughters, Ben said that being Treasurer of Western Australia was: “something I never would have imagined when I was at school.” Covid 19 forced him to rethink and fortunately for WA he has decided to remain in the role of Treasurer. Premier McGowan says of Ben: “He has done an exceptional job as Treasurer. It’s a marvellous story and something that all West Australians should be very proud of”.

Captain Derwas Cumming’s Citations read by:

• CDTCPL Finn Chadd, Aquinas College Yr 12 Student
• CDTWO2 Isaac Klomp, Aquinas College Vice-Captain

both of 501 ACU Como

The Last Post sounded by:
Rory Watson, Aquinas College Yr 10 Student

Music by:
“Monckey” - Jedsen Monck
Aquinas College Yr 12 Student

The Class of 1969 held its 50th Reunion on Saturday 19 October 2019 at the wonderful Royal Perth Golf Club.

It was a night of much laughter and reminiscing about school days, as well as subsequent years.

Forty-four classmates travelled from overseas and throughout Australia to celebrate the occasion. Special efforts were made by Dr Simon Dolin who came from Scotland, Bruce Shanahan travelled from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and Dr Graeme Bradley made the trip from Melbourne.

Three teachers who taught us some fifty years ago were also invited. We were very pleased that Max McAppion, Basil Warner and Bob Stanley accepted and added a great deal to the evening.

In what is a fantastic achievement for one of our class, in May 2017, Pope Francis appointed Father Michael Morrissey as the Bishop of Geraldton. During the evening, Michael conducted a prayer service for nineteen of our classmates who have sadly passed away.

The Class of 1969 wishes to sincerely thank Nichole Rowson at Aquinas College for all her help in ensuring the reunion was such a success.

After a COVID delay, the reunion for the Perth group took place on Saturday 10 October 2020.

A group of old boys started the day with a tour of the College hosted by Peter Robertson and Nichole Rowson from the Development Office. It is safe to say that things have changed at the College in 40 years!! Lots of stories were shared, teachers and friends remembered, while we walked around the College. The reunion then moved to the Manning Bowling Club and was joined by more old friends. If COVID restrictions and borders permit, we have plans to hold a full reunion for the year group later in 2021.

To celebrate 20 years since leaving Aquinas College, the Class of 2000 was looking forward to seeing each other again.

Unfortunately, COVID cancelled the original plan to hold the reunion in April 2020. Those based in WA we were lucky enough to be able to hold a catch up. 40 Old Boys from the Class of 2000 turned up at the Broken Hill Hotel on Saturday 28 November 2020. It was a great night with lots of laughs and stories shared. We hope to be able to have a full class reunion in late 2021 that will include those who are interstate and overseas.

The Class of 2019 returned to the College on Friday 9 October 2020 for the annual Aquinas College Foundation Leavers’ Function.

Like most events this year, the format was reimagined, offering the boys an evening sausage sizzle instead of the usual breakfast in the Churack Pavilion.

The event kicked off with a tour of the new River Centre conducted by Head of Rowing Nick Collins. The boys were suitably impressed and undoubtedly a little envious of the current rowing cohort. They then headed back to the Staff Common Room where they caught up with class tutors and classmates and poured over their last College Annual.

Peter Robertson warmly welcomed the graduates back to Aquinas, congratulating them for their generous contribution to the College by way of the Class of 2019 Scholarship Gift.

“This year, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate, has been an unusual year,” said Mr Robertson. “One of the significant impacts this year for the College has been the way we have had to support families. There are now a whole lot of families who simply cannot afford to have their sons at school here,” he said.

“Last year, you guys were good enough to put a contribution into the Scholarship Fund by way of the Class of 2019 Scholarship Gift – that gift is now helping a boy to be at Aquinas this year.”

The plaque commemorating the Class of 2019 Scholarship Gift (which hangs in the Heritage Room alongside previous Peer Scholarship Gifts) was unveiled on the night and will be a permanent reminder to the community of the generosity of the Class of 2019.

To round off the evening, Old Aquinians’ Association (OAA) Committee Member, Michael Flower, also addressed the boys, encouraging them to join the OAA to take advantage of the wonderful social and networking opportunities available to them through membership.

Good luck to the Class of 2019 as you navigate the next exciting stage of your lives. We look forward to many more opportunities to welcome you back to Aquinas College.

Plans for a fully blown 50th-year reunion of the class of 1970 were thrown into disarray, like most things in 2020.

As a result, it was decided to defer the big event until next year, when it is hoped that more of our eastern states and overseas members might be able to join us.

But rather than let the year pass by without acknowledgement, a hardy band of around 30 former classmates gathered at Steves Hotel in Nedlands on 14 November to reminisce about times gone by. Although that was only about one-third of the class, the total weight of those attending probably equalled the total weight of the whole of the class in 1970. Notwithstanding some increased bulk, most were readily recognisable, including those who had moved their hair from the top of their heads to their chin.

The passage of time had not dimmed the memories of good times (and some not so good) at Aquinas in the sixties. It was remarkable how easily the conversation flowed as did the laughter as stories were told and events were remembered.

One subject of universal interest was what classmates who could not make the function were now doing and where they are living.

Hopefully, when the full reunion is held in 2021, many of those who could not make it this time will be there to fill in their own stories. The organising committee will be meeting early in 2021 to begin planning and setting the date. The warm-up event at Steves suggests that there is a good time to be had when the “proper” reunion happens.

A regular down south ‘get together’ was held this year at Xanadu Winery by a few of the old boys from Leaving Year 1959.

Gerry McGarry Jnr told the story of the boys leaving school on the last day of the year (and were not returning the next year) – ‘whilst riding their bikes out the front gate they would throw all their Aquinas belongings in the bush’.

Every year Aquinas College invites the graduates from 60 years prior back to the College with their partners.

They are invited to attend an assembly, visit the Junior School and then have lunch together in the Waterford Room. Thanks to COVID-19, the Class of 1960 reunion was cancelled. The College wanted to connect with the Old Boys in some way, so we decided to ask our Year 6 students to write a letter to any one of the graduates from the Class of 1960 in the hope they would receive a reply. The boys wrote to an Old Boy each and some were lucky enough to get a return letter. Our young Year 6 students told the Old Boys about life at Aquinas College in the year 2020. It was wonderful for the boys to receive a reply and the stories helped the boys realise how different their time at Aquinas College is.

An excerpt from Bob Kestel’s response to Aaron.

“First of all, it was different today than when I started in 1943, at the age of 7. We were in the middle of the World War, large numbers of fathers and families were soldiering on at war overseas and Australia, including my father and mother doing their share. We also had Cadets and we were issued with a uniform and wore them on Cadets Day, which we all enjoyed. Also, a 3030 rifle. We used to carry them on the bus when I was a day student. No one seemed to worry. I was also in the Cadet Band and played the Kettle Drum. I just want to let you know how much I enjoyed my time at Aquinas. The Brothers were wonderful and taught us how to behave and look after other people. I think God for the time I had.”

An excerpt from Brian Baxter’s response to Jonathon:

“I am grateful for the experience of going to Aquinas as it made me persevere and taught me a lot about life.”

An excerpt from John Kelly’s response to Louie:

“During my three years at Aquinas, I enjoyed tennis, football and athletics and made the most of every opportunity to learn the art and contest to the very best of my ability. My time at Aquinas exposed me to city life and the many opportunities the College offered to express one’s personal expertise and gifts to society. On leaving College the call of the country life was all-consuming for me, and at the age of 15 years, I commenced my 50 year journey in farming. Louie, I’m so impressed with your passionate attitude towards the latest experiences that have been offered to you through the College programs. Please continue to involve yourself wholeheartedly in every expression of your chosen pathway, believe in yourself and enjoy every present moment.”

An excerpt from John Tracey’s response to Tait:

“Aquinas was much smaller in my day. There was the front of the school, which I think was smaller then and the main school block to the east. All of my classes were in the main block with the science labs on the top floor. There was a nice new library on the southern side of the classrooms. The Chapel was a large room in front of the school. In Year 12 I studied Religious Education, English, Geography, Physics, Chemistry and two lots of Mathematics. I had very good teachers for Mathematics and Science and they turned me around from disliking these subjects to really loving them. I went on to University for a Science degree and a career in teaching Science.”

An excerpt from Neil Leach’s response to Archie:

“I was a student at Aquinas for 7 years as a boarder. I started in 1954 at the age of 10 and I was in Year 5. As a border we had weekends out, where we could go home, if close enough, or to relatives, if home was not possible. I could go home and, as I had not been away from home before, I was very much looking forward to my first “weekend out”. However, at this time we were experiencing another medical pandemic, this time it was the Polio epidemic. It was a terrible disease which, if contracted, left the patient permanently deformed or paralysed, often no longer able to walk without crutches or callipers. Fortunately, this disease has all but been eradicated throughout most of the world. Due to this epidemic, the College at the last moment decided that the boarders could not go out on the planned “weekend out”. This might seem like a small problem now, but at the time it was very upsetting to me.”

The success and enjoyment of both the students and Old Boys have led to the decision to continue this project in the future.