St Bede's College (Mentone)

History

The College was founded in 1938 at Mentone Beach, by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, or De La Salle Order of Brothers, also known as The French Christian Brothers. The Brothers built the college overlooking Mentone Beach which opened in February, 1938. The Order had purchased a property which included a Victorian homestead, "the McCristal Estate", that had been used by Mentone Girls Grammar School since the early 1920s. From its inception, St Bede's was a day and boarding school until 1998. It remains an independent school in the Lasallian and Catholic tradition.

The school was named after St. Bede the Venerable, a 7th-century Benedictine monk and priest, who spent his life teaching and writing at Jarrow Abbey, and who was the first English historian, famous for his publication of Ecclesiastical History of the English People.

As a boarding school its bailiwick was statewide and encompassed southern New South Wales, and internationally from South East Asia, the South Pacific and the expat community. Its ethos is that of an essentially middle class institution, with an emphasis on athleticism, religion, and discipline. It now comprises approximately 1950 day students.

In 2021, the former St James Catholic Regional College in Bentleigh East amalgamated with St Bede's, under the overall operation of St Bede's College.

Curriculum

Years 7 and 8 students of the College study a variety of core subjects:

• Arts (art, drama and music)
• English
• Digital Technology (STEM)
• Health and Physical Education
• Humanities (Geography and History)
• Languages (Indonesian, Italian and Minionese)
• Materials Technology
• Mathematics
• Science
• Religious Education

Years 9 and 10 students also complete the subjects listed above, some of which are elective subjects. This framework is designed to comply with the Australian Curriculum.

St Bede's College offers its senior students the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and VCE Vocational Major.

Technology

In 2016, the College's F1 in Schools team, Infinitude, set the World Record at the World Finals in Austin, Texas, in collaboration with Brighton Secondary School, Adelaide.

In this same year, a team of students successfully won the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge in the Year 9–12 Gamemaker/Gamestar Mechanic category with their game Spectrum.

Principals

• Br Simon Staunton: 1937–1938
• Br Julian Lennon: 1939–1947
• Br Colman Molloy: 1948–1952 and 1959–1965
• Br Finian Allman: 1953–1957
• Br Stanislaus Carmody: 1966–1967
• Br Charles Kirk: 1967–1968
• Br Peter McIntosh: 1968–1973
• Br William Firman: 1974–1987
• Br Kevin Moloney: 1988
• Br Quentin O'Halloran: 1989–1998
• Br Kenneth Ormerod: 1999–2006
• Br Garry Coyte: 2007–2017
• John Finn: 2018–2021
• Deborah Frizza: 2022–current

Sport

St Bede's is a member of the Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC).

ACC premierships & championships

St Bede's has won the following ACC first division senior premierships and first division aggregate championships:

• Aggregate (3) – 2003, 2022, 2023
• Athletics (8) – 1958, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1986, 1987
• Basketball (10) – 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2015
• Cricket (32) – 1958, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023
• Cross Country (24) – 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
• Football (16) – 1953, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2011, 2019
• Handball (4) – 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947
• Hockey (16) – 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2016, 2022
• Soccer (6) – 1987, 1993, 1996, 2011, 2012, 2023
• Swimming (15) – 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Table Tennis (1) – 2023
• Tennis (13) – 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2023
• Triathlon (4) – 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023
• Golf (23) – 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012

Alumni

Business

• Michael Hirstformer CEO Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, and current member of the board of directors AMP Limited
• Jeremiah Siemianowfounder of Muso/Surreal, live music management platform

Law, academia, politics and advocacy

• Hon. Justice Kevin Bell (1972)judge of Supreme Court of Victoria and President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
• Cr Ralph BernardiLord Mayor of Melbourne 1979–1980
• Hon. Justice Anthony Cavanough (1972)judge of Supreme Court of Victoria
• Graham "Smacka" Fitzgibbon Australian jazz legend
• Professor Tim Flannery(1973) celebrated environmentalist, scientist and 2007 Australian of the Year (1973)
• Professor Ron McCallumDean of Law at Sydney University, a specialist in industrial law
• Peter McTigue (Dux 1951) DPhil (Oxon)Dean, School of Chemistry, Melbourne University 1986-1990
• Hon. Justice Shane Marshall (Dux of Humanities 1973) judge of the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Courts of the ACT and Tasmania.
• Brad RowswellMLA for Sandringham
• Nick Staikospolitician and State Member for Bentleigh
• Hon. Marcus Stephenweightlifter and President of Nauru
• Dave SweeneyNuclear free campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation and co-founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.
• Senator David Van – elected in 2019.
• Hon. Justice Neil Young QCjudge of the Federal Court of Australia

Creative arts and entertainment

• British India – rock band members Declan Melia, Will Drummond, Matt O'Gorman and Nick Wilson.
• Chris Cestermember of the band Jet
• Nic Cestermember of the band Jet
• Liam Davisonnovelist
• Greg Evansradio & television presenter
• Carl and Mark Fennessy (1979 and 1985)founders of Crackerjack Productions, joint CEOs of Endemol Shine Australia
• Smacka Fitzgibbon – trad jazz vocalist and banjoist
• Patrick Harveyactor
• Jimi Hockingsongwriter, singer and guitarist
• Simon HusseyMulti ARIA awarded composer, producer and engineer for Daryl Braithwaite and James Reyne. Member of Australian Crawl.
• Jonathan Messerstage/film director
• Cameron Munceymember of the band Jet
• Eddie Perfectactor/comedian
• John Torodecelebrity chef
• Paul Dempseymusician and a member of Something for Kate

Sport

• Kieran Ault-ConnellParalympic Games gold medalist
• Miles BergmanAustralian rules footballer
• Luke BeveridgeAustralian rules footballer and coach of the Western Bulldogs
• Scott Bolandcricket player
• Ryan ByrnesAustralian rules footballer
• Paul CalleryAustralian rules footballer
• Myke CookAustralian rules footballer
• Finn CallaghanAustralian rules footballer
• Calsher DearAustralian rules footballer
• Steve ElleryAustralian motorsports racing driver
• Peter Fitzgeraldathlete; a semi-finalist in the 200 metres at the 1976 Montreal Games
• Eugene GalekovicAssociation football player
• Shaun Grafcricket player
• Vince GrellaAssociation football player
• Toby Haenenswimmer and Olympic bronze medallist
• Gerard HealyAustralian rules footballer; winner of the 1988 Brownlow Medal
• Greg HealyAustralian rules footballer and president of Quiksilver Inc
• Brad Hodgecricket player
• Jon Hollandcricket player
• Nathan Holmangolfer; 2015 Australian PGA champion
• Blake Howes – Australian rules footballer
• Bob Hoystedracehorse trainer
• Bradley Hughesgolfer; 1993, 1998 Australian Masters Champion
• Tom LambAustralian rules footballer
• Stephen McBurneyAustralian rules football umpire
• Michael McCarthy
• Hayden McLean – Australian rules footballer
• Tony Marchantcyclist and Olympic Gold Medallist
• Ljubo MilicevicAssociation football player
• Tom NichollsAustralian rules footballer
• Brett O'HanlonAustralian rules footballer
• Dylan O'Keeffe Australian motorsports racing driver
• Clive Rosecricket player
• Peter RussoAustralian rules footballer
• Dylan ShielAustralian rules footballer
• Jack StevenAustralian rules footballer
• Liam SumnerAustralian rules footballer
• Grant ThomasAustralian rules footballer and former coach of St Kilda Football Club
• Marcus WindhagerAustralian rules footballer

Priests and religious

• Christopher Saunders, DD, DCL, bishop of Broome

References

References

1. (2020). "Tragedy Mars the Opening of St Bede's". Kingston Local History.
2. (2020). "Mentone schools: Why Are There So Many?". Kingston Local History.
3. [https://www.stbedes.catholic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Letter-to-St-Bedes-Community.pdf Amalgamation of St. James College Bentleigh East into the operations of St. Bede’s College Mentone] St Bede's College Retrieved 31 January 2021
4. "Years 7 and 8".
5. "Year 9 and 10".
6. "Trend of St Bede's College by VCE results".
7. "Australia set new record at F1 in Schools World Finals". Formula1.com.
8. ACER. "Winners {{!}} STEM Video Game Challenge {{!}} Australia".
9. "Roll of Honour".
10. (Feb 2018). "SBOCA Roll of Honour inductees 2013".
11. Woudstra, John. (16 July 2004). "Brother Ken Ormerod, principle of St. Bedes College in Mentone coaching senior students at basketball".
12. "The District Council: Exercising Leadership Today {{!}} DeLaSalle".
13. "MACS - Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools {{!}} Lighting Their Path".
14. (Feb 2018). "St Bedes College Yearbook 2017".
15. (Sep 2019). "St Bedes Yearbook 2018".
16. "Principal's Welcome".
17. "Premiers & Champions – Associated Catholic Colleges".
18. "Peter McTigue OAM | Chemistry Education Association".
19. [http://nickstaikos.com.au/about-nick/ About Nick]. nickstaikos.com.au. Retrieved 27 August 2015
20. "The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons wins Nobel Peace Prize".
21. "BedaBoys Bulletin".
22. Donovan, Patrick. (7 May 2010). "British India: Avalanche". The Sydney Morning Herald.
23. (23 July 2014). "Vale Liam Davison".
24. "Hall of Fame".
25. O'Brien, Mary. (12 June 2015). "Eddie Perfect's secret Melbourne: an exploration of middle-class life".
26. "BedaBoys Bulletin".