Welcome to Newman Being!

Edition 2/2025

This edition may be a little leaner than our last bumper issue, but there’s still plenty happening behind the scenes!

In the past three months alone, Amy and I have written and sent more than 100 birthday cards, both by post and online. The warm replies we’ve received by phone, email, and return notes and cards make our day, and remind us just how worthwhile (and joyful) these small connections can be!

We’re also working with several class groups to help organise truly memorable Reunions (see Upcoming Reunions, below), while continuing our hunt for Alumni with whom we’ve lost touch over the years. Along the way we uncover some really interesting stories, all of which add to our shared history.

As always, this edition also features some of our incredible Alumni doing incredible things - here and all over the world - and I thank each and every one for letting me feature them and working with me to make sure they're happy with what I write. This edition features:
- Brilliant young actor Sam Delich (2010)
- Baby Animals' Suze DeMarchi (1981)
- Legend of dance Julie Dyson AM (Christian 1961)
- The ubiquitous Mick Evans (1972)
- Retiring Information Commissioner and surf legend Catherine Fletcher (Simpson 1983)
- Author and cultural heritage expert Dr Jennifer Harris (1972)
- Farming Hall of Famer Bill Henderson (1946)
- Google whiz Chris Severn (1991) and
- a gorgeous catchup between old friends Colleen Coffey-Dransfield (Coffey 1966) and Michael Moriarty (1966).

And, as always, we continue to invite Alumni to return and mentor our students, sharing their memories and life experiences at various College events throughout the year.

We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we did, writing and putting it together!

Shannon Lovelady                                   Amy Devenish
Archivist, College Historian,                   Archives and Alumni Engagement Assistant
and Alumni Engagement Manager

Each Newman Being includes:

• Some Newman nostalgia - a little history on one of our 'Antecedent Schools' 
• Alumni Updates - what exciting things have you all been up to?
• Reunions and Catchups – recently held, and those upcoming
• Archives news and insights into some of the remarkable donations recently received
• Items of interest to our Alumni, including Community News
• School events you, as Alumni, are most welcome to attend

Time for some Newman Nostalgia!

A little history (just a little!) on one of our 'Antecedent Schools'... 

50 years ago this year, construction of the Frank Ehlers Swimming Pool was underway at Marist Senior College, Churchlands! Dug by staff, students and Old Boys, it was opened by Frank Ehlers on 22 February 1976, precisely nine months after construction began. What a triumph it was!

The 1975 Marist College yearbook reports:
"Who said you could build a pool, Olympic size at that, using voluntary labour? Someone said ... THINK BIG, and thankfully, there were plenty of people who did just that. The Parents and Friends, under President Dan Leunig, agreed it was a feasible and worthwhile project for 1975. Past years had seen ovals, tennis courts, cricket pitches, basketball courts and an amphitheatre added to the school's facilities. 'We, the Community, will build a pool,' was the decision. And what a lesson in Community involvement!”

Around 200 volunteers (some 'volunteered' by Br Ambrose Kelly) were rostered on under team leaders in groups of men and others, of boys, who all came one weekend in five. There were supervisors, planners, surveyors and bricklayers, as well as those skilled in the use of hire equipment, earth moving, electrical installation, and more. Enormous efforts were made, by more than 1000 people, in raising the $50,000 needed. They held a fete, a raffle, a Walk-A-Thon, a Melbourne Cup sweep, bingo nights, film outings, morning and afternoon teas, a grand ball, an Art Sale, and even produced a cook book for sale!

This mammoth project was managed by Floreat civil engineer Frank Ehlers, who was the father of five Newmanites (some of them at Marist and Brigidine before the amalgamation of Newman College). The Frank Ehlers Swimming Pool is a worthy name as, on site and off, Frank spent many hundreds of hours working on the pool and was lauded for his dedication, patience, courtesy, and spirit of optimism as well as his attitude - always professional, despite likely being sorely tried at times.

In 1976 a visiting Victorian headmaster was so impressed with the team effort in building our pool, he said in his speech at that year's headmasters’ conference they should all "go out to Marist and see a community in action”. And, as the 1975 yearbook says, "Parents and Friends of ’75 - take a bow!”

A triumph indeed! Did you help to dig our pool?

Images above:
Top left: Hard to imagine this is where the pool is now...
Top middle: Year 9s (1978 Leavers) on 'the brick line' on a hot summer's day, 1975. Legend has it the lads were singing 'Camptown Races' as they passed them down the line. Rod Ehlers, Sean Murphy, Eddie Resera, Danny Wake, Graham Laslett, and Peter Van Mil are somewhere in this line! 
Top right: A gang of weekend volunteers, mostly in Year 11, from the Class of 1976.
Middle left: A class of eager lads, ready to start helping
Middle centre: Casual jackhammering, old style. Who needs PPE? 
Middle right: Rolling, rolling, rolling...
Bottom left: Br Terry Gleeson with Year 8 volunteers Dean Morgan (left), and Glenn Pearce (right), 1975
Bottom middle: More Year 9s from the Class of 1978 helping with the digging! Mick Brittan, Mark Brown, one of the two Sean Murphys, Eddie Resera and Paul Ukich are in here!
Bottom right: 1975 Leavers helping dig the pool
L-R: Barry Ingate, Damian Peachey, Matt Kelley and Peter Kennedy

Images above:
Top left: Hard at work!
Top middle: Construction supervisor Frank Ehlers (hands on hips) inspecting the work, 1975
Top right: Inspection of concrete formwork, 1975.
Middle left: Plastering the inside. Definitely starting to look like a pool!
Middle centre: Holding water for the first time. The Brothers' house in background
Middle right: The completed Frank Ehlers Swimming Pool, 1976
Bottom: Commemorative plaque for the opening of what is now the Frank Ehlers Swimming Pool in February 1976, acknowledging Mr Ehlers' enormous contribution to its building

Alumni Updates

We take great pride in the accomplishments of our Newman Beings and the scope of their achievements. While some have garnered worldwide acclaim in their respective fields, others may be known for their contributions to their local community or even within their own family. We celebrate and honour the efforts of all Newman Beings, from all of our 'Antecedent Schools'.

Julie Dyson AM (Christian 1961) is the eldest of five who came to St Joseph’s Primary, Subiaco, in 1956, when her family returned to WA after ten years in Melbourne and Sydney. She felt shy at first, and a little out of her depth, but soon made good friends. In that period of uncertainty she remembers the excitement of the 1956 Olympic Games, and sitting down to play a piano duet for a concert and momentarily totally forgetting her part! 

She was eager to go on to Brigidine Secondary School, on Salvado Road, Wembley, and loved the canary yellow uniform with black buttons. She remembers the French lessons with Mother Colombiere, dancing lessons, the end-of-year dance, and struggling to see the blackboard, leading to the realisation she was quite short-sighted and needed glasses.

In 1959, for her Junior year, Julie moved to Our Lady’s College, Victoria Square. Instead of continuing on to Leaving, Julie decided to focus on working and studying ballet, and graduated from Underwoods Business College in mid-1960. She then began working in the Schools Broadcasts section of the ABC, where she was the youngest employee at just 16, and had the privilege of presenting the farewell gift to Margaret Graham when she retired from the ABC’s Kindergarten of the Air. Julie was also studying and teaching ballet with Sandra Sainken, and later worked for Colin Lovelady at his newly-opened shop, Clef Music.

Friends introduced her to Royal Australian Navy man John Dyson in 1963. He spent much of their engagement aboard HMAS Sydney during the Vietnam War, and they married in 1967. A move followed, as John had been posted to Navy Office, Canberra.

There, after successfully testing for a job with the Parliamentary Reporting Staff (Hansard), Julie found herself silently thanking Mother Sebastian and her rigorous teaching of typing to the rhythm of a brass band! Julie loved her Hansard job from the outset and, from 1968, also began teaching at the Bryan Lawrence School of Ballet.

Two children followed, with Clare in 1971, who’s now an independent choreographer and an associate professor at RMIT, and Mark in 1976, a sound and lighting designer. Both received PhDs in the arts.

In November 1975 Julie was standing on the steps of Parliament House when Gough Whitlam was sacked, leading to a lifelong interest in politics.

Another pivotal moment was attending the inaugural Ausdance conference in Melbourne in 1977, which changed the direction of Julie’s career. With other volunteers, she started the ACT branch of Ausdance the same year, and nurtured it through the early years until it flourished. In 1984 she left her Hansard and ballet teaching jobs, and in 1985 began working full time as National Executive Officer with Ausdance; one of the organisation’s first two paid employees.

“Under Dyson’s directorship, Ausdance has achieved a huge amount in terms of advocacy and support for dance in all its forms.”
                                                         Dance Australia, 'End of an Era', 11 December 2012

Throughout Julie’s life John has been an incredible support and she says, without him being there for the kids, cooking, shopping, and organising the best parties, Julie’s work would not have been possible. It was a blow when, in 2000, he suffered a minor stroke but - though it forced his retirement at the time - we’re pleased to say he has since mostly recovered. 

In the 2007 Australia Day Honours Julie was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for “service to the performing arts through Ausdance, to the promotion of contemporary dance, and through support for dance artists and educators”.

After 35 years of dedicated service to Ausdance, Julie stepped down in November 2012.

"The qualities that Julie has brought to Ausdance, and through it to the Australian dance community, are first and foremost those of an exceptional communicator, one who is highly articulate and widely informed. Dance artists, company directors, arts bureaucrats, administrators, academics, educators, private teachers and students are among those who look to Ausdance for information, for advocacy, and for representation.

"… Julie's reputation in the world of Australian dance is built on the scope of her vision and the personal skills and integrity she has brought to her chosen vocation. She is rightly regarded with affection and respect by the members and staff of Ausdance who have worked closely with her, and by the wider dance community for whom she is often the first point of call when help, advice or guidance is needed…"
                                                                   Shirley McKechnie AO, A tribute to Julie Dyson
                                                                   Brolga 37, 1 December 2012

Of course, Julie being Julie, stepping down didn’t mean retirement – in the years following, she remained dedicated to dance and to her long-time role as Secretary of the World Dance Alliance, until retiring from that position earlier this year. She is still a federal dance advocate, advisor, and mentor; her contribution to dance is extraordinary and inspiring.

Now based in Melbourne after 56 years in Canberra, Julie comes to Perth on a regular basis to visit friends and family. She delights in her three granddaughters Audrey, Sabine and Odette, and continues to explore her passions for history, politics, the arts, and her heritage, particularly her French roots. 

Captions for images above:
Left: Julie Dyson AM (Christian 1961) with her children Mark (left) and Clare (middle) on her 80^th birthday, 2024
Middle: Julie Dyson AM (Christian 1961) celebrating her 80^th birthday with her granddaughters Sabine, Odette and Audrey
Right: The five Christian siblings together for a wedding in Perth, 2024
L-R: Julie Dyson AM (Christian 1961); retired newspaper manager, part time ferry driver and tour guide Greg Christian; musician extraordinaire Rod Christian; Post Newspapers’ Editor Bret Christian; and retired kindy teacher and avocado orchardist Jan Haynes

Mick Evans (1972) was the eldest of five siblings, and grew up in Purdom Road, Wembley Downs. He came to St Joseph’s College, Subiaco, in Year 4, 1964, the year before it became Marist Junior College. In 1968 he went on to Marist Senior College, Churchlands, where he played hockey, tennis and cricket, and was appointed a Prefect in his Leaving year, 1972. He was followed through the College by his brothers Peter (1976), Rob (1977) and Kevin Evans (1984) and his sister Kathy (1974) attended Siena Girls High School in Doubleview.

After finishing school Mick began studying at the University of Western Australia in 1973, graduating with a degree in Maths and Economics. While still studying, in 1974, he began teaching back at Marist College, to lads just a few years younger than himself! He threw himself into all aspects of the College - teaching, coaching sporting teams, tennis-a-thons, and very quickly became Head of Year 11 and then Year 12.

Mick remained on staff and taught through the union of Marist College with Siena Girls’ High School, Doubleview, and Brigidine College, Floreat, to transition to Newman College in 1977. 

In 1982 Mick married Kathy Lynch (1978) and left Newman at the end of that year;
Bernie Willett (1976, Maths teacher 1983 to present) took his place. The newlyweds then relocated to Sale, Victoria, about 230km east of Melbourne, where Mick began teaching at John XXIII College.

In the years following, Mick and Kathy welcomed three children: Michelle (now Ukich); Nicole (now Newell); and Phil; who’ve since given them six grandchildren on which to dote.

Mick and Kathy returned to WA at the start of 1986 to teach at Sacred Heart College, Sorrento, where he remained until 2003. He has many, many happy memories of his time there, and of the many roles he occupied, including: Maths, Economics, Religion, and Phys Ed teacher; Head of Year; stepping in as Acting Deputy; and perhaps one of the most important - launching the first ever pie fight, a Year 12 tradition which continues to this day!

Eventually Mick moved away from education into real estate, winning ‘Rookie of the Year’ in his first year in the industry. Since 2008 he has been a sales associate at Peard Real Estate in Hillarys, where he and Kathy have lived since the late 1980s. (If you have any real estate needs, Mick says don’t hesitate to give him a call on 0417 933 620.)

Last year Mick and Kathy enjoyed an extended trip to Europe where they caught up with David Ukich (1983) and his family in the west of Ireland. This is typical Mick, and one of many examples in which his ex-students have become great friends.

Mick took his 1972 role of Prefect seriously and, to this day, is one of the lynchpins holding his year group together. He always makes sure everyone’s in the loop about important news and happenings, especially when it comes to reunions and long lunches!

Images above:
Top left: Newman College Staff - Year 11 Team, 1980
Back, L-R: Br Vincent, Miss Mary Power, Mr Peter Geers, Mrs Jo Hartzell, Mr Richard Beck, Mr Chris Hackett, Mrs Jenny Shackley, Mr Mick Evans (1972)
Front: Mr Paul Ryan, Mrs Lou Ward, Miss Freda Szymanski, Mrs Pat Dawson
Top right: Year 11 Contact Group, 1980
L-R: Cassandra Goldie, Dennis Webb, Tony Shelton, Patricia Versteegen, Mr Mick Evans (1972), Sharon Burkett, Tim Pearce, Mick Donovan, Clare Langton, Judy Passanisi, Leon Jones. Absent: David Manera.
Bottom left: 1972 Prefects
Back, L-R: Ray Cassan, Mark Ryan, Barry Stribling, John 'Chook' Martin, Vincent Goss, Dan Crouch
Middle: Adrian Longo, John Aldous, (Principal) Br Tim McDonald, John Dastlik, Declan Tanham
Front: Mick Evans, Jeff Wright, Paul Murphy
Bottom right: Mick Evans (1972) with David Ukich (1983) at Ashford Castle, Cong, County Mayo, Ireland, 2024

Suze DeMarchi (1981), often referred to as WA’s Queen of Rock, is the youngest of four children of Walter and Shirley (nee Dwyer) who married in Sydney in 1957. Shirley was an extraordinarily talented soprano singer who sang for the ABC before the young couple came to WA. Here, Walter built their modest, double-brick home in the new suburb of Karrinyup, extending as required.

Suze says there wasn’t a lot of money growing up, but her childhood was idyllic and typically Australian. There was always music, love, and freedom; the beach was close enough to hitchhike or walk to; and long days were spent there or playing in the streets with all the neighbourhood kids. Like her older sisters Genelle Picton-King (DeMarchi 1976) and Denise DeMarchi (1978), Suze went to Siena Girls’ High School in Doubleview.

The DeMarchis were a musical family and the house was always filled with music - whether it was her mother’s singing, or playing her Deanna Durbin, Edith Piaf, and other classical records, or her brother Steve’s records (typical English rock and heavy metal bands of the 1970s like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and, later, ABBA) - it all had an influence on Suze. She loved Queen, Blondie, and heavy English rock guitar music and, closer to home, the Perth band Rockets, which made her want to be in a band herself. Somewhere in the mix, Suze’s own distinctive voice began to form.

Suze, who first picked up a guitar at the age of 12, left Siena in Year 10 in 1979, aged 15, and started working. At 16 she quit that job and, by 17, had joined the rock cover band Photoplay. From the very first show, she knew this was what she wanted to do, and she began life on the road with her bandmates, doing sometimes three pub and other gigs a day.

After Photoplay disbanded in 1984, Suze went to England and, aged just 20, signed a lucrative solo deal with EMI records. That was the height of 1980s synth-pop and, though she released three singles there, the industry’s attempts to mould her into a cookie-cutter pop star - the next Kylie Minogue - rankled; it didn’t suit her voice, her songwriting, her guitar playing, or her rock chick spirit, and she missed the grit, the band dynamic, and live performance.

After four years in London Suze returned to Australia in 1989 and, with her manager John Woodruff, formed the four piece hard rock band Baby Animals in Sydney, with Suze on guitar and lead vocals, Frank Celenza on drums, and Dave Leslie and Eddie Parisi on guitars and backing vocals. Their sound was guitar-heavy, sharp and distinctive, and their look - pure rock and roll.

They rehearsed by day, played by night, signed a publishing deal in 1990 and, in 1991, released a self-titled debut album which entered the charts at #6, spent six weeks at #1, went eight times platinum, and was the highest-selling Australian rock debut album for the 12 years until 2003. That year they won the ARIA for Best New Artist and, in 1992, won Best Debut Album, Best Single, and Best Album. Rolling Stone Australia now ranks Baby Animals at #128 in their 200 Greatest Albums.

With Suze’s smoky voice, raw energy, and powerful presence, she took her rightful place on the Australian stage and became a defining figure in Australian rock music of the 1990s. Baby Animals subsequently toured internationally with Van Halen, Bryan Adams, and Robert Plant.

In 1993 they began work on their second album, Shaved and Dangerous, in the US. Contributing guitar and production to three songs on the album was Portuguese-born, Boston-raised guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, the virtuoso funk-metal-rock guitarist of band Extreme, which shot to global fame with their single More Than Words in 1991. (Some may have seen him more recently with Black Sabbath at Ozzy Osbourne’s Back to the Beginning farewell concert in Birmingham.)

Suze and Nuno married the following year and moved to Boston. Suze subsequently released a couple of solo records, but soon took an enforced break from music as she dealt with label and management issues and constraints.

And of course becoming a mum!

Daughter Bebe was born in 1996 and Baby Animals disbanded, with Suze wanting to simply enjoy being a mum, and they moved to Los Angeles where son Lorenzo was born in 2002.

In 2004 Suze became one of the inaugural inductees into the West Australian Music’s Hall of Fame for her contribution to the Australian music scene, both with Baby Animals and as a solo artist. Baby Animals was reformed in the US in 2007 and, in 2008, released a third album - Il Grande Silenzio - an acoustic album of their previous hits.

With Bebe nearing high school age, Suze and Nuno made plans to relocate to Sydney, as Suze wanted the kids to have a bit of the idyllic Australian upbringing she’d had.

Sadly, it was the closing chapter in her marriage. After 16 years away Suze loved being back, which tempered the emotional upheaval somewhat.

“I kiss the ground when I come back, specially when I get to Perth.
It’s the light, the smell, that eucalypt, dry, smell. I love the Australian
humour and our irreverence. It’s a beautiful country.”

Suze, who’s not afraid of hard work and has never expected anything to happen without putting the effort in, returned to work with a vengeance. In 2013 Baby Animals (with a new lineup) released their fourth album - This is Not the End; in 2015 she released her second solo album - Home - in 2015, which entered the charts at #26; and, in 2016, Baby Animals released their 20th Anniversary album.

She continues to gig and tour with Baby Animals and loves playing in theatres, indoors, as well as in huge festivals, outdoors. In April they released a cover of Motorhead’s hit Ace of Spades, as a first single from their upcoming album (due 2026), and was in the lineup for the Red Hot Summer Tour in the Eastern States with ZZ Top, George Thorogood, The Living End, Rose Tattoo and Dallas Frasca.  

“Suze DeMarchi is the definition of pure rock chick, the queen of cool and is hard to look away from … DeMarchi’s rhythm playing is on point as always, tight and clean.”
                                The Rockpit, on Suze DeMarchi's performance with Baby Animals

Though she looks at least two decades younger than her 61 years, Suze is conscious of how much time is left. She keeps supremely fit with pilates, as she has since the 1980s; still flashes the same beautiful smile she had at school; is still a force onstage with an incredible presence and power; and remains one of Australia's most enduring voices of rock.

“It’s really an honour to have a job that, 95% of the time, you love doing.
I’m still as excited about shows coming up. I still want to play as much
as I can – and I’m going to do it for as long as I can.”

Images above:
Top left: Suze DeMarchi (1981), lead singer and guitarist of Baby Animals, in the 1980s
Top right: Suze on stage in 2018, courtesy Forum Melbourne.
Middle: Suze DeMarchi courtesy Paul Miller.
Bottom left and middle: Suze deMarchi on Red Hot Summer Tour, April 2025 courtesy The Rock Pit (left); and Andy Kershaw Photography (right).
Bottom right: Suze with her daughter Bebe Bettencourt, an actor and has appeared in movies and several TV series. Courtesy Stephen Chee.

Bill Henderson (1946) has spent a lifetime shaping Western Australian agriculture. Born in 1929 and now aged 96, he has joked he caused the Depression, but it’s also a nod to the fact that he grew up in a very, very different era.

He came to St Ildephonsus College, New Norcia, in First Year, 1942, and stayed through to Junior, 1944.

After leaving school Bill began farming 550 hectares at Doodlakine, 220km north east of Perth, where he was Secretary of the Doodlakine Junior Farmers’ Club. In 1954 he married Maureen Lane, and together they raised seven children. In the mid-1960s Bill and Maureen moved to Kalgarin, where they farmed 16,000 hectares. 

In 1968 Bill co-founded the Kondinin Group. It began as a small, pasture improvement group which has grown into one of Australia’s largest, influential, farmer-driven research organisations, with branches in every State. The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (RASWA) cites Bill as “an early adopter, a successful innovator, and a respected mentor who saw in his own success the opportunity to help other farmers develop their own expertise and knowledge of crops, animals, machinery and management”.

Bill dedicated many hours to the Group, serving variously as chairman for five years, followed by two decades as its promotions officer. In 1982, for his dedication to the Group, he was honoured with a life membership.

Recognised as an elder statesman whose work has left an enduring mark on Australian agriculture, Bill was inducted into the RASWA’s Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2009. Even today, his influence continues through the Kondinin Group’s ongoing research and practical guidance for farmers nationwide.

Widowed in 2023 with more than a dozen grandchildren and even more great grandchildren, Bill remains a guiding light – not just in his own family, but for generations of farmers who’ve benefited from his leadership and knowledge, always so generously shared.

Images above:
Left: 2nd Year (Year 9) Class, St Ildephonsus College, New Norcia, 1943
Back, L-R: James Fagan, Clifford Nelson, Milton de Mamiel, Lynton Smith, Kevin Scott, Robert Gregson, Brendan Thompson, Maurice Grow
3rd row: Donald Reid, Peter Clarke, Basil Jeffree, Kevin Pickering, Bill Hodgson, Brian Glatz, Wallace Rannard, Franklin Lavery, Kevin Whittome
2nd row: Brian Wren, Leonard Lavater, Colin Donovan, Ronald Sheen, Paul Hallion, John Roberts, John Sachse, Ivan Clune, Alan Stewart, Geoff Hutchinson
Front: Norman Thomas, Peter Collins, Gregory ‘Bill’ Henderson, Terrence Eaton, Kenneth Kirkby, Neville Boundy, Des de Largie, Gerry Leahy, Bernie Coverley
Right: Drawing of Bill Henderson (1946) c2009, courtesy the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia.

Earlier this year Sam Delich (2010) was nominated for a Silver Logie (Best Supporting Actor) for his performance in the Netflix series Territory, in which he played the role of Rich Petrakis. It was an important milestone for Sam, who’d never thought of being an actor until he was in Year 11 in 2009, when Belinda Massey (Drama teacher 2008-2015) made a point of telling 16-year-old Sam she thought he had an instinct for it, and encouraged him to pursue acting professionally.

All Sam knew is that he wasn’t suited to sitting behind a desk all day, and had toyed with the idea of being a chef – but Mrs Massey was right, and Sam’s whole world opened up to exciting new possibilities! Though he wasn’t in any of the major school productions, she coached him and in his final year he won the Drama prize and, at the Catholic Schools’ Performing Arts Festival, the Monsignor Michael Keating Award. 

Straight out of school he auditioned for, and was one of just 18 students (out of an application pool of 2,000) accepted into the acting stream at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where he enjoyed three wonderful years and graduated in 2013.

In an interview with Anthem Magazine of 30 November 2024, Sam revealed he used to support himself while learning his craft by working in a local liquor store. His experience there gifted him with an understanding of the range and complexity of people in all walks of life, traits of whom he applies to his acting:
“It was a rough one. It was filled with all sorts of wild people. I always say that every character I’ll ever have to play came through those doors. I was spat on. I was swung at. I broke up fights. I saw alcoholism at its worst. I saw people drinking ‘cause they were sad. I saw people drinking ‘cause they were happy … I made connections with people from all walks of life, both very rich and very poor. And I had sympathy for them. I got to see what true darkness looks like and what true lightness looks like.”

Sam’s since worked steadily - including in the movie Spiderhead (2022) with Suze DeMarchi’s (1981) daughter Bebe Bettencourt (see Suze’s feature), and Beast of War, opening in cinemas on 9 October 2025; as well as several television series including the aforementioned Territory, filmed on location at Tipperary Station in the Northern Territory, the historical BBC drama Ten Pound Poms (Series 2, 2025), and offbeat comedy Good Cop, Bad Cop (2025), with Leighton Meester.

Though Sam has spent some time in the US, he’s currently living in Sydney before moving to London in October, having signed with a new agent there. When not acting he is a coach and mentor for aspiring actors, and other actors at all levels of the industry.

Images above:
Top left: Sam Delich (2010) in Territory, 2024, courtesy Netflix
Bottom left: Sam Delich, left, with castmates from BBC historical drama Ten Pound Poms (Series 2, 2025)

Michael Moriarty (1966) and Colleen Coffey-Dransfield (Coffey 1966) both began their schooling at OLV, at the corner of Cambridge and Simper Streets, Wembley. Michael started in Kindy in 1954, and Colleen came in Year 4, 1958 - the same year Michael and the other boys in their class moved across to St Joseph’s (Marist) College on Salvado Road, Subiaco - so, as it turned out, the two never shared a classroom.

Michael later continued to Marist Senior College, Churchlands, and Colleen went on to Brigidine College, Floreat. As teenagers, they moved in the same circles; Brigidine girls and Marist boys spending their summers at City Beach and winters cheering on WAFL footy at Subi Oval.

In June, these two old friends reconnected for lunch in Floreat. During their catchup, Colleen recalled a photo taken at her 15th birthday party, featuring many of the 1949-born Marist and Brigidine cohort, including several of the regulars going along to Michael’s Class of ’66 lunches at the Albion!

We're so glad we couldn’t resist asking Colleen if we could see it. As you can also see (above right), what a gorgeous snapshot of youth and friendship it is!

Images above:
Left: Colleen Coffey-Dransfield (Coffey 1966) and Michael Moriarty (1966) at lunch in Floreat, in June 2025.
Right: Colleen's 15th birthday party (cousins - neither Marist nor Brigidine - marked with an asterisk)
Back, L-R: Michael Moriarty, Des Ryan, Paul Byrne, John Parker, David Ryan, *Yvonne Purtle, Kevin Lukey, *Danker Purtle, Ken McGovern
Front: Shelley Baker, Jennifer Hawkins, Peter Hales, Gary Golding, Lorraine D'Arcy, Bill Lee, Christine Roberts, Kay Kennedy, Paula Anderton, Kathleen Flannagan, *Sandra Gleeson
Very front, putting on her shoe: Colleen Coffey.

Chris Severn (1991) is the son of John and Valerie Severn (Gates 1961), and the younger brother of Michelle Armitage (Severn 1988). He discovered a love of coding as a young lad, in programming his Commodore 64 computer. 

Throughout his time at Newman College he was an academic high achiever. In the Class of 1991, he achieved outstanding TEE results overall, on top of which, he was in the top 1% in Physics; 7th in the State. 

He went on to the University of Western Australia where he completed a double degree in Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, after which he embarked on a career in IT in Australia and the UK.

In March 2013 Chris was headhunted by Google in San Jose, California, where he has worked ever since as a software engineer. He enjoys the many perks Google offers its employees, such as free meals and top level facilities. 

Married now, with a family of his own, Chris returns to Perth when he can to see the rest of his family and, on a recent trip, gave a presentation at Year 10 STEM students at Churchlands Senior High School, where his sister Michelle teaches Home Economics. 

Images above:
Top left: Newman College Year 9 Room 9, 1988
Back, L-R: Marco Sturniolo, Kenneth Tomczak, Chris Oldham, Anthony Cormican, Michael Wayne
3rd row: Lizzie Nunn, Peter Costantino, Geoff Xanthis, Annette Barron, Sonia Hribar, Paul Evangelista, Paul Prestipino, Kelly Garbutt
2nd row: Mr Slattery, Dominic Banks, Bradley Bateman, Christopher Severn, Matthew Morgan, Saul Dransfield, Danny Rigoni, Stephen Doody, Nathan Elphick, Romesh Singam, Mrs Snowdon
Front: Jeannette Stone, Carly Brown, Fiona Lally, Meredith Chidlow, Rachel Ryan, Sally Franklyn, Tracey McFarlane, Sonya Abid, Stella Ienco. Absent: Cathy Rushton
Top right: Chris Severn (1991) with his family at the Golden Gate North Vista Point, San Francisco, 2021
Bottom left: Chris at Google with his parents John and Valerie Severn (Gates 1961) in 2016
Bottom right: Chris celebrating Christmas with his family in California, 2024

Catherine Fletcher (Simpson 1983) is the youngest of six children - two girls and four boys - of Stanley and Joan Simpson, who immigrated from England to Prosperpine, North Queensland, in 1954 with their three eldest children. In 1959 they moved to Geraldton, where Catherine was born in 1966.

After early schooling at Stella Maris College, Geraldton, Catherine moved down to Perth with her family in 1975 and, in 1981, came to Newman Siena, Doubleview, in Year 10. She continued on to our Churchlands campus for Years 11 and 12 for which, both years, she was a Captain of Gold House.* On graduation Catherine was the female winner of the J J Clune Trophy for General Proficiency, Leadership and Character (which is now in our Archives).

After school, Catherine went on to study law at the University of Western Australia (UWA), graduating in 1989. Admitted to practise law in Western Australia in 1991, she subsequently worked as a lawyer in the Crown Solicitor’s Office, and later as a State and Federal prosecutor, Legal Aid duty and criminal defence lawyer. She also taught in law and legal practice courses at the Articles Training Program at UWA and Notre Dame University. Additionally, in 1997, she completed a graduate diploma in business management at UWA.

In mid-2018, Catherine’s legal career entered a significant new phase when she was appointed, under the WA Freedom of Information Act 1992 (the FOI Act), as the Acting Information Commissioner for Western Australia. This quasi-judicial role protects the public’s right to know, keeping government transparent and accountable while recognising some matters must remain confidential; and striking that balance is crucial in maintaining public trust.

Catherine was further appointed, from July 2019, as the substantive Commissioner for a further six years.

“I was drawn to the role, firstly, because I have always been fascinated by the significance of documents in legal work and their importance for recording the work of the public sector and, secondly, because I understood the role often involved the often complex task of weighing up various public interest factors in deciding whether government documents are protected or exempt from disclosure under the FOI Act. I feel enormously privileged to be entrusted with that role.”
                                                                        Patrick Buncsi, FSTMedia, 30 March 2022.

As Commissioner, Catherine decided appeals about access to government information and advised on ways to strengthen WA’s FoI laws. She also oversaw the introduction of Open by Design principles in WA, which pushed for a more open culture in government, and encouraged agencies to share information upfront, instead of waiting to be asked.

Additionally, Catherine - who has always had a keen interest in archival materials and historical research - also served as a Commissioner, and Chair for two years, of the State Records Commission.

In March this year, in recognition of her continuous contribution to the legal profession, and also to the advancement of women in the law, Catherine received the Antoinette Kennedy Award, a lifetime achievement award by Women Lawyers of Western Australia.

In June, in the leadup to Catherine’s retirement from the role, WA Attorney General Dr Tony Buti MLA made a brief ministerial statement in the WA Parliament that her 35 year commitment to both the law and public service had been exemplary.

Catherine completed her term as WA’s Information Commissioner in June 2025. She says she's most proud of the fact she's often told she has “improved the visibility of our office because that enables me to better assist the public sector to be both accountable and transparent, and to make the public aware of their right to access government documents."

Her incredible career aside, outside of her work, some of the balance in Catherine’s life has been found in the water. Like most of her siblings, from a very early age she developed a lifelong love of surfing and other (mainly aquatic) sports.

At 12, she entered her first amateur surfing competition, beginning a lifelong obsession with anything to do with the water. She has, three times, been the women’s State surfing champion; competed in seven national amateur surf-riding championships; played Masters division water polo; and, five times, competed in an all women’s team in the Rottnest Channel Swim.

Her love of surfing has taken her to many out-of-the-way places and she has surfed throughout Australia, in Indonesia, and in Europe. One particular highlight was her 2013 inclusion in the first all women’s team in a SurfAid charity event, alongside the Margaret River Pro surfing competition.

Catherine was always supported in her surfing by her family, particularly her late mother Joan, but also by her brother John ‘Gus’ Simpson, who owned Odyssey Surfboards in North Perth, and was also President of the Western Australia Surf Riders’ Association (WASRA) during the 1980s. Catherine later served as the Women’s Representative on WASRA for a few years in the 1990s and, more recently, has been a fundraising ambassador for SurfAid.

Catherine and her husband Mark (still a practising lawyer) have three adult children - Kate, Grace and Ben. Just as Catherine continues to surf and swim at any opportunity, Mark, their three children, and most of her family are involved in ocean activities of one kind or another!

After seven demanding years in her role Catherine is currently enjoying travelling, being active, keeping well, and continuing to serve on several boards. She’s also open to new opportunities, but mainly focused on spending more time with her immediate and extended family and friends – which include many from her days at Newman - in the years ahead.

*This was before Br Terry Orrell (1955; Newman Senior School Principal 1985-1992) introduced Guilds of vertically structured pastoral care groups in 1985.

Images above:
Top: Newman Siena Captains, 1981
Back, L-R: Alison Rubie, Donna Goddard, Michelle Wytenburg, Catherine Simpson
Front: Terri Cutmore, Mary McGowan, Tracey Salt, Kate McDonald, Mary-Lou Featherstone
Middle left: Catherine (left) as part of the first all women’s team in a SurfAid charity event, 2013
Middle right: Catherine Fletcher (Simpson 1983), Chair of State Records Commission, with His Excellency The Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Governor of Western Australia, accepting handover of the Government House Archives, June 2025
Bottom left: Catherine at the Women Lawyers of Western Australia Honours Dinner, March 2025
Bottom right: Catherine with her daughter Kate (left) and husband Mark (right) on her retirement as Information Commissioner, June 2025

Dr Jennifer Harris (1972) is one of our ‘Collegians’ who came to OLV, Wembley, in Year 1, 1961, and completed Year 12 at Brigidine College, Floreat, in 1972.

She went on to earn a PhD in Cultural Heritage Theory, and has since built a career as a lecturer and researcher in that field. She has also worked as a journalist in Australia and London, and even run a small museum.

Today though, Jennifer is best known as a novelist. She writes contemporary literary fiction which engages deeply with the historic environment - not traditional “historical fiction,” but stories reflecting how the past continues to shape the present, whether through public memory in monuments and memorials, or in more subtle, private ways.

Her debut novel, The Devil Comes to Bonn, was published in 2023 and became an Amazon Bestseller in three categories. A dual-timeline novel, The Devil Comes to Bonn explores the psychological endurance of two women: Stella, in contemporary times; and Hildegard, in WWII-era Germany. The story follows Stella's descent into obsession after a trivial confrontation at a conference in Bonn, which draws her into the wartime experiences of Hildegard, an elderly woman unwillingly thrust into close quarters with Hitler. The book highlights parallels between the eras by examining themes of survival, identity, and moral ambiguity.

Her newly-released second novel, Paris Locked, takes readers to the City of Light, where a seemingly romantic gesture - fixing a lovelock to a bridge - triggers something more:
Locked in. Locked out. Lovelocked. The romantic city should work its magic but affixing a lovelock on a bridge backfires disastrously for Marian and Jason, leaving the couple floundering emotionally and morally. What do you do when decency demands that you do one thing, but your family needs another? Marian and Jason come to Paris for Marian’s French debut art exhibition while hoping to save their collapsing marriage. The impact of their lovelock reaches out to hurt the most unlikely and vulnerable people, leaving the couple lost in competing responsibilities in an event of international significance.

Jennifer has lived in France, the UK, and the US. In the last month, after five years in Seattle, Jennifer has moved to New York City where she’s enjoying settling in and will continue her literary career!

Images above:
Top left: Jennifer Harris (1972) at OLV, 1967 
Top right: Brigidine College Dance, 11 May 1972, Brigidine Hall, Peebles Road 
L-R: Declan Tanham, Bethwyn Gerrans, Danny Crouch, Rosemary Rechichi, Tony Fitzgerald, Margaret Waldock, Barry Stribling, Mary Hannaford, Mark unknown, Lucy (Walker?), Jennifer Harris, Douglas Klein
Bottom left: Author, Dr Jennifer Harris (1972)
Bottom middle: Cover of Jennifer's first novel, The Devil Comes to Bonn (2023). Reviews:
“Observe #MeToo through a new lens in a dark dual timeline debut…” Female First.
“I loved all the moral dilemmas that form a key element of this novel.” Robin Price, NetGalley.
Bottom right: Cover of Jennifer's second novel, Paris Locked (2025). Early reviews:
“Hitchcockian suspense with headier issues of genuineness and responsibility in art…” Paul W, NetGalley.
“…a powerful story about accidental death, redemption, and ripples of effect that hold unintended results…” Diane Donvan, Midwest Book Review.

Reunions: Recent!

Geoff Cornwall and Mike Moriarty (both 1966) are doing a great job of organising regular lunches to get together! The most recent was on Friday 6 June, and it looks like a great time was had by all!

See Reunions: Upcoming!, below, for the next one on Friday, 28 November 2025!

Images above:
Left, L-R: Paul Preedy, John Morgan, Geoff Cornwall, Michael Moriarty, David Doherty
Right, L-R: Tom Berrigan, Peter Hales, Des Ryan, David Hynes 

Reunions: Upcoming!
(Save the Date!)

The next Class of 1966 (or Junior Class of 1964) lunch is at the Albion Hotel, Cottesloe on 28 November 2025 at 12 noon! 

If you'd like to come along to the next one, call:
Geoff Cornwall (1966) on 0419 903 793; or Mike Moriarty (1966) on 0407 079 170

"Here I was minding my own business and,
all of a sudden, 1970 was 55 years ago!!!"

The Brigidine College Class of 1970 (Junior 1968) 55 Year Reunion is planned for Saturday, 15 November 2025 when we will gather to celebrate 55 years (or 57 for those who left after Junior) since leaving school! (Surely not!) 

We're presented with a challenge, in that we only have contact details for 16 members of our wonderful cohort, out of the 60 or so in that year, and we need your help! Please reach out and get in touch with all your old friends and spread the word. Most importantly, make sure everyone updates their contact details by emailing Shannon and Amy (below). 

We want everyone to hear about our Reunion before it happens, not after! 

RSVP below! Tickets are free, buy your own food and drinks. Easy!

Can you believe it's been 20 years since we left school in 2005? It's time to get together, reminisce and catch up on all that's happened since!  

We’ve always been a tight-knit group, and that sense of connection, even with those we’ve lost, is still so strong. Let’s catch up and celebrate everything, and everyone, that makes our year group special!

2015 was ten years ago! What better reason for us
to get together, catch up and have a great night?

3:00pm: WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL (Free)
Join classmates and Principal Andrew Watson for a Welcome Back to Newman College drink, some simple nibbles, and a guided tour of the campus. (Meet at Founders’ Court.)

5:00pm ‘til late: REUNION (Free)
We’ll then head by bus (kindly provided by Newman College) to the nearby Wembley Hotel for some frivolity, and to create some arguably hazier memories! (Buy your own food and drinks.)

URGENT - we have just 13 email contacts for this year group. Please spread the word to all your classmates and update your details to remain connected, and receive an invitation when the time comes!

Email Reunion Organisers:  Sarah Durrant  Lawrence Drown

Calling all St Ildephonsus Old Boys! Come along and join us for a coffee!

SIC Old Boys from all years catch up for a casual coffee at 10am on the last Friday of February, May, August and November at Brew Ha in Subiaco (next to the Post Office) on Rokeby Road.

The next one is on Friday 28 November and all are welcome (no RSVP necessary)! 

Come along, catch up with old friends, and potentially make some new ones. If you can't make this one, we'll hope to see you on Friday, 27 February 2026!

Who are, who are, who are we? 
We are, we are, we are SIC! 
We are the premiers, we are the team 
We can’t be beaten, that’s easily seen!

Reunions: Yours!

Do you have a Reunion coming up? We do our utmost to ensure your Reunion is unforgettable and fun, and offer a range of services (free to Alumni), including:

• Access to, and coordination of a selection of great local venues for your Reunion, most with convenient onsite parking
• Design and distribution of Reunion invitations
• Digitisation of your photos and creation of a slideshow
• Helping to reconnect you with fellow alumni, with whom you may have lost touch
• Design and production of nametags for the event - in suitably large type if preferred!

For 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 Year Reunions, we also offer an on-campus component (booked through Trybooking), before moving on to your Reunion venue. This comprises:

• Welcome by Principal Andrew Watson, or a member of our Senior Leadership 
• A relaxing drink and nibbles in Founders' Court (weather permitting)
• A tour of the College campus to see what's changed over the years
• Taking a commemorative group photo
• The offer of a bus to take you to your Reunion venue 

From the Archives

Recent donations received 

Winter’s always the quietest season in a School Archives; fewer visitors drop by, and people don’t tend to wait for spring before embarking on any decluttering projects. For us, this quiet allows for steady progress to be made on the ongoing, and often invisible work of preserving the College’s history.

At the end of last year we were lucky to receive the donation of an ‘old school’ microfiche reader from Family History WA (formerly the WA Genealogical Society in Bayswater), which means we can finally examine records which were microfiched back in 1991. Amy is busily engaged in undertaking a full inventory, which will be an invaluable resource in years to come. The Newman College Junior School records cover students from Years 4-7 in 1976, through to the Year 7 cohort of 1991.

Before the year closed we also received 95 boxes of records for students who graduated between 2011 and 2016, which are now under permanent retention. To store them, Principal Andrew Watson approved our use of a perfect, narrow space near the  Archives, into which they’ve now been placed on shelving. In time we'll rehouse them into archival boxes but, for now, they’re stable and secure.

Last term was a busy one, in which we oversaw the major undertaking of the removal of all artworks, crucifixes and commemorative and other plaques from our old Marian/Brigidine campus in Floreat. Over several days, every item was measured, photographed, wrapped and catalogued by our art consultant, and we then entered the data into our art management database. The artworks themselves are now safely in storage, many waiting to be hung elsewhere in the school.

Last term we also brought out from storage a series of Honour Boards, some dating back to the 1970s, and collated lists of names to be added, before their eventual return to the walls of the College. The boards, temporarily placed in a walkway, caused quite a stir, with passing students sometimes delighting in spotting names of parents, aunts and uncles on them. New boards are planned, which will sit alongside the old, another of Andrew Watson’s restorative initiatives.

Finally, with the move of students from Marian to Lavalla, long-used storage areas were cleared. To our surprise and delight, 15 boxes of records and other archival treasures appeared in our Archives overnight! Processing these will be a major task, but one that further enriches our Archives and we’re keen to tackle!

Meanwhile, our wonderful volunteer Mary Carroll (Szabo 1970) has continued her work with us remotely, while travelling. She is not only assisting with alumni records but also helping to organise her 55-Year Reunion. Her sunny updates from Darwin and Eighty Mile Beach (“with a nice breeze blowing and not a cloud in the sky”) have made us a little envious with the seemingly greyer skies this winter, and we were glad to welcome her back in person last week!

Since our last edition, we have received the following donations:

Graeme Walsh (1972)
A1969 artwork by Graeme; and Graeme's Technical Design/Drawing work folders from 1970 and 1971; a 1984 Artcenta programme.

Rod Dixon (1978)
1975 Marist Junior Football Club Fourteens ‘B’ Team pennant (below), most of whom appear in the photo of the team in the 1975 Yearbook (also below).

14B Football (mostly 1978 Leavers)
Back, L-R: Peter van Mil, Jeff Stubber, Gerard Cranley?, James Steward, David Symons, Luke Smith
Middle: Kevin Dodd, Mark Ridge, Jeffrey Braysich (Captain), Mr M Hulshoff (Coach), John Carter (Vice Captain), Greg Cahill, Terry Stevens
Front: Richard Glass?, David Lanigan, Rod Dixon, Peter Loughlan, Brian Everett, Gavin Hegney
Question from Archives: Why aren't all the lads on the pennant in the photo? Were Mark Branchi, John Moy, Brendan Gleeson, Paul Bengough (all 1978 cohort), Kevin Symons (1980), and Greg Lanigan (1980) all away that day?

Digital Accessions

Monty Omodei (1960)
Programme (two pages) of the Shell Grand Final Youth Speaks for Australia, 1961, in which Monty was a speaker (above). Each speaker spoke for 10-15 minutes, Monty's topic was on Aboriginal assimilation. Interestingly, Lorraine Daglish (Rose 1961, dec), of St Joseph’s (Brigidine) School, was another speaker.

Peter Frank (1960)
Several poems written by Peter (a talented poet); and The Origin of the Australian Natives’ Association in Australia and the Development of the ANA in Western Australia (2001) by Peter. 

Colleen Coffey-Dransfield (Coffey 1966)
Photo of Colleen and her guests at her 15th birthday party in 1964 featuring many Marist and Brigidine students in the 1966 cohort. (See Alumni features, above.)

Charmaine Versluis (Visual Arts Teacher, 1987-1992)
Newman College staff photos 1988-1992; Contact group and Girls' Squash Team photos 1989; photos of student art 1987-1992; farewell card to 'Mrs V' from her Salvado students, 1992.

Janet Fellowes (1980)
Two photos of OLV First Holy Communion (possibly Year 2, 1971), with some names identified (below).

We'd love your help identifying or confirming the identities of everyone in these two photos, so if you can help, please email the Archives, via the button below!

OLV First Holy Communion, Year 2, 1971?
Back, L-R: Dave Hinton (second from left). Pat McNulty and Rod Ehlers also in this row. 
Middle: Phil Rubi somewhere in this row. 
Front: Unknown, unknown, possibly Janet Fellowes, unknown, Kathy McCarthy, unknown, unknown, Rosemary Coppins (far right). Cathy O’Dea is possibly in this row.

OLV First Holy Communion, Year 2, 1971?
Back, L-R: Glen Richardson, Unknown, Paul Moscardi, Paul Ferguson, Gerard Ryan, Gerard Ferguson 
3rd row: Brian Kineen, David Hinton, Brendan Hogan, Bernard Ryan, Paul Roberts, Mrs Mary Lyons 
2nd row: Peter Bingley, Chris Tallentire, Michelle Davis, Jan Wachowski, Rachel (now) Williams, Brett Willis, Unknown 
Front: Fiona Stirling, unknown, Linda Louie, unknown, unknown, Mary Macbeath 

Upcoming School Events
(Alumni Welcome!)

At 8am each Thursday morning, students, staff, families and friends gather to celebrate the Eucharist in our Champagnat Chapel.

The liturgy, organised and run by students across our Primary and Secondary Schools, is a beautiful opportunity to come together to as a School community to pray and celebrate together.

Alumni are most welcome to join us for these special Community Masses.

News from the Wider Community

... STOP PRESS ...

RAISING FUNDS FOR CANCER RESEARCH!

For the last two years, Denise Barron (1978) has taken part in the Harry Perkins Institute’s MACA 200 Ride for Cancer - a two-day cycling event where every dollar raised goes directly to cancer research. In 2024, more than 1,600 riders together raised an incredible $10 million!

This year Denise rides in memory of her cousin Christine Stamp (Moore 1977) and Christine’s brother Stephen Moore (Trinity Old Boy), both of whom passed away from cancer just four days apart, earlier this year.

As part of her fundraising, Denise is hosting a Pilates Fundraiser on Sunday 21 September. You can support her by reserving your spot with a donation below, and help her make a difference in the fight against cancer! If you can't make it to the class on Sunday, please feel free to make a donation anyway!