Star of the Sea College Past Students' Association

After 40 years away, the class of 1986 returned to Star for their milestone reunion on Saturday.

Amongst lots of chat, laughter, and deights of recognition of old friends, the group visited old classrooms and marvelled at how much had changed at Star since their day.

One past student made a special effort to take part, Irena Zakarija-Grkovic planned her trip back to Australia from her home in Croatia around this reunion and clearly loved visiting her old school and meeting up with her classmates. Others came from Queensland and regional Victoria.

Many of the 1986 year have on-going connections with Star. Some have been, and still are, parents, sending their own daughters to Star. While Lisa Dwyer is Chair of the College Board, and Lisa Murie has been on staff since October 1989.

Star's Year 10 and 11 Art students shared in the knowledge and creativity of artist and past student Lizzie Sullivan (Class of 1977) when she returned to Star recently to run workshops for the students.

Lizzie guided the students through figure drawing, still life and mixed media together with a brief overview of still life art history.

The workshops were the next stage of Lizzie's involvement after presenting at Stars Speak in June. A key feature of this talk was about her portrait of fellow past student and feminist Germaine Greer (Class of 1955) which was a finalist in the esteemed Archibald Prize in 2024. This portrait has been acquired by Star, thanks to the fund raising of the Parents' Association, and will soon go on display.

Lizzie, who is also a secondary school Art teacher, was impressed with how Star has developed since she started here in Prep.

"I love the combination of the new and the old; it works really well and shows how Star has stayed contemporary. I was amazed at how committed and enthusiastic the students are, even wanting to continue their artwork through lunchtime."

Our annual More than 50 Years Reunion is a great opportunity to catch up with your classmates and meet new friends.

Don't forget to book for this popular event on Thursday 27 August.

Book here: www.trybooking.com/DMCHG
We look forward to welcoming you back to Star!

Did you finish Year 12 at Star last year? Don't forget to book for your One Year Reunion coming up soon.

We'd love to see you back on Wednesday 19 August at 6pm to catch up with your classmates and teachers over drinks and finger food.

We hope you can join us to reconnect and share what you've been up to since graduation.

It's a free event, but bookings are essential for catering.
Book here: www.trybooking.com/DMBMM

Did you finish at Star more than 50 years ago? You're invited to join us, and many of your classmates, on Thursday 27 August at 11.00am - 1.00pm.

This is always a wonderful occasion to catch up with good friends and share treasured memories.

This is a free event, but bookings are essential.
Book your place here: www.trybooking.com/DMCHG

We look forward to welcoming you back to Star!

Class of 2025 – we'd love to see you back at Star!

Join us for your 1 Year Reunion and catch up with your classmates and teachers over drinks and finger food.

We hope you can join us for a relaxed evening of reconnecting and sharing what you've been up to since graduation.

When: Wednesday 19 August | 6.00pm – 7.30pm

This is a free event, but bookings are essential.
Book your place here: www.trybooking.com/DMBMM

Did you finish at Star in 1986? Can you believe it's 40 years? That means it's time for your 'special' reunion.

Join your old classmates on Saturday 15 August to catch up, try to remember faces and have a laugh about old times, plus see how Star has changed. You'll have a look around Star then go on to Brix Bar in Martin St.

We look forward to seeing you - don't forget to book!

The Star Community Choir returns for Term 3 on Wednesday 22 July, and we’d love to welcome you.

Whether you’ve sung with the choir before or have been thinking about giving it a try, now is the perfect time to join. The choir brings together past students, parents, staff and friends of Star to share the joy of singing and making music together.

We are incredibly fortunate to have past student Annemarie Sharry leading the choir. With her wealth of experience, outstanding musicianship and genuine passion for choral singing, Annemarie guides each rehearsal with warmth, energy and encouragement, helping singers of all abilities grow in confidence.

Your first session is free, so come along and experience the choir for yourself.

For bookings and further information, please visit:
www.star.vic.edu.au/community/past-students/star-community-choir/

Thank you, Star Community!

We are deeply grateful to our Star community for the extraordinary generosity shown throughout Giving Day 2026.

Together, you raised $70,005 for the Star Bursary Fund.

Every gift will help open doors for students whose circumstances may otherwise limit their opportunity to experience a Star education - supporting them to participate fully in school life, build connections and realise their potential.

In the spirit of Facta non Verba (Deeds not Words) our community has once again shown what can be achieved when we come together with generosity, hope and a shared belief in the potential of every young person.

Thank you to every donor, matching donor, volunteer, past student, parent, staff member and friend of Star who shared the campaign, gave so generously and helped make this day possible.

Your support will make a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of young people at Star. Thank you.

Past student artist Lizzie Sullivan (Class of 1977) captivated the audience at Stars Speak yesterday, sharing insights into her thoughtful artistic process.

​College Principal Mary O'Connor and more than 120 past students, staff and friends gathered in the Chapel to hear Lizzie speak and view a selection of her impressive works, including her portrait of fellow past student Germaine Greer (Class of 1955). The striking portrait, a finalist in the 2024 Archibald Prize, has now been acquired by Star and will soon be displayed in a prominent position at the College.

Many members of Lizzie’s year level came along to celebrate her success and hear about her work as she spoke with fellow Class of 1977 past student Penny Hewett Repse. It was fascinating to learn about the influences behind Lizzie’s practice, including her art teachers at Star, Sisters Austen and Rose.

The audience in the Star Chapel was also keen to hear how the portrait of one of our most well-known past students, Germaine Greer, came about. It was especially meaningful to welcome several of Germaine’s classmates to the event.

All guests then enjoyed afternoon tea in the Heritage Building, providing a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and continue the conversation.

Thank you to Lizzie for so generously sharing her creativity, talent and remarkable body of work with our community.