40 Years On (Class of 1985–1989)

Over the weekend of Friday 25–Saturday 26 May, we hosted the 40 Years On Reunion for the Class of 1985–1989. This was the largest decade reunion in many years, with 95 guests attending from across New Zealand, Australia, and Japan.

The reunion began on Friday afternoon with a guided tour of the College campus. Despite the modern upgrades, some things remained comfortingly familiar such as the unmistakable scent of the gymnasium. A highlight was Tim King discovering his name on the Sports Wall of Fame, recognising his international rugby career with Portugal.

Following the tour, guests gathered in the Strowan House staff room, including the nine Andrew’s in attendance and this contributed to a lively exchange of memories, ranging from legendary tales to those best left untold. It was wonderful to have John and Jill Irving, Roland Burrows, Wayne Milligan, Stan Hill, Mike Woodlock, Joe Leota, and Rex Livingstone with us. Special thanks to Ben Glover for generously supplying his fine wines, which were enjoyed throughout the weekend. 1989 Head Boy Geoff Spark welcomed everyone with his signature charm and good humour, even banning any discussion of rising butter prices.

Saturday evening featured the traditional Haggis Address led with flair by Year 13 student Noah Fanene, supported by Guy Reardon, Tim Patterson, Andrew Kininmonth and Year 10 piper, Charlie Gregg. Guy, having misread the request and prepared the full eight-stanza poem, was visibly relieved to discover his role was holding the ceremonial dagger.

Ben Glover emceed the evening with warmth and humour, while Grant McLean delivered a moving tribute to classmates who are no longer with us. Geoff offered a heartfelt Toast to the College, sharing fond memories including a cheeky detour to the Cave Pub during a school farm trip. The evening also included a light-hearted Scottish poem from Guy and plenty of laughter over shared stories of youthful misadventures. Thank you to Andrew Davies for leading the Grace, and to Sam Crosbie (OC 2009, OCA President) and Rector Mark Wilson for their thoughtful contributions to the evening’s speeches.

The night concluded with a spirited rendition of the College Song, led by Duncan Ellis. His improvised lyrics and melody brought the room together in a moment of joyful chaos, perfectly capturing the spirit of the reunion.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this event so memorable.