St. Brendan's College (SBC) is an independent Catholic secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Yeppoon, Queensland, Australia. The school was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1940 and opened with a total of 59 students. The school describes itself as "Australia's Largest Country Boys Boarding School", and has educated several leading National Rugby League players.
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History
Groundbreaking for the school started on 8 October 1939 and presided by Romuald Denis Hayes, Bishop of Rockhampton. The school officially opened in February 1940 with 42 boarders and 17 day students. The first headmaster of St Brendan's was Brother Basil Gettons.
The school's spiritual and academic policies are rooted in the traditions of Edmund Ignatius Rice and the school is a member of Edmund Rice Education Australia. The school is named after Saint Brendan the Navigator.
St Ursula's College, Yeppoon, a separate Catholic all-girls day and boarding school located further into the centre of Yeppoon, has shared a close relationship with St Brendan's. Both schools share a relationship with a Catholic primary school in Yeppoon, Sacred Heart.
The college song, Bordered by blue waters splendid, details the rural surrounds of the school near Mary's Mount, as well as confirming strength in faith-based learning.
In September 2022, the Christian Brothers Oceania Province announced it would withdraw from St Brendan's College at Yeppoon at the end of the 2023 academic year, ending 84 years of Christian Brothers affiliation. A farewell mass took place August 28, 2023.
House system
St. Brendan's College has four houses:
Headmasters
The Rector of St. Brendan's College has been a Christian Brother from the foundation of the college until the appointment of Simon Dash, the first lay principal, in 2003.
Student demographics and facilities
The school accepts students of all faiths and backgrounds.
The school hosts the largest rodeo of the CRCA circuit. The rodeo is held annually over the Father's Day weekend (the first in September in Australia). The school also holds a cattle club and stud program. The school allows students to bring their own cattle to prepare for shows.
Associations
As one of the 27 Christian Brothers Colleges founded throughout Queensland, St. Brendan's College Old Boys continue to provide Officials, Coaches and Players to this uniquely Queensland Association of Brothers Old Boys Clubs.
Confraternity of Brothers Clubs (Rugby League)
Brothers Rugby Fraternity (Rugby Union)
AFL Team Achievements
Junior Male (Years 7-9)
AFL North Queensland Schools Cup
Champions: 2022
Notable alumni
Politics, public service and the law
Scott Buchholz – politician
Bryan Jared Kramer – Member of Parliament, Papua New Guinea, since 2017
John Momis – President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, 2010–present
Henry ToRobert – banker and Papua New Guinean civil servant
Entertainment, media and the arts
Gerry Connolly – comedian
John Kasaipwalova – writer, activist
Shannon Molloy – author and journalist
Sport
Paul Bowman – rugby league footballer
Casey Conway – rugby league footballer and male model
Harry Grant – rugby league footballer
Jake Granville – rugby league footballer
Tom Humble – rugby league footballer
Ben Hunt – rugby league footballer
Kurt Mann – rugby league footballer
PJ Marsh – rugby league footballer
Corey Oates – rugby league footballer
Julian O'Neill – rugby league footballer