COCA News March 2007

Editor • Denis McMullen • Volume 6 •

C r o m w e l l

C o l l e g e

Within the University of Queensland

MARCH 2007

Issue 1

N ew s

ORIENTATION WEEK ‘07 another great welcoming experience Cromwell College is valued by our residents because of its community, its ‘homely’ feeling and because, underlying this, all the residents know each other and form close and enduring friendships with other residents.

A significant part of building that valued community feeling and establishing the friendships is Orientation Week, or “O’Week” as the Collegians call it. The response to O’Week is overwhelmingly positive.

Residents say, “I arrived here knowing no-one and now I have 20 or 30 close friends”; “The good thing about O’Week is that everyone wants to be a friend.”

Cromwell O’Week is a ‘dry’ event, activities at which alcohol is available do not happen until the last night when there is a “Bunker” party where the new residents meet up with the returning Cromwellians. The Bunker is controlled and under-age residents are identified and arm-banded.

O’Week is run by a committee made up of two groups: the College Seniors (those students selected and trained by the College to provide front-line pastoral care and support for the residents in their corridors) and the Student Association Executive, who are residents voted into leadership positions. They are assisted by a small Action Committee of second and third year residents who are voted into those positions by their peers.

The objectives of O’Week are: 1. Coping with University a. Learning how to navigate around the University b. Dealing with the anxieties of leaving home and starting University c. Finding out about sources of advice and support whilst at University

What’s I n s ide

Great-Grandson finds a home at Cromwell in “Pop’s Building”

2

From the Principal

3

d. Introducing Freshers to University life in a way that equips them to manage it.

Swimming with elephants and walking with the young lions

4

2. Learning to live in College

Round Up

6

a. Establishing a positive relationship between Freshers and older residents

Valedictory Dinner

10

Seniors and College Leaders 2007

12

b. Familiarisation with the College, its grounds and surroundings

Did you live in Lockley?

13

c. Learning how the College operates as a Community

College Refurbishment Program Continues

14

d. Encouraging Freshers to meet their peers at Cromwell and other Colleges

Cromwell Residents are spoilt for choice with UQ Sport

14

College proves a popular location for conferences and visitors

15

Continued page 2

A Magazine for Old Collegians, Friends of Cromwell, Current Residents and their Families

ORIENTATION WEEK ‘07 cont’d 3. Group Bonding a. Instilling a sense of College spirit b. Having a good time c. Bonding together as a Fresher group d. Resisting any tendencies for freshers to withdraw into themselves 4. Orientation to Brisbane a. Learning to navigate around St Lucia and significant Brisbane locations.

O’Week Review In 2006, following complaints from two new residents, a comprehensive review of O’Week was carried out for the College Board of Governors by the Dean of Students, Denis McMullen.

Whilst the overall conduct of O’Week was confirmed, some recommendations to change aspects of the program were accepted.

These changes were to remove any suggestion that participants could be coerced into any activity that they might find distasteful or stressful.

The main outcome of the Review was a clear agreement by the Board, Principal and O’Week organisers that the

individual new resident is free to make his/her own decisions about participation in O’Week activities and that their decision will be supported by their Seniors and by the Principal and staff of the College.

The Board agreed that the College has a responsibility to ensure that all aspects of O’Week contribute to the attainment of the objectives agreed by the Board, do not place residents at risk, and are not presented in a way that suggests that residents may be coerced into participation.

Individual new residents have a responsibility to understand the O’Week program, make decisions about their participation and inform their Senior about that decision to ensure their support.

O’Week 2007 In 2007, 91 new residents were introduced to the College through the O’Week experience.

In line with the guidelines, the new residents were informed that they would be going through the O’Week program but that they had to take responsibility

for their involvement. This was done so thoroughly, that a number of freshers decided to pick and choose the times when they would be involved, resulting in, at some stages, up to 30% of them absenting themselves from some activities.

Nonetheless, the freshers, resplendent in cerise straw hats adorned with their fresher names, were involved in activities as varied as treasure hunts, the 10-legged race, where they proceed around College as a group with ankles linked, and a bus tour of the St Lucia and Indooroopilly area with stops to serenade shoppers and demonstrate their Fresher dance.

Days at the Gold Coast and Wet and Wild were very popular, though the morning program with tours of the University campus and other Colleges drew mixed responses, mostly groans, as the Seniors urged tired bodies to get up and get active.

The outcome has been, as it is every year, a group of new residents who see themselves as welcomed into the Cromwell community, knowing most of their fellow freshers and having developed real and lasting friendships through shared experiences.

Great-Grandson finds a homeat Cromwell in “Pop’s” building This year at College might be called the “Year of the Siblings” as we have a surprising number of freshers who have listened with awe and expectation to the tales about College that big brother or sister have brought home.

But this year is also marked by the presence at College of the great-grandson of V.E. Hancock after whom the Hancock Building was named. Mark Hancock comes from Taroom where the family has a property with cattle and some cropping. Mark has been educated at St Mary’s at Taroom and at Marist College Ashgrove where he was a boarder. He is studying Engineering and intends to take his degree in mechanical engineering.

V.E. Hancock was the husband of May, who donated the funds for the Hancock building in honour of her late husband who died suddenly in 1963 on board ship whilst returning to Australia .

Mark says that he and his family are proud to be part of the heritage of the College, but the family has always been humble about the things that have been done, just as V.E. and May were always humble about their contributions. “And we just want to keep it that way”, says Mark.

And where does Mark reside in College? Do you really have to ask?

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From the

Principal

Greetings to you all from Cromwell - I have just survived another O'Week (it went very well) and am settling into 2007.

This year I will turn 58, and it’s time to reflect on the future, time to nail my flag to the mast and tell you what is in my head. In previous editions of COCA NEWS I have shared with you my dreams, my vision for the future of the College.

Now it is time to tell you how my own future fits in with this dream.

Being Principal of a College is a great privilege but very hard work. It requires great strength and constant vigilance. To do this job properly you have to find the balance between stepping back and letting the residents be adult (and the leaders lead) and stepping forward to ensure the boundaries are maintained and the youthful enthusiasm inspired or ‘perspired’ in the right direction. There is almost no time when you are truly off duty and at times you have to stand against a strong tide of hormonal energy. This is not a task for the fainthearted and it is not a job that can or should be done by a person in cruise mode, or worse, by a person who is mentally winding down. Don’t get me wrong, I am still operating on all cylinders and I have not set a date for retiring, but I have determined that I will not stay in this job until retirement age. I want to step down from being Principal while still I have the endurance to do it well and I want to plan for that process to occur.

The appointment of the Principal is the Board’s responsibility, but I would like to facilitate a smooth changeover (whenever that comes and it might be years away) by completing the following tasks.

Firstly, I have to make sure that I have the staff structure that will enable the process of change to occur with minimal disruption. Secondly, I want to make sure that a fully developed strategic plan is in place so that momentum can be maintained by the person who succeeds me. Thirdly, I want to complete as much of that strategic plan as I can.

With this in mind 2007 has become for me the year of planning. I have been working on a written document (Strategic Plan) and the Board has approved funds for a professional planner to assist at certain points in the process. As soon as the Board has accepted the plan as a working document, I intend to place it on the Cromwell Web Page for your comment.

The plan is in two parts. The first part is to deal with refurbishment, including the student rooms, electrical wiring, water mains, sewerage and water management, and so on. This refurbishment must happen and will be our first priority. I would love this to be completed by the time I resign from being Principal but in many ways we have been doing this for years.

The second section is to do with dreams for new developments. These dreams will not be fulfilled without external funding from donations, bequests or other sources as the College will not be able to raise enough equity to manage the amount of debt required without assistance. However, it is important that possible plans for refurbishment be in place and approved by the Board and, for all new developments, by the University Senate. This will give a focus for my heirs and successors as well as a focus for any Development Officer in the College as she or he seeks to encourage donations or bequests for the future of this College.

With all this reflecting I am reminded just how quickly the clock ticks, the cycle of life peddles on. It is now 11 years since I took up this role and a great deal has happened and a great deal has been accomplished. However, no one can do it all; we are all in the end expendable and it is time for me to both acknowledge that my strength account is being gradually run down and prepare myself for my inevitable departure. In the meantime, I commit to maintaining the 100% commitment I have always given and I commit to planning the process of change so that this College can continue to be the wonderful community that it is.

There is a book in the Old Testament called Ecclesiastes. In many ways it is an ‘Aussie’ document as it reflects typical ‘Aussie’ cynicism. In the heart of this document (chapter 3) lies the very famous passage that starts, ‘There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven’. It then goes on to talk about a time for this and a time for that. Some people read this as a kind of romantic emphasis on the taking of opportunity; I read it as the ticking of a clock. Tick, tick, tick - the time for this ticks on to the time for that. The book is not completely cynical for although it acknowledges the brutality of age and death it is interlaced with thoughts of wisdom and the need to seek out God, but it is a sober book, realistic about life, aging and death.

It is good to read this book from time to time, but it is good to balance it with the more hopeful and complete vision of the New Testament. With this in mind, let me end with a reminder that Jesus told a parable about building one’s house on the Rock (on the truth of his Words - Matthew 6:24ff ). I can share with you all my dreams for the College, but in the end unless I seek to honour God in this process it is like building on sand. For me, loving God and loving my neighbour lie at the heart of what I do. All plans must hold relationships at the centre, all plans should be honouring to God rather than to me or you. What is important is not so much that my dreams are accomplished (though that would be a good thing) but that the dreams are compatible with the dreams of God. May God bless your in 2007 and may God truly bless this College.

Hugh Begbie Principal

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Swimming with elephantsand walking with the young lions Swimming with elephants and bushwalking with the young lions are not the usual end of the year activities for Cromwell students, but at the end of the ‘06 Academic year, two Seniors, who come from Zimbabwe, led a tour by 24 present and past Cromwellians to their home country and to Mozambique and Zambia.

Justine Graham and Lauren Glynn organised the 28 day trip which started with a flight to Johannesburg and on to Harare. The highlight at Harare was Lauren’s 21st, but even more exciting events were awaiting.

Spotting crocodiles and hippos added excitement to fishing and swimming in Lake Kariba where they camped for 5 days, but going to Victoria Falls, even in the ‘low’ season, was “very impressive”.

Rowan Walker (‘Toast’) found that Bungy jumping, white water rafting and a gorge swim were highlights and attending cultural shows kept everyone involved and, presumably, exhausted.

Victoria Falls are on the border of Zambia where the Crommies camped

at Miombo Camp near Hwange from where they went on safaris to see hippos, ostrich, crocodiles, bat-eared foxes, springboks and impala (the “McDonald’s of Africa” because everyone, and everything, eats them!!)

muddy water, an experience described by Kirsty Fanton (‘Sprite’) as “really scary, but exciting and wonderful”. Horse-back safaris were another highlight as was a foot-trek which included chasing zebra and giraffes.

The highlight of this part of the trip was arranging a soccer match between a Cromwell XI and a local XI. Honour was satisfied with a 1-1 draw, but the opportunity to meet and talk with locals on a sporting level was a welcome eyeopener.

Mozambique offered a change from the dry and dusty bush: lodges on the beach beside beautiful aquamarine water; dhow trips to tiny islands for snorkelling on the reefs; bbqs on the beach and visiting local markets where they bought wooden carvings and brightly patterned fabric. A Christmas party where they all exchanged gifts of local crafts was a fitting conclusion

At Antelope Park, our intrepid explorers were able to participate in a project where lions are being conserved. They are being poisoned because they take cattle, so this project breeds up lions and trains them to cope on their own in the wild.

In the meantime, people can feed the cubs and walk with the young lions. This is a project close to the heart of Justine Graham (‘Pembo’).

There was also an opportunity to ride elephants as they went down to the river for their swim, which had some of the girls and boys disappearing under the

The enduring memories are of living in a 3rd world country and experiencing the real differences in how people lived.

Visiting a village, where people still carried on the lives in the traditional way, brought home the fate of the AIDS orphans.

So, whilst the trip had a lot of Crommie spirit and élan, it also opened minds and left enduring memories that will last a lifetime.

Rowan Walker, Simon Pearce, David Stone, Sam Rippon, Josh Stone afloat

Turquoise water, an arab dhow and good company – perfect!

Lauren Glynn and friends still afloat

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Making friends with a lion – Ben Willcox and Simon Pearce

“I think Cromwell is in that direction” at Pembo’s home in Harare

Sunset over Victoria Nyasa

Kirsty Fanton and friends ready to swim with an elephant

Cromwell group with the Safari Wagon in Zambia

Cromwell group at Victoria Falls Inside the Safari Wagon – Zambia

COCA News 2007 • Page

CHIT CHAT

Round Up

Christine Kent - Resident 1989-1990 I entered Cromwell College in 1989 coming from a regional Queensland state high school. I had no connections in Brisbane so the college environment provided a level of support and friendship that would have been hard to cultivate otherwise.

Graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts Majoring in Journalism, I left unfinished postgraduate study behind in 1992 and moved to Sydney where I began a career in advertising, working as a project coordinator across a range of mediums (TV, Radio, Print etc). Advertising is a relatively fluid industry as client relationships come and go, thus I spent a few years both in Sydney and in Brisbane.

In 1997, I left Australia and spent 4 years in London (via Tokyo for 6 months) and moved into brand design and brand consultancy. The base in London enabled me to travel fairly extensively and in 2001, I took a break from work and travelled for 6 months around the Indian subcontinent including time in The Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. I also spent 2 months in Italy that same year and returned to Australia via Thailand.

Since returning to Australia, I’ve called Melbourne home (apart from a stint for work in Ho Chi Minh City).

I’ve tried to keep travelling overseas each year and Cradle Mountain and Heron Island are favourites. I was attracted to Melbourne by its climate, its integrated social fabric and its status as the home of design in Australia.

COCA News 2007 • Page

On a personal front, on 14 April ‘07, Mark and I will marry at the ages of 38 and 36 respectively.

Better late than never, although I’m not sure I’ll be playing the 1989 O'Week song from ‘The Proclaimers’ at the wedding! We met at work in London in 1998 and have had a truly global romance since 2004 with both of us travelling to and from the UK to maintain our relationship. Mark, a designer, arrived in Australia at the end of ‘05 via a sponsored work visa. We were engaged in June ‘06 and are now looking forward to celebrating our nuptials in Melbourne.

Interestingly, I never wanted to be a journalist by the time I finished my degree although I would probably have been happy with a research role at the ABC. My career has evolved into senior roles in brand consultancy across a diverse range of corporate and FMCG (consumer goods) clients and I now spend a vast amount of my time on contributing to both brand strategy and on large-scale project management.

15 years since leaving the University of Queensland, I think it would be safe to say that my life has been more nomadic than I would have ever predicted. Just as it was when I came to Cromwell, I still have family all over the country (including Queensland). The long distances and gaps between seeing old friends and family have meant making ‘family’ wherever you land.

I would be delighted to see Old Collegians at the COCA Dinner which is to be held on Saturday 27th October in Melbourne.

Melanie Stuart (2000-2002) Hi Everyone It’s been great to receive the COCA magazines throughout the year and catch up on where people are at. It doesn’t feel like 4 years since I left college! I’ve been living in Newcastle since I finished uni - I got my first job here and absolutely love it! I am currently working as a speech pathologist in the Mater Hospital, mainly with stroke patients and really enjoy interacting with a wide variety of people.

This year I will be employed partly by the uni to teach students on the job should be a nice challenge! Newcastle is a fantastic place to live - great beaches, cafes, restaurants, shopping, close to Sydney, the Hunter Valley vineyards and plenty of National Parks. I am still a strong Queensland supporter though (which was to my detriment for the first 3 years of origin that I was down here.... but this year I had my fun!!).

I am involved in Victory Christian City Church which is a fun, life-giving church having a great impact on our city...and beyond! In November ‘04 I went with a team to Jordan (Middle East) to work with children in a Palestinian refugee camp - it was an amazing and humbling experience. We also made a quick trip to Cairo where I was amazed to find the pyramids just on the edge of the city!!

Other major highlights include the purchase of my first home! Drop me a line anytime and come and visit (melanie.stuart@gmail.com)!!

My sister and I went on an incredibly fun 3 week fly-drive tour of New Zealand - before she got married at the end of last year which was a huge highlight.

Have had a heap of other weddings as well, including my brothers, and I’ll probably see some of you at the couple of Crommie ones coming up this year!

Take care!

Mel :)

Stu Tach Danielle and Andrew Hi there Many of you wouldn’t have heard the latest ‘Bade gos’ so we thought we would drop a short email to fill you in!

Andrew is 5 mths old now and as you will see by the photos is growing well! He has been in the same sized nappies as his 2yr old sister for the past 2 or more months!

They both get along well as Danielle is really affectionate towards Andrew - she makes him laugh simply by her presence (it is lovely to watch!)

Also in January we are heading off to Perth to live for 12mths for Stu’s work which will be exciting! Stu sits his final exams in April and May 07 and Perth will be a good place for him to focus on study as our Western Australia social circle consists of only 3 people! One of those people is a really good Kiwi friend of ours - Trish Weston, and she is actually coming to live with us to help out for the first 6mths while Stu is deep in the books - She will be an enormous support to Tach and the kids and in turn Stu! We can’t wait!

After Perth we aren’t sure what we will be doing...Stu is applying for a few fellowship positions in the northern hemisphere (Canada, USA and England).

Those positions are likely to start mid 08 and go for 12mths... he may even do 2 fellowships back to back... we will just see how it all works out. Basically we get the sense that we will be away for a few years.

With this in mind we were able to catch up with family and a few friends when we were in NZ a couple of weeks ago for Stu’s conference but unfortunately we didn’t get to see all the people we wanted to with time being that awful constraint.

Tach (and Andrew) are also making a trip to Sydney in Nov (11th-14th) to catch up with old friends before the big move. (For those Sydney readers: She is staying with Ann and John.)

Well that is all our news... we have 9 weeks left in Brisbane and SO much to organise!!

All our love Stu Tach Danielle and Andrew

Tania Lerch (198

7-1989) Dear Cromwel l friends, I’ve just discov ered I’m on yo ur missing in ac I’ve been gettin tion list - but he g the Cromwel re I am! l newsletter c/missed out on my parents so ha too much. A qu ve not ick update sinc Cromwell: e 1989, my last year at I’ve been living in WA for more than 10 years no Edward, throug w. I met my pa h my good friend rtner, and fellow Cro (now Janine Le m wellian, Janine e) in 1994 at he Ellem r wedding. I m with Edward in oved to Kalgoor 1996 and we m lie to live ov ed as they say, is hi to Perth later th story! We have e same year. The a be rest, autiful little bo in April 2004. y, Daniel, who I work part-tim w as e at bo Curtin Univers rn project officer in ity of Technolo the field of high gy as a er degrees by re to the Dean in search. I provid improving the qu e support ality of the rese and we offer va arch training ex rious programs pe rience to support resear online training ch students incl in generic skills. ud ing I also worked at similar areas be UQ for several fore I moved to years in WA. Edward is a geol ogist in gold ex ploration and hi some exciting de s work takes him stinations - sadl off to y I’ve only acco these years - to m panied him twic the USA and B e in all razil. I’m hank especially now ering for anothe that Daniel is a r trip soon, little older.

I still keep in co ntact with quite a few of the peop Cromwell, but le from my year it is always grea at t to renew old ac quaintances!

Best wishes, Tania

Hi! As many of you know we moved to Perth last week!

Stu has a 12mth contract with Western Australia Health, after which he will have finished his training and will be officially unemployed! (How exciting! We can’t wait!!)

The move went really well thanks to Stu’s Mum and Dad who drove the 6 day trip from Brisbane to Perth in their 4wheel drive to pick us up from the airport and help us settle in! They have been absolutely amazing and by helping with the kids, the meals and washing etc... we were able to completely unpack, buy some furniture, buy a car and have visitors all within 4 days! Stu hit the study books a week ago and seems to be well into the groove in his new office!

Perth is absolutely beautiful and a few days ago we spent the afternoon in Kings Park overlooking both the water (full of sail boats) and the city. Then once the kids were in bed and Stu was studying, I drove 5mins to the beach and watched the sunset - wonderful memories of Taranaki sunsets in NZ came flooding back and I felt so rejuvenated. I had forgotten how much I missed the beach. (We will send enviable photos at a later date!)

We hope you are all well and feeling set for the New Year!

All our love, Stu, Tach, Danielle and Andrew

COCA News 2007 • Page

John Smith (1966-1969) I attended Cromwell from 1966 to 1969 while studying Pharmacy. Looking back, I suppose the sixties was an interesting time to be at uni.....civil rights, political dissent, demonstrations, anti-war protests, drugs and free love (though someone else got my share of these) all seemed part and parcel of the university scene. At colleges, the fresher system reigned supreme, and errant first year students would routinely be ‘ridden’ - driven out to the back blocks of Brisbane in the early hours of the morning and dropped off to make their own way home, sometimes in little more than pyjamas and academic gown. Lesser misdemeanours might attract a late night dip in the lake, room stripping (where every item in a miscreant’s room would be secreted elsewhere, including the door), interrogations, or a mud bath down at the bottom of Walcott Street. It all seemed like good innocent fun at the time, but in today’s politically correct environment would no doubt result in immediate legal proceedings against the perpetrators.

Never a particularly keen student, I found first year at college to be a bit of a distraction if you let it, and I’m afraid I did. I played a bit of college footy and squash and generally tried to involve myself in any social activity that took me away from the books. I have to say I admired then, and still do, those of my peers who managed to balance college activities with their studies and seemingly sailed through their courses. In my case, I left a goodly portion of work to ‘swot vac’ and soon found my three year course (the main reason I’d elected to do Pharmacy) extending to four. At one stage I seriously considered ‘dropping out’ altogether but, midway through, I was called up for national service, a singular event that riveted my attention to the books and one that I hoped would go away by the time I graduated. It didn’t, and 12 months after leaving college I found myself in the army. I was offered a commission as a pharmacy officer to sign on for three years, or do the obligatory two at the rank of private. At that point three years seemed like a lifetime to me so I opted for the latter.

Life as a private in the army, particularly basic training, was something of a culture shock for a brand new graduate, and in one fell swoop you went from being on top of the world to being at the very bottom of it. Nevertheless, I guess

COCA News 2007 • Page

I handled it okay. In reality it was like one long fresher system, a little more demanding perhaps, but basically spent at the bottom of the pile rolling around in the mud.

Left: College ‘discipline’ in 1966, following some ‘fresher’ indiscretion.

Right: Army life in 1971...at the bottom of the pile and still rolling around in the mud.

During this period, my wife Sue and I were married. The wedding was held in Brisbane and a number of ex-college friends attended; Hugh Isles, Rod Wilson, Trev Wilkins and Jason Reynolds. The officiating minister was Eric Wardrop, another collegian who had studied theology. I think ours was Eric’s first wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, our lives seemed to take different turns from that point onwards and I’m embarrassed to say I’ve hardly laid eyes on any of these friends again to this day.

After finishing national service, Sue and I returned to Brisbane where I settled into community pharmacy for the next 10 years. Well, only kind of settled since pharmacy had always been a poor choice for me. Eventually, in 1982, I decided on a career change and applied to join the Air Force. Perhaps not surprisingly, I found life as a RAAF officer far more enjoyable than life as a private in the army, and over the next 20 years or so our little family lived in a dozen different locations around Australia and overseas, had some wonderful experiences and made many, many lifelong friends. Looking back, I suppose continuing with pharmacy would have proved far more lucrative, but I found an Air Force career more challenging, rewarding, and I dare say at times a little more exciting, than life spent behind a dispensary counter.

One thing for certain with every service career is the date that it will finish, and that’s the day before you

turn 55. Since by then my pharmacy skills would be long gone we knew we needed to be financially independent at that point and worked steadily towards it. Subsequently, Sue and I retired in 2003, sold our home in Canberra and bought a campervan to do the obligatory ‘grey nomad’ tour of Australia...along with thousands of other retiring babyboomers. Our plan was simply to relax, see a bit of the country, and decide where we wanted to live and what we wanted to do during the next phase of our lives.

After 10 months on the road, we found ourselves on the east coast of Tasmania in the little fishing village of Bicheno, population around 800. Bicheno looked like the spot for us so we sold our van, bought a house overlooking the sea and settled into retirement. I’d taken up scuba diving while at university and maintained an interest in the sport, and Bicheno boasts some of the finest cool water diving in the world (down to 11 degrees in winter). So my time here is taken up with diving, underwater photography, boating, cray fishing (plenty of these here) and bushwalking, as well as duties as one of the town’s eight volunteer ambulance officers. Sue involves herself in a range of voluntary and community activities, and we get across to the mainland at least once a year to visit our two children and other relatives, as well as aiming for an overseas trip every couple of years or so. The old cliché about retirees wondering how they ever found time to go to work for all those years certainly holds true for us. All in all, life has been good and continues to be so.

I made a lot of good friends while at Cromwell, most of whom I’ve unfortunately not crossed paths with again since leaving. I’d love to hear from any of them. We’re easy to find, there are only two John Smiths in Bicheno!

1967...Cromwell Rugby team after a game against Emmanuel.

Lawry Herron (1963)

Phil Lowry (1970)

Yes, I would like to get a copy of Bill Robinson’s CD, not least to have that picture of Pin Needham and his Mk IV Jag. That’s Pin in the driver’s seat and Alan Morris alongside the driver’s door. I can’t see the others well enough to identify them but it might include Ian Francois Beale from Mungallala. Pin and the Jag somehow arrived at our farm near Allora on the Jag’s delivery trip from South Australia, the Jag sagging under a workshop’s worth of tools, a wrecker’s yard’s worth of spares and a bucket’s worth of grease sans bucket. Pin’s two Afghan hounds, with which we later shared a house in Indooroopilly, were a later acquisition. First though, after two terms in 1963, Morris, Francois and I had moved out of college and shared a house down towards Toowong on the corner of Gailie Road where the BP Servo now is. Morris went back to WA, Pin became an Adelaide vet and Francois became Dr Sheep-and-Wool at Charleville. I was eventually sent to lie abroad for the good of my country.

Hello, Ina.

Seeing those reunion photos reminds me of the evening that someone came in and announced that the Crocodile had sunk the ferry. I don’t think I ever found out if it was true but it’s topical, in view of the building of the Elinor Schonell bridge.

Regards, Lawry Herron (1963)

College life agreed with me - I loved the camaraderie and the sporting life.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find time for the academic side of things!! My parents moved from Surat (south western Queensland) to Brisbane during 1970 and I left the college to live at home. I had only the one year at UQ, 1970.

I worked in the Finance Industry for nearly 20 years (around Queensland) and then found the Australian Public Service (APS) in 1991. I moved from Maryborough to Canberra in 1994 and continued to work in the Department of Employment & Workplace Relations [DEWR] (and it’s several earlier incarnations, DEET, DEETYA, DEWRSB) and Centrelink. I left the APS earlier this year and am now a Business Analyst in the Information Technology area, currently contracted to DEWR. My wife of 30+ years is also a contractor here at DEWR and we intend to retire next year and return to Maryborough.

Phil Lowry (1970)

)

John Day (1964-1966 Dear Sir/Madam,

rived yesterday of COCA News ar ue iss 6 ‘0 ov N ur Yo g nostalgia trip, th a leisurely evenin wi e m ed id ov pr d an reunion and rage of the ‘55-‘65 ve co nt lle ce ex its with ll residency from my Cromwe s ce fa ar ili m fa ll the sti (‘64-’66). compiled by of the CD of photos fer of e th n, tio di ad In ence on Upper nly a towering pres tai er (c on ns bi Ro ll Bi bonus. I wish was an unexpected 6) ‘6 or 5 ‘6 in r he Thatc details. se let me know the to buy a copy. Plea ted over the Queen ms of water that jet I still recall the strea omical feature of the appropriate anat m fro ds ow cr et re St hip we had with “love-hate” relations e th , at flo g do at th the college e, and the hilarity of em th y pp hi r.W M the concerts.

Many thanks, John

Cromwell

Medalist 2006

Kobi Haworth – Cromwell Medallist 2006 At Valedictory Dinner, the Principal announced the winner of the Cromwell medal for 2006, Ms Kobi Lee Haworth.

“Kobi came from Tamworth in NSW to College in 2003 to study Pharmacy. She proved to be an outstanding student with a cumulative GPA of 6.792.

“This dedication did not affect her capacity to be a positive member of College. She has a friendly and cooperative personality. In 2005 she proved herself to be one of the best Seniors the College has ever had, running her corridor with warm efficiency, carrying out her responsibilities reliably, in a timely manner and with a warm and friendly smile.

“In her time as a Senior, she was not afraid to stand up and be counted and was totally trustworthy and honest in all she did. The staff loved her for her friendly efficiency. She was involved in sport, particularly swimming in which she excelled, and was constantly but responsibly involved in the social life of the College. Kobi is a great all-rounder whose character and personal values are exemplary. She is an outstanding and worthy recipient of the Cromwell Medal.”

COCA News 2007 • Page

ValedictoryDinner

18th October 2006

While it has been a few month ago, Valedictory Dinner wasn’t forgotten in our last COCA News edition. We would like to commit more space to report on the dinner, the emotions that went with it and present to our freshers this year a snippet from what they can expect in the years to come.

It is always sad to say goodbye, particularly to those who have been so much part of our lives. However, it is important to remember that the pain of saying goodbye reflects the depth of the experience that is about to end.

Valedictory Dinner is the highlight of our academic year. It is so good to see students who have grown up, developed, matured over the years. At the same time it is a very sad occasion on which it is time to say goodbye.

Dr Begbie summed it up in his comments at the Dinner, “It is a joy to see how our valedictorians have grown, professionally and personally, during their time at Cromwell. We feel great pride in their achievements, but we also feel the emotional wrench of parting with those whom we have come to know so well.”

Our Valedictorians 2006 Cassie Aprile Katie Bauer Murray Bauer Kate Brooks Sarah Bull Alexander Bunt Benjamin Chapman

Kathryn Jelbart Shay Kurz Shane Midgley Hailey Musgrove Nyasha Ngara Jarrett Owen Matthew Pavicic

Peter Chong Andrew Churchill Cameron Clark Gareth Davies Kirsty Fanton Adam Fowler Eleanor Fuller Craig Gibson Jennifer Gillin Lauren Glynn Emma Graves Kobi Haworth Michelle Hillman Regan Ireland

Renee Phillips Stephen Pick Thomas Reilly Sam Rippon Amy Robinson John Sleeman David Stone Jaye Thompson Cobi van der Werff Rowan Walker Benjamin Willcocks Taryn Wockner Greg Wolfert

About the guest speaker David van Gend is a GP in Toowoomba, and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine, University of Queensland.

He is married to Jane - also an old Cromwellian - and they have three primary age sons, who hope to become old Cromwellians in due course.

David started at Cromwell 25 years ago, and stayed so long the College ended up employing him as Assistant to the Principal. At College, he was active in sport - with Intercollegiate blues for

COCA News 2007 • Page 10

Andrew Churchill President Students Association 2006

Jennifer Gillin, Kathryn Brooks and Cassie Aprile at Valedictory dinner.

cricket, hockey and squash - and could also be spotted playing the chapel organ, comparing the Inter College Choral festival, or singing in the College group, ‘Cocophony’, at formal dinners, Music Balls and nursing homes.

Since leaving college, David has acquired a certain notoriety in the media as spokesman for a doctors’ group which defends the traditional Western ethic in medicine. He was featured this year in the top ‘50 most intriguing GPs’ by the national magazine, Australian Doctor.

Dr David Van Gend, Guest Speaker at Valedictory dinner

Valedictorians Kirsty Fanton and Layren Glynn

John Sleeman, David Stone, Sam Rippon, Tom Reilly and Regan Ireland

Valedictorians Sarah Bull, Hailey Musgrove, Cobi van der Wurff and Kirsty Fanton

This is what some of our Valedictorians had to say Lauren Glynn (2004-2006) One life to live - and all that I can say is, wow! Cromwell was absolutely, with no doubt in my mind, the best choice I ever made. To live here for three years was even a better choice!

Cromwell to me has been my home with all my friends living in it!! I could never have expected what I have gotten out of this college; friendships being the most important, but respect for everyone, a love to be a team player and a smile on my face everyday!

I know that what I have gained from being a “Crommie girl” will forever be a huge part of my life. Keep the spirit alive.

Love always ‘Holly’ Cassie Aprile (2004-2006) Well guys, this is it! As I sit in my 3X3 cell and reflect on the good times at Crommie, I can’t help but smile. I remember our first day. It was one of the hottest days Brisbane has ever seen. I was scared and timid (yeah right) and Bait and Sly nobly offered to help me carry my bags to my room in Top North. I remember wondering - who has names like Bait and Sly? What were their parents thinking?

A lot has changed since that day. The past three years have been awesome...simply awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever has so much fun. Amu week; Recoveries; Sizzler Challenges. Spending hours at dinner to procrastinate; O-week morning programs; Northy - our pet chicken in my first year; “Rum on the rocks without the rocks” the source of many antics; being a member of the “good end” of Thatcher in 2005; Thatcher ‘High Club’ 05’ Adventures with

Winston - the guinea pig; One Act Play 05/06; Room crawls; Gifford room gang; Ball asks; Law nerd parties; Student Exec 06 - the list is endless.

These are the good times I will remember for as long as I live. I have loved being a Cromwellian for the past three years - it has truly been my home and I will be very sad to leave. I have learnt so many things since I arrived here and I have met some extraordinary people - people who I know will go out and will make a difference in the world. Thanks Valedictorians of 2006 - I wouldn’t trade the past three years of my life for anything!!

‘Squeaks’ Michelle Hillman (2004-2006) Where do I begin? I can start by simply saying that Cromwell changed my life.

The College experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity and only a select few of us who are granted that opportunity are then privileged enough to attend Cromwell College.

I’ve seen the other UQ Colleges, I’ve been to NAAUC and spoken to collegians from around Australia. There is no doubt in my mind that Cromwell is the best college not only in Queensland but in the entire country! Sure our rooms may be smaller and we may not have as much money or as many facilities, but we have something more, something intangible that can’t be bought or manufactured, Crommie Ticker.

The spirit and community feeling that exists within Cromwell is something so precious and so rare, we are all extremely lucky to be part of it. The outcome never matters because we’re all in it together, that’s Crommie Ticker. I can’t quite put it into words just how much I love this

College, in my final year it has been my intention to pour out my heart and soul into the community and operations behind the scenes to ensure that Cromwell is set on a strong foundation and continues to grow stronger for years to come so future generations can have the same privileged experience that we all have.

It seems like only yesterday that I was a fresher wandering the corridors dazed and confused, trying to memorise 50 years of tradition and so unsure of what was in store for me. Then, in the blink of an eye, it’s over. Don’t take one second for granted, each day is a new opportunity to make one more friend, you can never have too many. Step outside your comfort zone, break away from your cliques and don’t be afraid to take chances, either way your family is here to lift you up or break your fall.

Thanks you for the great memories Cromwell, I will carry them in my heart forever.

Love ‘Paris’ Kobi Haworth (2003-2006) Leaving Cromwell, I feel like I am moving out of home all over again...words cannot adequately express how much I have learnt and gained from living at Cromwell, or how appreciative I am for having this college experience. I cannot thank the staff of Cromwell enough for the support, guidance and friendship you have given me over the past four years. I feel as though I have become an adult since coming here 4 years ago, and you all have had a major part in facilitating that.

So thank you and good luck

COCA News 2007 • Page 11

Seniors and College Leaders2007 The weeks leading up to the first days of University lectures may be a time of summer languor for some returning Cromwell residents, but for the College staff and the student leaders, it is a time of high levels of activity and planning.

The preparation for O’Week starts well back in October and November of the previous year with the election of O’Week coordinator and the Action committee.

Hard-fought, these positions are sought after by returning residents who enjoyed their O’Week experience and are keen to ensure that the new crop of Freshers are treated just as well.

There is a lot of posturing, election flyers showing candidates displaying their best snarl and claiming to have the personalities to terrify the toughest fresher.

Invariably, the group who get up in the election continue the O’Week program as before, with minor adjustments, and the freshers manage to look keen but far from cowed.

At the same time, there is competition for positions in the Student Association for the next year.

This is also the time for another just as keenly fought selection process, for the Seniors for the coming year. Seniors take responsibility for a corridor or residents and are the first point of contact for residents with problems or concerns as well as being the first line of authority in the College.

The experience of being a College senior provides the student with strong saleable skills and an opportunity to demonstrate their capacity to provide leadership.

The Seniors and leaders return to College in the week prior to O’Week (usually called ‘P Week’) for a solid week of training and preparation.

Seniors receive training in helping skills and communication, in dealing with crises, handling fire emergencies, confidentiality and ethics, leadership, assertiveness and the practicalities of their role.

All the indications are that the leadership team for 2007 will live up to the high standards set in previous years and provide a memorable College experience.

COCA News 2007 • Page 12

The College Student Leadership team for 2007 NAME

CORRIDOR

McGREGOR, Kimberley

Lockley

Dr Dale Mason

Senior Tutor

FAUX, Daniel

Bottom Cock

MORAN, Daniel

Bottom Han

SALTER, Michelle

Top Cock

O’DONNELL, Daniel

Bottom Thatcher

GOLDSMITH, Emily

Mid Cock

TAYLOR, Daniel

Bottom North

EVANS, Ben

Mid Dowling

BRECKENRIDGE, Kylie

Mid Han

CHESTERS, Tegan

Top North

HEINIGER, Jaime

Top Thatcher

FISHER, Elizabeth

Top Han

BEGGS, Braedan

Bottom Dowling

VAN DYK, Sarah

Top Dowling

Executive President: Vice-President: Secretary: Treasurer: Social Convenors: Media Rep Female Sports Convenor: Male Sports Convenor: Cultural Convenor: ICC Cultural Convenor Non Executive Positions Board of Governors Representative: International Student Officer Liaison Officer O’week Coordinator: (elected) O’week Coordinators (appointed) O’Week Action Committee

Shop:

Emily Goldsmith Daniel Faux Hamish Isles Oliver Hamilton Amanda McCosker and Daniel Taylor Kylie Breckenridge Sarah Van Dyk Daniel Moran Kimberley McGregor Iain More

Sheree O’Dwyer Rebecca Smith Brooke Schmidke Zenan Franks Nathan Reidy, Stewart Glynn, Sam Eldridge, Bridget McNee, Diana Potter, Angela Day. Zenan Franks Nathan Reidy Kurt Gaudry James Barton Nicholas O’Donnell

Did you live in Lockley?

If you were in College before 1984, you were most unlikely to have lived in Lockley. When the College opened in 1954, this was the wing built to accommodate the live-in domestic staff: housekeeper, kitchen and cleaning staff. At a later date, it became known as the Carmody Wing since it was the closest to Carmody Road, but in 1984 it was refurbished as visitor accommodation and renamed in honour of the Foundation Principal of the College, the Rev Dr G Lindsay Lockley. In more recent years, as College membership has expanded, Lockley has accommodated undergraduate students.

Lindsay Lockley came to Queensland in 1950 to become the first full-time Principal of the Queensland Congregational (Theological) College. Shortly after his arrival, an offer of £40 000 was made to help establish a university residential college under the auspices of the Queensland Congregational churches and so, in April 1950, Cromwell College was formally established with Lockley as its Principal. Assisted by members of the Board of Governors, he set about finding a site for the College, raising further funding, organising building works and, ultimately, admitting the first students.

He remained Principal of the College until early 1970, an incumbency of some twenty years.

Lockley was at heart an academic. Ordained to the Christian ministry in 1932 with a Sydney Arts degree and theological qualifications, it was during his service in the Gordon (NSW), Rose Park and Angaston (SA) Congregational Churches that he added a Bachelor of Divinity from the Melbourne College of Divinity. He gained his Sydney MA in 1949, while working as Secretary-Moderator of the Congregational Union of South Australia. A PhD from the University of Queensland was added in 1968 with a thesis on the History and Influence of Congregationalism in Australia (published posthumously in 2001). He lectured not only to his own theological students but to those of other denominations also, holding the post of part-time lecturer in early Church History at UQ from 1953 to1969.

Despite the demands of his position as Principal of Cromwell and, for much of this time, of the Theological Hall also, Lockley served the church in other ways. He was Chairman of the Congregational Union of Australia for three to four years, played an important role in the London Missionary Society (later the Congregational Council for World Mission) and made many visits to Papua-New Guinea in this capacity. Yet the College remained the major focus of his work. He was sometimes angered when church people suggested that he did not have a parish to look after and was wont to point out that those under his pastoral care were frequently more numerous than those in the care of some other ministers.

College Principals are not necessarily the most popular people with the students in their care, yet Lindsay Lockley gained the

respect of most who passed through the College during his time. An Old Collegian speaking at Lockley’s funeral service in 1991 confirmed this when he said: Lindsay always had students’ welfare close to his heart, and for this he was held in very high esteem by the student body, so much so that when the Old Collegians decided to set up a fund to assist students in time of need, it seemed only fitting that the fund be named the Lockley Fund.

Perhaps the character of the man is best summed up in the words of the plaque commemorating the opening of the Lockley Wing: “A Christian Scholar of Compassion, Wit and Wisdom”.

COCA News 2007 • Page 13

College Refurbishment Program Continues

A College Chapel which is a centre of activity and bustle sounds like an indication that College life is going in the right direction. At Cromwell, the Chapel has been refurbished to make it a more flexible and usable space, whilst still retaining its original dedicated purpose and its position as the centre of the college’s spiritual and community life.

The installation of air-conditioning means that the Chapel will be more usable, particularly during Summer, for ex-resident events such as weddings and christenings, as well as for other activities such as services, Christian group meetings and individual access for meditation or prayer.

The traditional pews have been removed and replaced by linkable and stackable chairs, enabling the seating to be configured for a range of user needs, such as discussions and group work. New carpeting has given the Chapel a new feel which complements the beautiful stained glass windows.

The Chapel can also be used by Collegians for activities such as music practice, choral work, debates and public speaking. The more it is incorporated into the life of the College and its use is normalised, the more likely it will be used as a refuge for quiet moments of reflection and contemplation by resident students.

For public occasions, the installation of a state-of-the-art digital audio/visual facility enables the chapel to be used for presentations and conferences for up to 100 attendees.

The Chapel has tended to be underused in recent years. These changes make it a much more usable space whilst still retaining its original dedicated focus.

The walkways which join the residential buildings have been renovated, They have been re-lined with insulating material, repainted and, where necessary, guttering and spouting renewed.

The three large Seniors’ suites in Hancock Building have been divided into an ensuite room for the Senior and a separate student’s room. This provides three new student rooms which will help to accommodate the pressure the College is experiencing from well-qualified applicants.

These rooms and the seniors’ rooms have been renovated to provide extra storage and facilities as a prototype of the renovation that is intended for the rest of the College once the funds are available for this expensive undertaking.

Moving in was easy – moving out...?

Cromwell Residents are

‘Spoilt for Choice’ with UQ Sport With the collapse of universal membership of the University Student Union and UQ Sport through the Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) legislation imposed by the Commonwealth Government, full access to the University’s sporting and exercise facilities has been restricted to those students who are prepared to take out a membership of UQ Sport.

The Colleges were approached in 2006 to consider taking a group membership for all their residents. Three Colleges, including Cromwell, took up the offer and, after discussion with the Student Association and the Board of Governors, the discounted UQ Sport membership fee was included in the College Fees for 2007.

The decision to proceed with this opportunity was taken with a concern for the well-being and health of residents. Whilst College sport offers all residents opportunities for physical activity, a regular program of exercise will assist students to keep fit and to maintain a positive attitude when the stressful end of Semester rolls around.

The UQ Sport program offers free access to the Aquatic Centre and the UQ Sport gymnasia, heavily discounted access to sport and exercise activities and to the other services provided by UQ Sport.

The College package includes individual fitness checks and nutrition programs for all residents.

These are in progress now and residents are finding out how flexible and sculptured their bodies are after their months or years in College with all that yummy College food.

COCA News 2007 • Page 14

College proves a popular location

for conferences and visitors

During 2006 and 2007, the College has been well-patronised by Conference groups.

The most notable of these was the Uniting Church National Assembly which filled the College for a week in early July 2006.

Over 200 delegates enjoyed the Cromwell experience, and from observation, they seemed to get well into the Crommie Spirit.

The feedback from this event was very gratifying for the College and showed that the College can support very large numbers of guests in a calm and efficient manner, utilising all the facilities of the College to provide a comprehensive and customer focussed experience.

The range of groups who use the College is surprisingly diverse: in the last twelve months, the College has hosted high school sportsmen and women from the UK, Southern Africa and across Australia through the Southern Skies Schools sports program; the Queensland University Regiment Dinner; the Queensland Cricket Development Squad; the Australian Students Space Association and numerous visiting school groups including our old friends from Dysart State High School who come to the College at the beginning of each year.

U.C. National Assembly guests relax

The College also hosts regular groups of international students who are engaged in intensive TESOL courses run by the University’s Institute for Continuing and TESOL Education.

The facilities of the college for conference groups have been extended through the recent renovation of the Chapel. With air-conditioning, comfortable chairs replacing the old pews and a state of the art audiovisual installation, the Chapel is a quiet, pleasant and comfortable venue for seminars and workshops, lectures or meetings.

Then there is the steady stream of University visitors who are accommodated in the visitors’ rooms. These are motel style rooms with ensuite bathrooms and air-conditioning. They are located in the Cromwell Cottage and on the ground floor of the Lodge in the quietest area of the College.

Uniting Church delegates at Cromwell

These visitors are often short-term, but some of the longer term academic visitors take an interest in the work of the college, chatting informally with student residents and from time to time providing seminars or workshops in their areas of expertise.

Ex-Collegians who are contemplating a visit to Brisbane for business or other trips to the city should give thought to the possibility of re-visiting the College and taking advantage of the accommodation options that are available.

If you are planning a seminar, conference or workshop, or are just thinking of visiting the University or Brisbane, think about the opportunities that the College offers - minutes from the centre of the University or to regular, quick buses to the CBD, access to the facilities of the University and the beautiful UQ grounds, away from the hurly-burly of the City and access to hours of nostalgia whilst you relive some of the best years of your life as a College resident.

For more information: contact stay@cromwell.uq.edu.au or call Judy Ayres on (07) 3377 1300.

National Assembly delegates at Cromwell

COCA News 2007 • Page 15

Orientation Week ‘07  The ten-legged race brings out the natural leaders

 Freshers line up for the morning program  Freshers on the march

 The ubiquitous red hats

Group problem  solving in O’week

 “We’re all in this together” O’week breakfast

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