A Wallabies skipper, Olympian and a top Australian chef, who have all graduated in the past 20 years, have continued a long line of impressive alumni from one of Brisbane’s most elite schools as Villanova College’s most outstanding former students are revealed.
The list, from the Coorparoo school which started in 1948, includes stars in all different fields from sport, to industry, law, politics and more.
See who made the list below:
MORE OUTSTANDING SCHOOL GRADUATES
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
SPORT
BRAD MEYERS (1997)
Came through the junior ranks as a rugby union star, making the Australian Schoolboys team in 1997 before switching to rugby league and having a long and successful career in the sport. Meyers, who was a hard-nosed and hard working forward played for the Brisbane Broncos (1998–2004), Gold Coast Titans (2008–2011), Bradford Bulls (2005/06). He also played representative football, featuring on the game’s biggest arena with the Queensland Maroons in State of Origin and also played two test matches for the Australian Kangaroos in 2001.
BEN MOWEN (2002)
Every young rugby union player dreams of being the Wallabies captain. Well, this Villanova College Old Boy achieved that. Mowen was the skipper for the Wallabies for several years and was also the captain of the ACT Brumbies in the Super Rugby competition. The star forward, who now has returned home to play for his junior club the Easts Tigers, also captained the Queensland Under-19s team and Australia at the 2005 Under-21 Rugby World Championships.
JOSH ROBINSON (2002)
He may not have won a medal but competing on the biggest stage in world sport is definitely a big enough achievement to feature on this list. Robinson, a star athlete during his teenage days, continued to rise as he progressed through the ranks and reached his childhood dream of competing in the javelin event at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
CHRISTIAN WELCH (2011)
One of the best forwards currently in the world for rugby league, Christian Welch, an Eastern Suburbs Tigers junior, has done it all. He has won an NRL premiership with the Melbourne Storm – the team he still currently plays for, and also made his State of Origin debut for the Queensland Maroons last year. But Welch also does impressive work off the court as an ambassador for Camp Quality.
MICHAEL ZULLO (2005)
Has been one of the stars of Australian soccer for more than a decade now. Zullo helped Sydney FC win its fourth A-League premiership in 2019 and recently in 2020. The left-back has recorded 91 appearances for Sydney FC since signing in 2016. Michael has represented Australia at Under-23 level and debuted for the Socceroos in 2009, playing 10 games for his country at the senior level. Has also played overseas for FC Utrecht.
ANDREW SLACK (1972)
Another former Wallabies captain to come from Villanova College, Andrew Slack is a legend of Australian rugby. Slack played 39 Test matches for the Wallabies and was captain from 1984-1987 and was a star for Queensland, playing 133 games in an incredible career for the Reds.
INDUSTRY
DAN ARNOLD (2004)
One of Australia’s best chefs, Dan Arnold was awarded his first ‘Chefs Hat’ at the 2020 Good Food Awards held in Brisbane in 2019. His Fortitude Valley restaurant, Restaurant Dan Arnold opened a year ago. Dan trained in a 3 Michelin star restaurant in France and has represented Australia in the world finale of Bocuse d’Or in 2017, where he finished in eighth position, which was Australia’s best ever result.
ARTS
JAMES MOLONEY (1972)
A multi award-winning author, best known for The Book of Lies, The Swashbuckler, Gracey Trilogy, and A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove. Mr Moloney has published almost 50 books for children and young adults. His long list of awards includes two Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards (Swashbuckler, 1996 and A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove, 1997). In 2019 James was awarded the Nan Chauncy Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of children’s literature in Australia.
GREGORY ROGERS (1974)
Illustrated 30 children’s books, including four solo works. He is best known for The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard. He was the first Australian to win the British literary award, the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1994 to recognise ‘distinguished illustration in a book for children.’ Sadly, Mr Rogers died in 2013.
POLITICS
GEORGE BRANDIS (1974)
The current Australian High Commissioner to the UK, George Brandis had an impressive career in law and politics over the past 35 years. A member of the Queen’s Counsel, Mr Brandis is a holder of a Bachelor of Civil Law from Magdelan College, Oxford. He started his career in politics in 200, where he served as a senator for Queensland from 2000-2018, and also spent time as the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Arts and Sport as well as the Attorney-General for Australia.
PAUL LUCAS (1979)
Paul Lucas had a long and decorative career in Queensland politics for more than 16 years. Elected to the state seat of Lytton in 1996, Mr Lucas then became the 31st Deputy Premier of Queensland and held several ministerial positions during his career, including Minister for Local Government, Minister for Health, Minister for Transport and Main Roads and was also the Attorney-General for Queensland before retiring from politics in 2012.
KERRY SHINE (1966)
Another Villanova College Old Boy, who has had an impressive career in Queensland politics, which still continues to this day. The former lawyer, who also founded Shine Lawyers, first ran for the seat of Toowoomba North in 1998 but was unsuccessful, however he redeemed himself in 2001 when he wont he seat, which he held until 2012. Served in several ministerial positions including Minister for Justice and Minister for Natural Resources and Water and was also Queensland’s Attorney-General from 2006-2009. Was elected into the Toowoomba Regional Council in March this year.
ROSS VASTA (1984)
The current Federal Member for Bonner (LNP), who has had a 13-year career in Australian politics to date. Ross Vasta started his career by running for the Division of Griffith at the 2001 Federal Election but was beaten by future Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He then made his way into parliament by winning the Division of Bonner in 2004, which he was voted out of in 2007 but then regained his position in 2010, where he still sits today.
LAW:
THE HON. JAMES S DOUGLAS (1967)
James Douglas is a justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland in the Trial Division, where he has sat since 2003 and also has served as president of Alliance Française de Brisbane from 2005-2010. Has law degrees from the University of Queensland and Cambridge University.
THE HON. ROBERT R DOUGLAS (1962)
Having graduated from the University of Queensland in 1968, Robert Douglas worked as associate to his father before being admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland. He then started a period of 30 years of practice at the bar from 1982. He also served as a wing commander in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve, became a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1983 and was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland. He died in office in 2002 at the age of 58.
THE HON. MR JUSTICE PETER LYONS QC (1963)
Peter Lyons is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland in the Trial Division. He graduated from the University of Queensland Faculty of Law in 1976, and is a former president of the Bar Association of Queensland.
THE HON. MR JUSTICE MARTIN BURNS (1978)
Martin Burns was admitted as a solicitor in 1983 and took up employment at a firm of solicitors, where he was admitted as a partner five years later. In 1991, he was called to the Bar and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2008 before later being appointed as a judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2014.
THE HON. SALVATORE VASTA (1981)
Salvatore Vasta, the brother of politician Ross Vasta and son of former judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland Angelo Vasta, was appointed as judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia in December, 2014.
PAT MULLINS (1973)
With 37 years in practice, Pat Mullins is Australia’s only canon lawyer who simultaneously practises as a common lawyer. He is the Brisbane Catholic Archdiocese Chancellor and also partner at Mullins Lawyers. Has been voted one of the best lawyers in Australia from 2018 to 2020.
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