The spirit of Aquinas College Rowing was alive and well on Friday 21st June when a group of Old Aquinian rowers from the 1950s reunited for a special luncheon in the Waterford Room.

Head of Rowing and MC for the day, Nick Collins, kicked off the reunion with a bus ride down to the N.N. Wilson Boatshed. As well as taking a walk arou

nd the current Boatshed, the group keenly inspected the remains of their rowing shed – the original boatshed built in 1938 - now just a few pylons in the water and a heap of memories.

With just a touch of bias, they all agreed the 1938 boatshed, built in the traditional manner over the water, was the superior boatshed, despite spontaneously toppling into the Canning River in 1969, following the completion of the Br N.N. Wilson Boatshed.

Whilst at the river, Nick Collins took the opportunity to explain to the group why the College needs a new boatshed, citing the poor state of the current shed, the lack of amenities in the shed (toilets, showers, change rooms) and the desperate need for more space to cater for a robust rowing community: we have 180 boys involved in rowing in 2019 compared with 40 boys in 1969.

Nick went on to explain the design of the new shed, which will include storage space for racing shells, tender boats and maintenance, a meeting room and a weights and ergo room, adding that it would serve the College well for the next 50 years. The group was particularly impressed with the size of the new facility and the inclusion of a weights and ergo room.

Next stop was lunch in the Waterford Room, with the ever-present Canning River in the background. David McFadden opened proceedings by welcoming the group back to the College and thanking them for their contributions to the College and to rowing, whilst Steven Lewis and his team provided a sumptuous three-course meal.

Despite the passage of more than 60 years, College pride and comradery was more than evident amongst the group as stories of their Aquinas College rowing days were shared around the table with much vigour: the good times and the hard times; the early morning starts; the back breaking training sessions; and those magical moments when it all came together on the river.

Thank you to all our rowers from the 1950s who were able to attend the luncheon, along with our Boatshed Appeal Patron, Brian Tonkin – it was a pleasure to have you back at the College. Thank you also to all of our rowers from the 1950s who have generously contributed to the Boatshed Renewal Appeal since its May launch. Your support will have a significant impact on our rowing endeavours.

Special thanks must go to Olympian and College legend Max Cunningham for coordinating the reunion. Armed with a list of names and some contact numbers, Max spent several days at the College tracking down a large number of rowers from the 1950s, and managing to obtain 19 positive RSVP’s for the reunion.

Thank you also to the following for making the luncheon a huge success:

• Steven Lewis and his catering team

• P&F President Mat Scott for running the bar
• Megan Sweeting and the Grounds and Maintenance staff - Steve Burke and Jacob Bester - for helping with set up, driving the bus, etc
• Andre Trentini from IT for providing our AV requirements
• Nichole Rowson, Alumni & Events Administrator, for pulling this successful event together at short notice

If you would like to support the Boatshed Renewal Appeal and receive a tax receipt, please visit our Online Store.

Class of 1957

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya in 1940 to Eurasian parents Don was one of seven siblings in the Martin family. He arrived in Perth from Khota Bharu in 1951 and began boarding life at Aquinas along with two of his three brothers. Don took to boarding life immediately and found his key strength and love of hockey on the playing fields at an early age. He immersed himself in the life of the school, did well in the classroom and on the field. In his leaving year, he was prefect and captained the cricket and hockey 1st teams. Don was voted the hockey team’s best and fairest in 1954 and 1957, having played in the 1st XI every year since he was 12! Which must be a record even now! He also played for the school in football and athletics. It was a full life. Academically he excelled in Mathematics and came eighth overall in his year.

Soon after leaving school he was selected to play for WA in the U/21 Colts team and went on to have a stellar Olympic hockey career. He played for Australia in 1961, winning the Manning Memorial Cup in a victory over New Zealand and continued playing for his country from 1961 to 1964 and again in 1968, in total playing 19 international games over five years. Don won bronze at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and four years later he played in the 1968 team that won silver in Mexico. It was said on the field Don was “…exceptionally quick over a short distance in the forward line (at centre forward and later as a right inner) which saw him score many opportunistic goals. He had excellent trapping skills which complemented his uncanny goal sense.” Don was widely respected for his fairness and devotion to his game, qualities first brought out in him on the playing fields of Aquinas College. He also achieved an Australian hockey umpire’s badge and officiated at an Australian junior carnival. He was a WA state senior team selector and coached a Women’s 1st Division team.

There is still to this day an award named after him in junior hockey, the “Don Martin Sportsmanship Award” first awarded in 1972. Don was inducted into the Western Australian Hockey Hall of Champions in 2010. He pays tribute to his parents and to the Christian Brothers for teaching him the value of learning the basics and applying the principles of fair play.

At work or on the sports field, he maintains: “…it’s incredibly important to have a good command of the basics.” One of his contemporaries says of him: “Don Martin set high standards as a leader while at the college, and he maintained that approach in both his business and sporting careers.”

John Perry (’65)

John Perry’s long association with Aquinas College commenced in 1960 when he came to Aquinas as a boarder from the town of Mandurah. He was a strong all-rounder who figured prominently in many areas of College life including debating, YCS, Holy Name Society and Cadets, oftentimes taking on the role of secretary or treasurer – a precursor to his successful professional life outside of school - matriculating in 1965 with six subjects. A natural leader, he was a Prefect in his leaving year.

In the sporting arena, John’s star shone brightly, with an enviable list of sporting achievements including: Under 16 Athletic Champion in 1963; Under 17 Athletic Champion in 1964; Open Athletic Champion in 1965; Under 17 State Schoolboy Champion Hurdler in 1964; under 19 State Schoolboy Champion Hurdler in 1965; and Vice-captain of the Victorious Inters athletic team in 1965. He rowed from 1962 – 1965, and in his final year at Aquinas rowed in the successful 2^nd VIII, a year in which Aquinas won every race at the Head of The River. From 1961-1965 he played football with honours, representing Aquinas in the 1^st XVIII.

After achieving his Leaving Certificate in 1965, John went on to complete the Real Estate Valuation course at WAIT (now Curtin), eventually returning to Mandurah to manage the family’s real estate firm, H & N Perry Mandurah. John’s enormously successful real estate career spanned many years and many successful projects, including the high-profile land developments at Madora Bay and Florida Beach Estate, Dawesville. Last year, H & N Perry Mandurah celebrated its 70^th anniversary, servicing the Peel Region.

In the years since graduating, John’s involvement with Aquinas College has continued unabated, marrying his beautiful wife Bella at the Aquinas College Chapel in 1971, returning to the College for various events and reunions over the years and supporting the College’s philanthropic endeavours, including our new River Centre.

Now retired, John and Bella are still heavily involved in the Mandurah and Peel Region, supporting groups involved with Health, sport and education, including Peel Health Campus Foundation, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre and Mandurah Catholic College (Music Scholarships), with a particular bias towards helping youth.

Mike Scott (’58)

(as spoken by his son)

Dad boarded from the age of 5, including through all of his high school years at Aquinas. He has been part of a long tradition of grabbing boarders and making them row – especially the stronger, or lankier looking ones!

His father Phon (my grandfather) rowed for Aquinas in a winning 4 in the 1927 crew. Dad rowed for Aquinas between 1955 and 1958 – both coxing the Ist IV and rowing in it. Not winning though! He made lifelong mates through-out this time.

He represented the state in Rowing and rowed in the Kings Cup in 1966 and 1967. Which at the time was the premier rowing race between states.

Later he coached rowing at Aquinas, when my brother Mick went through Aquinas (winning 8 – 1989) and then myself (winning 8 – 1994).

In the year I won, Dad coached the winning 2^nd Viii, and my brother Mick coached the winning 3^rd Viii. We won the Champion Cup and the Hamer cup that year.

Coincidentally my cousin Tim was the Cox for my winning 8 that year. There was also my uncle Peter whose crew won in 1965 (coached by Phon!). Herb Elliot was in that crew.

I believe this is the 3^rd boat to be named after a member of the Scott family.

The Phon Scott was first

Then Barbara Scott

And now the Mike Scott.

The Phon Scott was a gift to Aquinas rowing from Dudley and Mike.

Dad has continued with Seniors and Masters rowing locally and internationally through-out, winning many races but also making great mates along the way.

Dad’s achievements in rowing along the way have not been in isolation, and despite his ultra-competitiveness, it has always been a healthy one, driving himself and those around him to do his and their best.

We have seen so much change on a technology front over this time with rowing boats and oars move from handcrafted wood to tailor-made carbon fibre hulls and Clever blades, it’s also fantastic to see the school’s investment in the new River Centre.

We are very grateful as a family that the Aquinas community has named a boat after dad in acknowledgement of his efforts at Aquinas and in the broader rowing community – to make the boat go faster and for the people around him to achieve their best both individually and as team players.

Nick Guidera (‘00)

Nick arrived at Aquinas in 1993 as a Year 5 student and enjoyed 8 years at the College. An all-rounder, he represented the college in a number of sporting and cultural activities as well as achieving academic success. He was an active member of the Music department, a Prefect in his final year, and winner of the Caltex Best All Rounder Award.

Nick represented the College in Swimming & Cross Country, tried his hand at footy, but left it to the future AFL players in his year group, settling instead for the role of Runner for the 1st XVIII. In his final year, he was named Captain of Boats, rowing in the 1st VIII, and receiving the award of Strongest Oarsman. In a season marred by gastro and a closure of the Swan River due to an algae bloom, his crew rose to the challenge, achieving much success throughout the season, but the Head of the Race was not to be theirs.

Post School, Nick has enjoyed a successful 20 years. Relocating to Sydney with his family at 17, he coached rowing at Sydney Church of England Coe-Educational Grammar School for a number of years. In 2006, he graduated from the University of Technology Sydney with a Bachelor of Laws and was then admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW. After 5 years in Industrial Relations Law, he turned his hand to finance, joining Asian Investment Bank CLSA after completing his Masters at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

An amazing post-graduate program sent him to Hong Kong, London and ultimately New York. Now living in Curl Curl, NSW with his wife Nicole and two small children, he has joined the funds management community as a small capital equity specialist – and enjoys surfing and ultra-marathons in his spare time.

Stuart Reside ('95)

Stuart Reside came to Aquinas College in Year 8. He was an all-rounder, a prefect and a house councillor. His athletic achievements were many and varied, including Athletics 1995; Football 2nd XVIII 1994-1995; Swimming Team from 1991-1995, and Volleyball A-Team in 1994. Most notably, Stuart rowed in the winning 1^st VIII in the 1995 Head of the River, a very talented and high calibre crew who were determined to retain the trophy won by the 1994 crew the previous year and more than willing to put in the hard yards. In that year Stuart received honours for rowing and was named as the Best Clubman.

That determination to succeed, instilled during his school years, fuelled Stuart’s post-school life. After winning the Head of The River for Aquinas, Stuart was selected to represent Australia in the Junior World Championships in Poland, and set to row in the double scull, however, he contracted a severe case of Salmonella food poisoning, losing half his body weight. Returning from Poland to train in Bunbury in a state rowing camp, he was then bitten by a mosquito and contracted Ross River fever that left him debilitated for months. Nothing came easy during this period but Stuart refused to let anything hold him back, training like there was no tomorrow. He went on to win the singles scull at the World Junior Rowing Championships the next year, the first and only Australian to do so. From there, his rowing career went from strength to strength – always with the same level of sacrifice and perseverance.

The following year in 1997 Stuart was selected for his first senior Australian Team in the Mens’ Quad Scull. This would lead to Stuart representing Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics where the Men’s Quads team came fourth.

With a view to life after rowing, Stuart took 18 months off to finish his Bachelor of Commerce at Curtin University. With unfinished business on the water, however, he picked up the oars again to row in pairs and eights, making the Australian team in 2002, but did not put his hand up. Then, in 2003, he was selected for the Men’s Eight and went on to win bronze at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

One of Stuart’s coaches remembers that: “When he thinks he’s at his limit then he’ll go a bit further and extend himself. And if he reaches that, he’ll try to go further.”

Stuart achievements in rowing make him arguably Aquinas Colleges greatest ever oarsman.

Congratulations are due to Oliver Cox ('13) for receiving a National Outstanding Service Award from the Australian Red Cross in early October.

The Outstanding Service Award recognises outstanding service to Red Cross and is awarded to members, volunteers or staff who have demonstrated dedication to Red Cross principles, ideally over a period of at least six years.

For Ollie, it recognises his outstanding contribution to the Soup Patrol Service - leading the Aquinas team since he earned his P plates.

Our very own John Richards also received the Outstanding Service Award in the same ceremony.

This award is another feather in the cap for Oliver Cox who received South Perth’s Young Volunteer of the Year Award in 2018, recognising his role with the Red Cross and as an Edmund Rice Camp Leader - providing essential respite and exciting holiday programs for children from less privileged backgrounds.

Class of 1967

As a senior television journalist, Paul Lockyer’s work was widely seen and respected by viewers across the country and beyond. Very sadly he met an untimely death at the age of 61 in an air crash at Lake Eyre while on a story for the ABC.

Paul came to Aquinas College from Corrigin where his parents Nona and Norman Lockyer ran a farm. They brought him to board at Aquinas in 1963 and apart from the usual adjustment period Paul loved his time at school and showed his sons around it with pride years later. Paul excelled at hockey and was vice-captain of the team the year he left. He was a cadet in 1965-67 and was a member of the YCS, the Legion of Mary and Veritas. He also played a lead part in the Musical Oklahoma in 1966, the songs of which stayed with him for years to come according to his sons.

Within two years of leaving school, Paul secured a highly-prized cadetship with the ABC. He began a stellar career spending time in Sydney and Canberra before being promoted to a correspondent in Port Moresby, then working in Jakarta and Bangkok. His reporting during the Vietnam War was rated highly and he was responsible for bringing the truth of the Khmer Rouge killing fields to our screens.

Paul was posted to Washington DC during the Reagan administration and also covered central and North America. He returned to Asia and received accolades for his coverage of the trial of drug-traffickers Kevin Barlow and Brian Chambers, nominated for a Gold Walkely for his coverage.

He moved to the Nine Network and was a senior correspondent in many fields covering droughts for A Current Affair and working on Sunday, Midday, and the Wide World of Sports. He won a Logie Award for Most Outstanding News Reporter in 2001 for his coverage of the Olympic Games.

Paul returned to the ABC to become an anchor for the WA news. But he will be remembered mostly for his coverage, and love, of the land. One of the marks of the man is the great camaraderie he shared with his working colleagues. Household names from the ABC lined up to pay tribute to his work in 2011 when he was killed in a helicopter crash at Lake Eyre.

Paul was an Aquinian through and through. He helped to build the Chapel wall made from Mt Barker stone and was married at Aquinas. His son paid a loving tribute to him: “…not just for being a respected journalist who got so much out of people, but also a man of the land. More importantly as a brilliant father and the most beautiful kind man you could ever come across.”

Class of 1954

The memory of Murray Ward is still fresh in the minds of Aquinians old and new. He touched so many generations. His peers at the College in 1954 remember him as an outstanding sportsman: he was Captain of the 1st XVIII, winner of Best and Fairest Footballer, Athletics Captain, Vice-Captain of Cricket and Prefect to boot. Academically, he also excelled winning the History and Geography Prizes. He was a member of both the shooting and swimming teams, Murray also broke the Australian Junior Hurdles record while at Aquinas College.

Four years later, he was a member of the winning WA medley relay team at the Australian Athletics. Possibly as a reward for his long list of achievements, he and Neville Salt were chosen by Br Murphy to go to Canberra to greet Queen Elizabeth II during her tour of Australia that year.

He played for the Claremont Football Club throughout the 1950s and 60s. As Director of Football at Claremont, he also saw the club win the Premiership in 1981 and contest the final in 1982 and 1983. In short, wherever he was in sport, success followed. However, he never really left Aquinas and continued to coach boys for 45 years. During this time, the school won 27 Interschool Athletics championships. He also coached the 1st XVIII Football team for a decade in the 1970s, during which time the school won the Alcock Cup seven times!

Those who knew him whisper Murray’s name in awe. The selflessness of the man is legendary. It was his way to do the work, train hard, win the game and go home. He never stayed for the celebration or the press photo. As far as he was concerned when the team won the job was done, leaving the glory of the after-party to those younger and fitter. It seemed, there was as much pleasure in helping the next generation to win as there had been for him in winning in the first place.

His Headmaster Br Murphy commented in his final year Annual: “Not only have Murray Ward and Neville Salt shown outstanding sporting ability but their manly bearing and excellent leadership have been immense value in maintaining a high standard of conduct and a good moral tone amongst the boys.”

At his funeral in November 2016, many spoke of his faith: he was president of the Holy Name Society and lived his faith from an early age. He also helped reintroduce the Rosary on a Tuesday morning at Aquinas College and rounded up a number of Old Boys to support it – a faith tradition that continues today for students each week.

Class of 1987

Justin Langer showed his talent as a left-handed batsman early on the field at Aquinas. By no means just a cricketer, Justin also picked up the English Prize in Year 12 and proved himself as a footballer. He represented the state in Football, the same year he started hitting the ball out of the cricket field. Justin excelled at Cricket while at school and was first picked for Australia in the U/19 team. He played for the 1st XI every year at Aquinas College (with Honours) and was the PSA Representative each year. He left in 1987 with the “Most Outstanding Batsman” prize with the top batting average of 51.50 as Vice-Captain.

Justin toured England while at the school. He was accepted into the Australian Cricket Academy in 1990 at the age of only 19. He made an outstanding debut for Western Australia at the 1991-92 Sheffield Shield match and impressively made his Test debut for Australia the following year at the age of 22.

His ability to work with other people is the quality most people mention and the reason cited for his outstanding partnership with Matthew Hayden, regarded as one of the most successful partnerships ever in the history of Australian Cricket (total 5,655 runs). This partnership was the thing that picked him out of the crowd as a cricketer. In his last year, he recorded five of the top ten partnerships in his year.

If there is an award for resilience in the Aquinian alma mater then it goes to Justin Langer. His incredible work ethic is often cited as the quality that separates him from the pack. He is also someone who has time for the cricketers of tomorrow as he has a huge impact on boys who have heard him speak. Some of them are not ashamed to admit they have put up on their wall the words Justin said to them that really chime with them.

It is said of him: “he has a strong sense of integrity and values that has held him together in his life, he is a man of the people who seek out new people and enjoys learning. He has evolved. It’s been consistent through his life that hard work and determination are the hallmarks of his career.”

There are few cricketers from his era who go on to coach with the same sense of excellence and drive. Little wonder then he has become such a very popular choice to coach Australia. The moment he shared the news with his father was one of the proudest moments of his life.

Class of 1908

Martin excelled at Christian Brothers’ in the early part of the last century. His life contains one of the more memorable personal stories of the Great War. An outstanding cricketer: he once took 14/32 while at school. He also still holds the Athletics record for throwing a cricket ball 112yds. On leaving school, he became an accountant at Mily Mily Station near the Murchison River, until the war interrupted his life. His enlistment number was 688, and he joined a month before his 24th birthday.

He landed at Alexandria, Egypt on 3rd February 1915. Two months later, he embarked for Gallipoli on April 12th 1915. Whilst fighting at “Bloody Angle”, he and others from his Battalion were bombed. Knocked senseless by a bomb, he awoke to find his mates Privates White and Gray lying dead beside him. All others he had arrived with were dead or wounded. He crawled away after dark but was captured by a German. This man changed his life when he discovered a Catholic medal from St Stanislaus amongst the dog tags around his neck. He too was a Catholic and the two men communicated in the German’s broken English and spoke about the futility of war. Reportedly, his captor was relieved when it was decided that Martin should be spared. The following three years were terrible hardship and his weight nearly halved during his internment as a Prisoner of War in Turkey. It was reported after the event: “Of those Australians who fought in this action, he was the only one who survived it in the hands of the Turks”.

He was reported missing on 1st May, as no one knew he had survived never mind been taken to the Kaba Tepe Region of Turkey. As a prisoner, Martin worked on the Bagdad Railway Construction Company’s railway and tunnel through the Taurus Mountains. At the end of the war, he was repatriated to England and disembarked at Dover on 8th December 1918. He was clearly well treated and recovered as he marched out from the Australian HQ London to Weymouth nearly a year later and was returned to Fremantle on 2nd April the following year.

Martin went on to live a long and happy life on his return to Australia. He married and had three children: Frank, Joan and Maureen. Joan is the mother of Test cricketer Terry Alderman. Martin’s career as an umpire at the WACA was in sharp contrast with that of his early life, as no doubt his grandson Terry Alderman would testify.

Class of 1967

Brian Tonkin is the product of the glory years of Aquinian rowing. Brian learned about strategy from the stern seat of the First Eight. The cox is the “coach in the boat” and there has been none better than Brian, or “Tonks” as he is more affectionately known. He has been a force for tight teamwork and leadership in rowing at the school for decades. He coxed the First Eight at the Head of the River for four consecutive years ending in his last at Aquinas College.

Brian and his older brother went to Aquinas courtesy of hard-working parents. His father drove a school bus for the government and his mother worked in the dining room at the Christian Brothers, St George’s Terrace as a young woman before she married Brian’s father. It was a real challenge to earn enough between them to send both boys to Aquinas but grit and determination won through and they provided Brian with an education from the Christian Brothers that he treasures to this day.

He arrived at Aquinas at the age of ten in grade five and began to cox “because I was skinny” he says, the following year. Besides loving the sport he was helped along by the promise of a toasted bacon sarny every Wednesday morning from his mum. Brian recalls he was a “shy student” who learned so much from the huge responsibility he had as cox. “You’re in charge of a boat and you can’t see where you are going, yet you have to see the path, you got to know the river”. It helped him navigate his way through life and taught him how to sail through difficult waters strategically. For him, it was a metaphor for life.

Brian worked hard at school and left with honours in rowing before studying for a teaching degree, at Claremont Teachers’ College where he met Shirley his wife, who he married at Aquinas. He returned to the school to teach there and then ran Nunan House with Shirley and his two girls. In total, Brian served 43 years at Aquinas and did 54 years in rowing. His commentary at Champions Lake in later years is legendary and when he finally hung up his microphone many paid tribute to the impact his dulcet tones had on the occasion. But mostly he remembers the Christian Brothers who taught him, “some of the best people I have ever met”.