A lasting legacy

Nicole Roache, Marketing & Advancement Manager

Some of the most powerful gifts come not with fanfare, but with quiet intent - bequests that carry forward a legacy of generosity, foresight, and belief in education. Over the past decade, these acts of planned giving have helped shape futures in ways both profound and lasting.

Over the past decade, more than $4 million has been gifted to The Geelong College and The Geelong College Foundation through bequests - gifts that speak not just to generosity, but to vision.

Among them is the remarkable contribution of Alastair Gordon Brebner (OGC 1952), a sheep and cattle farmer from Ballyrogan in Western Victoria, who passed away on 31 December 2020. In 2022, the Foundation received over $639,000 from his estate - a powerful legacy from a man who understood the value of both land and education. A founding member of the Morrison Society, Alastair saw giving as a longterm investment in the lives of students he’d never meet, but whose futures he quietly shaped.

Following in the footsteps of his father William (OGC 1903) and brother Bill (OGC 1949), Alastair boarded at the College from 1949 to 1956. He remembered his time here with warmth (and a fair bit of mischief), proudly earning House Colours for Football and Rowing, and helping his team win the VH Proffitt Trophy in 1955. Today, his great-niece continues the family’s boarding legacy at the College - a living connection to Alastair’s story. His gift was unconditional, but with deep roots in the boarding experience that shaped him. In that spirit, the Foundation has invested the funds and committed up to 5% of the corpus annually to support boarding scholarships for students from rural and remote areas. These are now known as the Brebner Boarding Scholarships - the first recipient begins in Year 11 in 2026.

This legacy is philanthropy at its best - quiet, generous, and built for the long haul. Like farming, it’s about stewardship. Alastair nurtured flocks and herds with care and patience; now, his gift helps grow young minds with the same philosophy. Both farmers and philanthropists know the real harvest comes from thinking ahead and leaving things better than they found them.

Do you have a Will?

Making a will is one of the most important things you can do - for your family, and for the causes that matter to you. It brings peace of mind, ensures your wishes are honoured, and creates the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy, just as Alastair did.

The Geelong College has partnered with Gathered Here to offer a free, easy-to-use online will service.

We encourage all members of our community to take advantage of this - whether you choose to leave a gift to the College or not. Your loved ones come first, always - but if you’re in a position to support future students, even a small bequest can make a world of difference.

To find out more, visit: bit.ly/gatheredTGC