College News – 5 June 2026

This year's theme 'All In' calls us to actively promote reconciliation in Australia, every day, in every way. Through our programs and activities this week, we were reminded that we can only achieve reconciliation when we all commit to being the positive change we want to see.   

This week, students across the First Basketball, Football and Soccer teams have represented the College wearing the 2020 Indigenous design kits created by former boarding student Marcus McGregor-Cassady (’11). We have also enjoyed a Reconciliation Week BBQ run by the Social Justice group, and Junior students were privileged to hear the music and family story of First Nations musician, Nathan May. Although the recent wild weather has prevented students from participating in the reconciliation river walks and MABO Day football match, these have been rescheduled for a later date. 

A special thank you to Year 11 First Nations boarding student Tarynt Stubbs who has been painting students’ football and basketball shoes with his original art in honour of Reconciliation Round. 

We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures and futures. 

On Wednesday we welcomed 30 boys considering joining Rostrevor in Year 7 to our College for an opportunity to experience secondary schooling in the Rostrevor environment. They started the day with some get-to-know-you activities before participating in Science, Agriculture, Technology, Music and Manchester City Football School classes. Thank you to the Year 7 helpers who gave up their time to lead the groups and share their experience of being a Rostrevor student. 
 
Do you know someone considering a Year 7 enrolment for their son in 2028? Make sure they register for the August Come & Try Day!

The Rostrevor College Careers Expo on Wednesday night saw almost 30 exhibitors from a range of industries coming along to speak to our Senior School students and their families about career opportunities in their fields. We sincerely thank the many Old Collegians and wider Adelaide community members who took the time to help Rostrevor’s learners to make decisions about their post-school pathways. 

Rostrevor’s second Quiz Night was a resounding success, with 130 parents, caregivers and friends gathering in Callan Hall to spend a fun Saturday evening testing their trivia knowledge and catching up with one another. All funds raised through our 2026 community events and initiatives support the College Foundation which works to enrich the Rostrevor experience for all students. A big thank you to volunteers Paula Briffa, Meagan Furst and Erica Pennington whose tireless efforts made the evening possible, to all our generous donors and to the members of our College community who came along on the night.  

Rostrevor parents and caregivers are now invited to save the date for the Spring Long Lunch approaching in Term 3 on Saturday 12 September at Victoria Park Social Club. More information about this exciting event will be sent to families later this year.  

On Wednesday, two Old Collegian former AFL stars visited Rostrevor to speak to students about their stories and offer valuable advice and industry knowledge.  

Tom Jonas (’08) hosted a leadership workshop with our Year 7 to 12 Football Captains, sharing insights from his experiences as Captain of the Port Adelaide Football Club from 2019 to 2023. His session provided valuable lessons and practical perspectives on leadership, exploring key themes of resilience, culture and connection, skills that students can apply both on and off the field. 

Jack Hombsch (’10) also returned to Rostrevor this week to work with our Stage 2 Specialist AFL classes as part of their Coaching assessment task. After a successful AFL career with GWS, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast, Jack now serves as the Adelaide Crows Defence Coach, bringing a wealth of elite-level experience back to the College. During his visit, Jack provided valuable insights, sharing his expertise in building strong relationships with players, planning and delivering effective training sessions, and leading line meetings and performance reviews. 

Students also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of clear, purposeful feedback in driving improvement and fostering team culture. Jack’s practical advice and real-world examples offered a meaningful connection between classroom learning and high-performance sport. 

We are grateful to Tom and Jack for generously giving their time to support our students, many of whom aspire to have similar AFL careers in the future.  

To mark the conclusion of National Reconciliation Week and the eve of World Environment Day, students from Rostrevor’s Social Justice Group joined Kildare College's Living Justice Living Peace Group for a day of learning and service. 

At the Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Willis led a guided walk sharing insights into Kaurna culture, connection to Country, native edible plants and significant places where stories and traditions were shared by men and women. Students then travelled to Semaphore Beach for a clean-up, helping care for the local environment and putting their commitment to social justice and stewardship into action. 

The excursion provided a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of First Nations culture, build connections with students from Kildare College and reflect on how they can contribute to a more respectful and sustainable future. 

On Tuesday the Stage 1 Agriculture students ventured into the Adelaide Hills for a day of Viticulture and Winemaking. They first stopped into one of Sidewood's vineyards at Oakbank and listened to Head Viticulturalist Colin talk about the history of the company, vineyard management, sustainable practices and possible career opportunities in the industry. They then visited Sidewood's winery in Nairne where Hugh, Nick and Senior Winemaker Dylan walked the students through wine production, from the grapes being trucked in all the way to the finished product in the bottling shed. It was a great experience seeing how wine is made on a commercial scale, which complemented what the boys have been learning at school as they make their own wine. 

Hort Connections is Australia and New Zealand's premier horticulture event and trade show. With hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of attendees, Rostrevor’s Agriculture students were lucky to receive an invite on Wednesday for the 'Hort Education' program along with a few other schools. Students thoroughly engaged with exhibitors throughout the day, listening to talks from Boomaroo Nurseries and Perfection Fresh Australia, as well as other industry experts covering themes of technology and precision horticulture, climate adaptation, sustainability and consumer preferences. Overall, it was a unique opportunity to step beyond the classroom and experience this dynamic industry first-hand.  

Service and Formation are essential pillars of a Rostrevor education, inspiring every student to be a positive change in his community. The program focuses on developing socially conscious young men through social justice initiatives, community service and faith‑based formation. Students participate in activities ranging from fundraising and advocacy to hands‑on service helping the vulnerable in our community. Across Years 7–12, Retreats and Formation Days guide boys toward self‑awareness, empathy and living authentically, giving them the confidence to take their place in the world as Men for Others. 

Vacation care delivered by the YMCA is available for Rostrevor families on-site over the upcoming school holidays. For activity schedules, fees and to book, view the flyer or visit the YMCA website. 

The Rostrevor First XVIII Football team took on PAC at an away game in Round 5 on Saturday. The team came out of the blocks kicking six goals in the first quarter off the back of strong contest and pressure around the ground. Zayd El-Hosni and Archah Parisi both hit the scoreboard with two first quarter goals.  

The game flipped over in the second quarter with PAC gaining the upper hand around contest, able to score important goals off the back of the momentum. Rostrevor led by one point at half-time. In slippery conditions the game was played at a good level of football all day and throughout the second half both teams created opportunities. In the end, PAC were able to seize more of those opportunities to hold on to a tight seven-point win.  

Although the team were disappointed to lose, there were plenty of positive learnings to take away from the game. Congratulations to the best on ground Harvey Pearce, Mac Bishop, Charlie Best, Harry Krieg, Ethan Staritski and Archah Parisi, with Archah and Tate Boxer the leading goal kickers with three each. 

Rostrevor's First V Basketball team participated in the Year 11/12 Division 1 Knockout competition last week against Prince Alfred College and Pulteney Grammar School. This marks the start of the qualification process for the Australian School National Basketball Championships on the Gold Coast in December. The team came away with one win and one loss, going down to PAC by 13 points but bouncing back and beating Pulteney by 12 in game two. The team now progresses to Round 2 later in the term with the opposition yet to be determined. 

Rostrevor’s Year 5/6 Football team hosted two matches of the SAPSASA Knockout Football Competition on Monday, taking on St Joseph’s School Hectorville and Trinity Gardens School. The team showed great teamwork and skill, coming away with convincing wins from both matches to progress to the next round in a couple of weeks. It was fantastic to see the boys playing so well and supporting each other throughout the day. 

On Friday last week, eight Year 6 students attended the Statewide Boys Netball competition where they played against Cedar College and Prospect Primary school. Although they lost their first game against Cedar, it was also the first competitive game most of the boys had ever played, and they showed great competitiveness and teamwork. The second game was a superb team performance which earned them a resounding win and gave them a chance to play in different positions. It was great to see the boys out of their comfort zone and having a go at a new sport.