Our Community

Old Boys

CBHS Lewisham has a rich tradition of young men graduating and excelling in various fields, with each year adding a new generation of accomplished Old Boys to our proud legacy.

We welcome class reunions onsite; begin your event here and rediscover the campus with a tour, then carry on to a local venue.  

Register and stay in touch on the Old Boys Association Facebook group (Lewo Old Boys), or by emailing us at old.boys@cbhslewisham.nsw.edu.au

Upcoming Reunions

Do you have a Class Reunion planned? Let us know and we will advertise it here.

Notable Alumni

For over 130 years, our young men have excelled in various fields and below is a snapshot of those students, further additions and updates are welcomed.

Clergy

  • Bishop John Cullinane (1944) – Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Melbourne
  • Archbishop James Carroll (1931) – Auxiliary Bishop to Cardinal Gilroy
  • Bishop William Brennan (1927) – Bishop of Toowoomba
  • Bishop Albert Thomas (1931) – Bishop of Bathurst
  • Fr T. Boland OBE (1942) – Assistant Chaplain-General in the AIF, Rank: Colonel
  • Fr P. McCabe – Superior General, Sacred Heart Fathers
  • Fr Brian Lucas – National Director, Catholic Mission
  • Fr Lionel Marsden S.M. OBE – Chaplain during World War II

Medicine & Science

  • Victor Chang AC – Pioneering Cardiac Surgeon, performed Australia’s first heart transplant
  • Jim Quirk AO, FAA (1941) – Soil Science Professor, researcher and former Director, Waite Agricultural Research Institute and University of Western Australia
  • Dr Tony Millar – Founder, Australia’s first sports medicine clinic
  • Dr Alan Dwyer – Orthopaedic surgeon and spinal surgery pioneer
  • Sir Oswald ‘Ellis’ Joseph Murphy (1895–1980) – Prominent physician and WWI medical officer
  • Professor Reginald Lord AM – Pioneer in stroke prevention and vascular surgery

Entertainment, Media and The Arts

  • Leo Schofield AM (1952) – Journalist, Broadcaster and noted Creative Director
  • David Wenham AM – International Actor (Lord of the Rings, Van Helsing, Elvis, Sea Change, Pirates of the Caribbean and more)
  • Aaron McGrath – Actor (Mystery Road, Redfern Now, Jasper Jones)
  • Daniel Belle – Opera singer (Les Misérables & Side Show for Opera Australia, The Ten Tenors)
  • Ron Blair – Playwright (The Christian Brothers), Theatre director
  • Francis Webb – Acclaimed Australian poet, A Drum for Ben Boyd
  • Jim Waaldersee – Author and historian of the Catholic Church in Australia
  • John Brady – NRL Media & Communications Manager (1995–2013)

Business

  • John Walsh AO – Co-designer of the National Disability Insurance Scheme
  • John Francis (Jack) Hennessy (1887–1955) – Architect, principal of Hennessy & Hennessy
  • Thomas Joseph Hartigan (1877–1963) – NSW Railways Commissioner (1936–1944)
  • E.J. McMahon – State and Federal Commissioner of Taxation (NSW) 1928
  • James Bentley Corbin OBE – Recognised for community service (1955)

Politics, Law and Public Service

  • John Aquilina – Former NSW Speaker of the House and MP (1981–2007)
  • Michael Grove QC – Justice, NSW Supreme Court; Judge Marshal, RAAF
  • Brian McGowan – NSW Legislative Assembly (1976–1988)
  • Kevin O’Leary QC – Chief Justice, Northern Territory (1985–1987)
  • Terry Sheahan AO – Politician and Judge, NSW Land and Environment Court
  • Hon. Harry Woods – Former Federal and State MP
  • David Coleman MP – Member for Banks; Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • Ernest O’Dea – 69th Lord Mayor of Sydney, NSW Legislative Council (1943–1967)
  • Ernest Paul Knoblanche QC – NSW District Court Judge (1973–1991)
  • Colman Wall – NSW Supreme Court Judge
  • Kevin Dobson – Chief Magistrate, Canberra (1984)
  • Br Julian McDonald CFC, PhD – Former Chancellor, Australian Catholic University

Military Service

  • Brigadier Patrick McGrath OBE (1942) – Middle East Command, Duntroon graduate
  • Colonel John McCall – First CBHS Lewisham student to graduate from Duntroon
  • Corporal John Bernard Mackey VC – Victoria Cross recipient
  • James Nolan – RAAF Flight Lieutenant
  • Kevin Leavey – RAAF Pilot Officer, Missing over Burma – 21 Years old 
  • Thomas Dodd – RAAF Flight Sergeant, shot down over Europe – 
  • Alex Christie – RAAF Flying Officer, Shot down over Europe 
  • George Filpatrick – RAAF Flight Sergeant,  Bomber crash, England 1945 
  • Pat Smyth – AIF Corporal, Died while a POW 1944.
  • Fred Brown – AIF Private, Died while a POW Thailand, 23 years old
  • Clifford Dunshea – RAAF  Pilot Officer – Leading a fighter Squadron, Killed in action 1945 
  • John Prendergast – AIF Private – Died while a POW Borneo, 1945, 23 years old
  • Frank O’Hara – AIF Major, Killed in New Guinea, 1942

Sport

  • Steve Gearin – Rugby League player (Canterbury, Manly, St George)
  • Brett Holman – Socceroos, 63 caps
  • Raphael Bove – Former Socceroo
  • Roger Hartigan (1894) – Test cricketer (Century on debut vs England)
  • Martin Mulligan – Tennis player, Wimbledon finalist, Italian Davis Cup Captain
  • Paul Osborne – Rugby League player and politician, 135+ NRL games
  • Shane Rigon – Rugby League player (Sydney Roosters, South Sydney), 180 NRL games
  • Andrew Lomu – Rugby League player (Roosters, Broncos), 90 NRL games
  • Solomon Haumono – Rugby League player and professional boxer
  • Michael Speechley – Rugby League player, 173 NRL games
  • Jim Walters – Rugby League player (Newtown Jets, 1981 Grand Final)
  • Peter Winchester – Rugby League player (Canterbury Bulldogs)
  • Peter “Bullfrog” Moore OAM – GM, Canterbury Bulldogs, National Team Manager
  • Greg Stafford – AFL player (Sydney Swans, Richmond), 200+ games
  • Andrew Koczka – Socceroo, 1988 Australian Olympic team
  • Kurtis Patterson – Current Australian Cricket player (Century on debut), Australia A Cricket team, New South Wales Cricket team, Sydney Sixers
  • Bailey Hayward – Current Rugby League player (Canterbury Bulldogs), represented Scotland in Rugby League World Cup
  • Sam Konstas – Current NSW & Australian Cricketer, Test debut 2024 MCG v India
  • Steve Roberts – Australian Touch Football Captain (2010–2015, 54 Tests)
    Trent Touma – Australian Touch Football player, 19 Tests
  • Paul Forrester – Australian Touch Football Mixed Team, 6 Tests
  • Charlie Kazzi – Professional Boxer
  • Max Geoghegan – Super 2 Car Racing
  • Jeremy Bray – Australian-Irish cricketer, International Representation
  • Nathan Peats – Rugby League player (Parramatta, Titans), Indigenous All Stars
  • Marco Tilio – A League player, Socceroos (FIFA World Cup 2022)
  • Tannous (Tony) Sukkar – Rugby League player (West Tigers), represented Lebanon in Rugby League World Cup
  • Paul Akkary – Rugby League player, (Newtown Jets, Penrith Panthers, Rabbitohs, Canterbury Bulldogs), 63 NRL games
  • James Blackwood – Australian Touch Football player, 18 Tests
  • Terry Heidtmann – Longtime Penrith Panthers board member and former player
  • George Griffiths – First-class cricketer, NSW and South Australia
  • Alan Brady – Rugby League player and premiership-winning coach
  • Ethan Roberts – Current Rugby League player (Roosters), Indigenous All Stars

Education

  • Jim Walters – Former Director, Junior School, St Patrick’s Strathfield
  • Paul Finneran – Principal, Assumption College, Kilmore
  • John Finneran – Director of School Improvement, Marist Schools Australia
  • Michael Ronchetti – Principal, St Pius X College, Chatswood
  • Michael Ilott – Director of Senior School, Xavier College
  • David Forrester – Former Principal, Marist Kogarah & All Saints College
  • Paul Forrester – Principal, La Salle College, Bankstown
  • Michael Robson – Former Deputy Principal, St Patrick’s Strathfield
  • Daniel Khoury – Director of Pastoral Care, St Dominic’s Penrith
  • Dr Peter (Percy) Watson MBE – Teacher, Waverley College (1957–1968)