Bernie's Bulletin

2026 Event Calendar

Bold = updated events

As the inaugural CEO of Housing All Australians, Dan McKenna (Class of 2005) leads efforts to tackle the housing crisis by bringing together government, industry, and community partners to deliver forward-thinking solutions.

During his time at St Bernard's, Dan was already demonstrating the leadership qualities that would later guide his career. In Year 12 he was appointed College Co-Captain (along with Jack McLean) and represented the school at ACC level in sports and public speaking.

He went on to study commerce and architecture at Monash University, before becoming a driving force behind Nightingale Housing—an award-winning, not-for-profit developer focused on sustainable, community-first homes. Rising from the organisation’s first employee to CEO, he helped grow Nightingale into a nationally recognised model for responsible housing development. 

Now serving as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Housing All Australians, Dan is at the forefront of a growing movement to address the pressing challenege of housing affordability. His career has seen him rub shoulders with everyone from the Premier of Victoria to the host of Grand Designs, and through it all his bold leadership and care for the community shines through. Dan has become one of the most sought-after experts on community housing, and has been recognised for his impact with Monash University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2023.

We were privileged to recently welcome Dan back to the College for a careers presentation to Year 10-12 students and their families. As someone who was once in the same shoes as our students, he was well placed to provide advice and answer questions.

Well done Dan and we wish you continued career success!

If you know any old collegians who have been successful lately, let us know at development@sbc.vic.edu.au - we'd love to celebrate them!

St Bernard’s College warmly invites parents and alumni working in the Construction, Property and Trade sectors to an exclusive free networking evening.

This event also offers a valuable opportunity for our Young Alumni who are studying or aspiring to careers in these fields to learn and engage with experienced industry professionals, fostering mentorship and career insights. Join us for drinks, canapés, and meaningful conversation with like-minded professionals in a relaxed and welcoming setting.

This is a complimentary event, featuring an amazing panel of local industry leaders - come along and gain some valuable insights!

Book Now: https://www.trybooking.com/DMGQH

Panelists:

Fonda Zahopoulos
Director - Connect PM

A seasoned professional with a proven track record in delivering high-quality construction projects.

Loris Rebeschini
Associate- Chandler Architecture

An architectural leader recognised for his communication, technical capability, and expertise in educational design.

Fiona Grogan
Regional Asset Manager - IMF

With 30+ years in investment and asset management roles, Fiona has extensive experience in delivering strong returns and long-term value across the Australian and international property sectors.

Teo Torrelli
Director & Senior Mortgage Broker - MKS Lending

A Mortgage Broker since 1985, Teo has assisted over 3,000 clients by arranging the right loan to suit their purposes.

Michael Stavrou
Director and Co-Owner at ZELO Group

Zelo Group is an accredited and award-winning industry leader with over 20 years of experience in creating Smart homes, Smart spaces, and popular venues, founded by an old collegian of St Bernard's.

On Wednesday 20 May, the senior football sides of St Bernard’s College and Parade College played in the annual Madden-Bedford Shield game at Waterford Oval.

Parade College welcomed our senior side, coaches and senior leadership team for a special pre-match ceremony, with AFL icons and shield namesakes Simon Madden and Peter Bedford as special guests. 

Then it was on to the game, where despite a great effort from our boys, Parade claimed the shield with a strong performance, winning 74-51.

Congratulations Parade and thank you for hosting us as we continue this great tradition between our two schools!

We invite all our old collegians to join Alumnly, our social platform helping our old collegians to connect and grow.

Whether you're browsing through photos from cherished moments, exploring or posting job opportunities, staying updated on upcoming events, or curious to know where your old classmates are now, our platform is here to cater to your needs. You can also share your own achievements and stories, fostering deeper connections within our vibrant community.

It has been great to see lots of sign-ups already and Old Boys have begun networking, updating their profiles and reminiscing with photos from back in the day.

We are thrilled to launch the St Bernard’s College Music Academy in Semester 2, 2026, open to boys and girls from Years 2 to 6 at our partnership primary schools.

This is an exciting and transformative opportunity for young musicians; offering them access to quality vocal and instrumental ensemble experiences with highly trained music teachers.

If you have interest in this program for your children, we encourage you to attend our Parent Information Night, at 7pm on Wednesday, 10 June in the Frank FitzGerald Auditorium.

Visit https://www.sbc.vic.edu.au/extra-curricular/music-and-drama to learn more about the program and register your interest!

Please Note: Participation in the Music Academy does not also guarantee your child's enrolment to St Bernard's College. 

We're pleased to launch a new Instagram page especially for old boys: @stbernardsoldcollegians.

As with our Facebook page, we will feature news and updates, events and stories from across the generations — all showcasing our amazing alumni community.

Whether you finished at Bernard’s recently or many years ago, this new page is a great way to stay connected and see how our community continues to grow.

Follow Us

A quick flashback to our Santa Monica program in 2006 - still going strong 20 years later!

Honouring our esteemed old collegians is deeply important to the College. If you wish to submit Vale notices for inclusion in The Strand magazine, please send them via email to development@sbc.vic.edu.au. Your contributions allow us to respectfully remember and celebrate the remarkable individuals who have been part of our community and have sadly passed away since our last publication.

We are now in the publishing process of the June 2026 edition of The Strand - thank you to all who have submitted a Vale notice. From now on, Vale notices submitted will be acknowledged in the next edition of the Strand in Term 4 of 2026.

We greatly appreciate your support in helping us honour their memories.