List of Old Xaverians

This article is about the school in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. For other institutions of the same name, see List of schools named after Francis Xavier.

There are many notable former students—known as "Old Xaverians" (Old Xavs)—and members of the "Old Xaverians' Association" ("OXA") of the Roman Catholic school Xavier College in Kew, Victoria, Australia. Most entries here have been sourced to the official announcement of the Old Xaverians' Association "Roll of Men of Achievement" announced at the 71st Annual Old Xaverians' Dinner held at Xavier College on 21 March 1997.

Old Xaverians Association crest

Arts, academia, entertainment and media

• Philip Brady OAM – TV and radio personality
• Michael Chamberlin – stand-up comedian; TV personality
• Santo Cilauro – comedian; cast member of The Panel
• Charlie Clausen – actor and comedian
• Colin Colahan – painter and sculptor; an Australian official war artist in 1942
• Timothy Conigrave – actor, memoirist, author of Holding the Man
• Peter Dahlsen – actor; now a barrister
• Liam Dowling, YouTube broadcaster
• Greg Dening – emeritus professor of history, University of Melbourne; author of the official history of Xavier College and the OXA
• Brian Fitzgerald – prominent liturgical musician and composer; choirmaster of St. Patricks Cathedral Melbourne 1973–1986; brother of Paul
• Paul Fitzgerald AM – world-renowned artist; founding president of the Realist Artists Guild of Australia; artist of official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
• Roger Franklin – journalist & Quadrant Online editor, author of The Defender: The story of General Dynamics, Inferno: The Day Victoria Burned, Fev
• Ben Gannon AO – film, theatre, and TV producer
• Simon Gleeson – theatre actor based in London
• Tom Gleisner – comedian; The Panel cast member
• Michael Gracey – director of The Greatest Showman
• Gypsy and the Cat – two-piece band: Xavier Bacash and Lionel Towers
• Jack O'Hagan OBE – musician and poet; wrote the songs "Along the Road to Gundagai" 1922 & "Our Don Bradman" 1930
• Gerard Henderson – syndicated newspaper columnist and former adviser to prime minister John Howard
• Peter Landy – Seven Network sports commentator
• Lawrence Leung – comedian, star of Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure
• Dan Lonergan – ABC radio sports commentator
• Sam McClure – AFL journalist
• James Massola – south-east Asia correspondent, previously chief political correspondent, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
• Matthew Newton – actor (Underbelly, Thank God You're Here); Logie nominee
• Gerald O'Collins SJ, AC – theologian
• Boyd Oxlade – author of Death in Brunswick
• John Roskam – senior fellow (& former executive director) of the Institute of Public Affairs
• Jock Serong – author
• David Studdart - Professor of Law, Professor of Health Policy, Vice Provost and Dean of Research, Stanford University, CA
• Brian O'Shaughnessy – philosopher based in London
• Peter O'Shaughnessy OAM – actor, author, folklorist based in the UK
• Grant Smillie – one half of TV Rock
• James Morgan Walsh - author of 94 novels
• Mike Walsh AM, OBE – TV personality, entrepreneur, and philanthropist
• Matt Walters – musician

Business

• Lt Sir Reginald Robert Barnewall Bt 13th Baronet Barnewall – aviator^[1]
• Sir Lewis Burne CBE – President of the Australian Council of Employers' Federations (1957–58)^[2]
• Edward Connellan AO, CBE – founder of Connair^[3]
• Andrew Dillon – CEO designate of the AFL
• Sir Nathaniel Freeman CBE (XC 1912) – philanthropist, film distributor and managing director of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Australia^[4]
• James P. Gorman AO (XC 1970–76) – banker, Executive Chairman and former CEO of Morgan Stanley^[5]
• Robert Hosking, Founder and CEO, Karoon Energy
• James Lavan CMG, ED – Head of Trading at the Commonwealth Bank^[6]
• Jiro Muramats (XC 1895–97) – pearler and storekeeper from Cossack, Western Australia
• George Taylor CBE – Chairman of Bank of London & South America Ltd (1970–1971) which later merged with Lloyds Bank Europe Ltd^[7]
• Lloyd J. Williams – property developer and entrepreneur

Catholic bishops

• Denis Hart – Archbishop of Melbourne (2001–2018)
• Romuald Denis Hayes SSC – Bishop of Rockhampton (1932–1945)^[8]

Law

High Court of Australia

• Simon Steward KC – Judge of the High Court of Australia (since 2020)^[9]

Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea

• Sir Colman Michael O'Loghlen Bt (XC 1931), 6th Baronet O'Loghlen – acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea, inaugural judge of the National Court of Papua New Guinea^[10]

Australian state Supreme Courts

• Sir Kevin Victor Anderson KC – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1969–1984)
• David Byrne KC – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1991–2010), Deputy Chief Justice (2001–2010)^[11]
• William Cox AC, KC (XC 1948–53) – Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Tasmania
• Philip Cummins AM, KC – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1988–2009), Chairperson of the Victorian Law Reform Commission (2012–2019)^[12][13]
• Sir Charles Duffy CMG – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1933–1961)^[14][15]
• Jack Forrest – Judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria (2007–2018)
• Terry Forrest KC – Judge of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria (since 2018)^[16]
• Tim Ginnane – Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria (2013–2023)^[17]
• Sir James Gobbo AC, CVO, KC (XC 1944–48) – Governor of Victoria and Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria
• Sir John Lavan – Judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia (1969–1981)
• Kevin Lyons KC – Judge of Trial Division (2018 - 2023) and then the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria (since 2023)
• Sir Murray McInerney KC – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1965–1983)^[14][18]
• Richard Niall KC – (XC 1984) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria (since 2025) and Solicitor-General of Victoria (2015–2017)
• Norman O'Bryan KC – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1977– 1992)^[19]
• Peter Riordan KC – Judge of Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria (since 2015)^[20]
• Rear Admiral Jack Rush AO, RFD, KC – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (2013–2016), Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force (since 2021)^[17]
• Simon Whelan KC (XC 1967–1971) – Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria (2004–2020)

Senior courts

• Xavier Connor AO KC (1926–34) – Judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory; the Federal Court of Australia; Chairman of the Victorian Bar
• Hubert Frederico KC – Judge of the Family Court of Australia (1976–2003)^[21]
• Geoffrey Giudice AO – President of the Australian Industrial Relation Commission, Judge of the Federal Court of Australia, President of the Fair Work Commission^[22]
• Simon Williams - Senior Deputy President Australian Industrial Relations Commission

• Anthony Howard AM, KC – Judge of the County Court of Victoria (2006–2016)^[23]
• Michael O’Bryan – Judge of the Federal Court of Australia (2019– )^[24]
• John Walters KC – Judge of the Family Court of Australia^[25]

King's Counsel

• Christopher J Blanden KC – Victorian Bar
• Chris Caleo KC – Victorian Bar
• Daniel Crennan KC – Victorian Bar
• David Curtain KC – Victorian Bar
• Gerard D Dalton KC – Victorian Bar
• Richard P P Dalton KC – Victorian Bar
• Dr David H Denton AM RFD KC – Victorian Bar
• Jeremy Gobbo KC – Victorian Bar
• Matthew Harvey KC – Victorian Bar
• Dr Richard J Manly KC – Victorian Bar
• Simon Marks KC – Victorian Bar
• Geoffrey G McArthur KC – Victorian Bar
• John Noonan KC – Victorian Bar
• Robert O'Neill KC – Victorian Bar
• James Peters AM KC – Victorian Bar
• Paul Santamaria KC – Victorian Bar
• Francis J J Tirnan KC – Victorian Bar
• Christopher J Townshend KC – Victorian Bar

Medicine and the sciences

• John Billings AM, KC*SG (XC 1931–35) – neurologist and expert in reproductive fertility
• Sir Edmund Britten Jones – Rhodes Scholar and a leading physician in Adelaide
• Daniel Mahoney – President of the Royal Society of Victoria (1939–1940), Director of the National Museum of Victoria^[26]
• Sir Ian Douglas Miller – President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (1957–1959)^[27]
• Professor Sir Peter Morris AC (XC 1947–52) – Nuffield Professor of Surgery at the University of Oxford; President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (2001–2004)^[28]
• Denis O'Day – Ophthalmologist and Lucien Howe Medallist (2009)^[29]

Military and defence

• Colonel Geoffrey Brennan CBE DSO (XC 1920–27) – commanding officer of the Royal Military College, Duntroon; served in the British Army as a lieutenant colonel, landed in France on D-Day, mentioned in despatches, served in India, the North West Territories, the Middle East and Korea, Awarded the Croix de Guerre^[30]
• Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Daly KBE CB DSO – Chief of the General Staff (1966–1971)
• Lieutenant Raymond John Paul Parer^[31] AFC – aviation pioneer; first single-engined flight from England to Australia^[32]
• Lieutenant-Commander Michael Parker CVO AM – Naval officer and former private secretary to the Duke of Edinburgh (1947–1957)

Politics and public service

Vice-regal

• Sir Bede Clifford GCMG, CB, MVO (XC 1904–1907) – Governor of The Bahamas (1932–1934), Governor of Mauritius (1937–1942) and Governor of Trinidad and Tobago (1942–1947)^[33][34]
• William Cox AC, RFD, ED, KC (XC 1948–53) – Governor of Tasmania (2004–2008)
• Sir James Gobbo AC CVO KC (XC 1944–48) – Governor of Victoria (1997–2000) and recipient of the Xaverian Award in 2012^[35]
• Christopher Muttukumaru CB, DL (XC 1968) – Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (2017–present)^[36][37]
• Sir Michael O'Loghlen Bt (XC 1883)^[38] – 4th Baronet O'Loghlen – Lord Lieutenant of County Clare (1910–1922)

Australian federal parliament

• Cornelius Ahern – MP for Indi (1913–1914)
• Richard Alston AO (XC 1947–59) – Minister for Communications (1996–2003), Victorian Senator (1986–2004); Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2005–2008), Federal President of Liberal Party (2014–2017)
• Tim Fischer AC (XC 1958–63) – Deputy Prime Minister of Australia (1996–1999), Leader of the National Party (1990–1999), MP for Farrer (1984–2001); Australian Ambassador to the Holy See (2008–2012)
• Rob Hulls AM (XC 1968–74) – MP for Kennedy (1990–1993)
• Edward Jolley – MP for Grampians (1914–1915)
• Pat Kennelly AO – Victorian Senator (1953–1971)
• Sir Phillip Lynch KCMG (XC 1950–51) – Treasurer of Australia (1975–1977); Deputy Liberal Party Leader (1972–1982); Privy Councillor; MP for Flinders (1966–1982)
• Julian McGauran – National Senator for Victoria (1987–1990; 1993–2006), Liberal Senator for Victoria (2006–2011)
• Peter McGauran – Minister for Science and Technology, MP for Gippsland (1983–2008)
• Arthur Rodgers (XC 1890) – Minister for Trade and Customs (1921–1923), MP for Wannon (1913–1922, 1925–1929)
• Thomas Ryan KC (XC 1890) – MP for West Sydney (1919–1921)
• Bill Shorten – Leader of the Opposition and Australian Labor Party Leader (2013–2019), MP for Maribyrnong (2007–2025)^[39]
• Dan Tehan – Minister for Education (2018–2020), Minister for Trade (2020–2022), MP for Wannon (since 2010)
• Tom Tehan – Senator for Victoria (1975–1978)

Australian state and territory parliaments

• John Bennett – Tasmanian State MP for Denison (1986–1990), Attorney-General of Tasmania (1986–1989)
• Harold Cohen CMG, CBE, DSO, VD (Xavier Captain 1898) – Solicitor-General of Victoria (1935), Victorian State MP for Caulfield (1935–1943), MLC for Melbourne South (1929–1935)
• Edward Connellan AO, CBE  – Northern Territory MLC (appointed) (1955–1967)
• Leo Connellan AM – NSW State MLC (1969–1981)
• Robin Cooper – Victorian State MP for Mornington (1985–2006), Minister for Transport (1997–1999)
• John Cornwall OAM (XC 1951) – South Australian State MLC (1975–1989), Minister for Health and Community Services (1985–1988), Minister for Health (1982–1985), Minister for Environment and Lands (1979), MLC (1975–1988)
• Luke Donnellan – Victorian State MP for Narre Warren North (2002–2022), Minister in Andrews' ministries (2014–2021)
• Julian Doyle – Victorian State MP for Gisborne (1967 to 1971)
• Tim Fischer AC (XC 1958–63) – NSW State MP for Sturt (1971–1980) and Murray (1980–1984)
• Michael Gidley – Victorian State MP for Mount Waverley (2010–2018)
• Matthew Groom – Tasmanian State MP for Denison (2010–2018), Minister for Environment and Energy (2014–2017)
• Rob Hulls AM (XC 1968–74) – Deputy Premier of Victoria (2007–2010), Attorney-General of Victoria (1999–2010), Victorian State MP for Niddrie (1996–2012)
• Pat Kennelly AO – Minister in Cain's first and second ministries; Victorian MLC for Melbourne West (1932–1952)
• Brendan Lyons – Tasmanian State MP for Bass (1982–1986), Minister for Housing (1984–1986)^[40]
• Kevin Lyons KC – Deputy Premier of Tasmania (1969–1972), Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly (1956–1959)
• Pat McNamara (XC 1957–68) – Deputy Premier of Victoria (1992–1999), Victorian State MP for Benella (1982–2000)
• Charles Murphy – Victorian State MP for Hawthorn (1952–1955)
• David O'Brien (XC 1985–88) – Victorian MLC for Western Victoria (2010–2014)
• Thomas Ryan KC (XC 1890) – Premier of Queensland (1915–1919)

UK Parliament (House of Lords)

• Lord (Lewis) Clifford (XC 1905), 12th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, British hereditary peer;^[41] patron of the Victorian scouting movement; donated "Yarra Brae", now Clifford Park Wonga Park, to the Scouts^[42] Brother of Sir Bede Clifford.

Public service

• Philip Alston AO – United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (2004–2010); UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights (since 2014)^[43]
• Daniel Crennan KC – Deputy Chair, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (1998 - 2000)
• George Brouwer – Victorian Ombudsman
• Sir Francis Connolly – Lord Mayor of Melbourne (1945–1948)^[44]
• Gerard Henderson – Chief of Staff to John Howard (1984–1986)
• Franz Schneider – Private Secretary to Prime Minister Joseph Lyons (1938–1939), Secretary to The Australian Public Service Board^[45]
• George Taylor CBE – Chief of Staff to Sir Frank Nelson KCMG, head of the Special Operations Executive^[7]

Sport

• Robert de Castella AO, MBE – World Marathon Champion 1983, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, multiple Olympian and former marathon world record holder
• Will Davison – current V8 supercar driver and two-time Bathurst 1000 winner
• Paul Dumbrell – current V8 supercar driver and one-time Bathurst 1000 winner
• Zak Evans – cricketer; Australia U19s, Melbourne Renegades, Victorian Men's
• Leslie "Chuck" Fleetwood-Smith – test cricketer
• Peter Williams - Victorian First Class Cricketer
• Dick Garrard Snr. OBE – Olympic wrestling silver medallist 1948 & 3 time Commonwealth Games Gold medallist
• Andrew Gowers – footballer
• Michael Green – footballer
• Alan Jones OBE – 1980 Formula One world champion
• Stuart King – Australian Rules footballer (St Kilda) and Victorian cricketer
• David McNeill – Australian representative to the 2012 Olympics in athletics^[46]
• Jonathan Merlo – cricketer; Australia U19s, Cricket Australia XI, Melbourne Stars
• James Morrissey – footballer
• Leo O'Brien – Australian Test cricketer; 1932–1936
• Pat O'Dea – US college football Hall of Fame inductee 1962
• Tom O'Donnell – cricketer
• Joseph Plant – Australian Rules footballer (Richmond) and Victorian First Class cricketer
• Austin Robertson Sr. – world champion professional sprinter (1930) VFL Footballer South Melbourne Football Club
• Ken Roche AO – Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles gold medalist
• Percy Rodriguez – Australian rules footballer, killed in action during the Battle of the Somme
• Karl Schneider – former Victorian first class cricketer
• Paul Trimboli – former Socceroos player
• Brian Sierakowski
• Four Old Xaverians, Leslie "Chuck" Fleetwood-Smith, Leo O'Brien, Stuart King and Joe Plant, represented Victoria v South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match at the MCG in February 1933.

International rowing representatives

• Peter Antonie OAM – multiple Olympian, Olympic gold medallist 1992 and World Champion 1986^[47][48]
• Tom Daffy – World Championships M8+ 1966^[49][47][48]
• Marc Douez – World Champion M2+ 2005^[47][48]
• Brian Doyle – Olympic bronze medallist, rowing M8+ 1956^[47][48]
• David Doyle – Olympian M4– 1984^[47][48]
• Mark Doyle – Olympian M8+ and World Champion M8+ 1986^[47][48]
• Anthony Ellis – World Championships M4+ 1995^[50][47][48]
• David England – Olympian M8+ 1980, World Championships LM8+ 1977 & 1979^[47][48]
• Dick Garrard Jnr. – Olympic rower M4– 1964 & World Championship bronze medal LM8+ 1977^[47][48]
• Peter Gillon – Olympian M4+ 1960 & 1964^[47][48]
• Nick Green OAM – member of the Oarsome Foursome; dual Olympic gold medallist and 4 time World Champion^[47][48]
• Simon Keenan – Olympian 2020 M8+ & World silver medallist M8+ 2018^[47][48]
• Mike McKay OAM – Member of the Oarsome Foursome; dual Olympic gold medallist and 4 time World Champion^[47][48]
• Malcolm McKenzie – World Championships M8+ 1966^[47][48]
• Martin Tomanovits – Olympic Rower M8+ 1964
• Peter Tomanovits – World Championships M2– 1987^[47][48]

Australian Football League

21st century players

• Andrew Leoncelli XC1992 – Melbourne Demons
• David Bourke XC1993 – Richmond Tigers, North Melbourne Kangaroos
• Andrew Schauble XC1994 – Collingwood Magpies, Sydney Swans
• Tim Fleming XC1996 – Richmond Tigers
• John Baird XC1998 – North Melbourne Kangaroos
• Matthew Ball XC1999 – Hawthorn Hawks
• Caydn Beetham XC1999 – St Kilda Saints
• Ted Richards XC2000 – Essendon Bombers, Sydney Swans
• James Davies XC2000 – Essendon Bombers
• Luke Ball XC2002 – St Kilda Saints, Collingwood Magpies
• Jobe Watson XC2002 – Essendon Bombers
• Cameron Hunter XC2002 – Melbourne Demons
• Marcus Allan XC2004 – Brisbane Lions
• Matthew Spangher XC2004 – West Coast Eagles, Sydney Swans, Hawthorn Hawks
• Josh Kennedy XC2006 – Hawthorn Hawks, Sydney Swans
• Robbie Tarrant XC2006 – North Melbourne Kangaroos, Richmond Tigers
• Casey Sibosado XC2008 – Fremantle Dockers
• Dan Hannebery XC2009 – Sydney Swans, St Kilda Saints
• Alex Johnson XC2009 – Sydney Swans
• Sam Shaw XC2009 – Adelaide Crows
• Patrick Ambrose XC2009 – Essendon Bombers^[51]
• Alex Browne XC2010 – Essendon Bombers
• Tim Golds XC2011 – GWS Giants, Collingwood Magpies
• Xavier Richards XC2011 – Sydney Swans
• Daniel Robinson XC2012 – Sydney Swans
• Daniel Howe XC2013 – Hawthorn Hawks
• Marc Pittonet XC2014 – Hawthorn Hawks
• Jack Silvagni XC2015 – Carlton Blues
• Sean Darcy XC2016 – Fremantle Dockers
• Willie Rioli XC2013 – West Coast Eagles, Port Adelaide
• Billy Gowers XC2014 – Western Bulldogs
• Bailey Smith XC2018 – Western Bulldogs
• Changkuoth Jiath XC2017 – Hawthorn Hawks
• Laitham Vandermeer XC2017 – Western Bulldogs
• Finlay Macrae XC2020 – Collingwood Magpies
• Tex Wanganeen XC2021 – Essendon Bombers
• Alwyn Davey Jr. XC2022 – Essendon Bombers
• James O'Donnell XC2020 – Western Bulldogs
• Josh Sinn XC2020 - Port Adelaide
• Dante Visentini XC2020 - Port Adelaide
• Ned Moyle XC2020 - Gold Coast Suns
• Vigo Visentini XC2023 - Essendon Bombers
• Tom Hanily XC2023 - Sydney Swans
• Finn O'Sullivan XC2024 - North Melbourne Kangaroos
• Max Heath XC2021 - St Kilda Saints

In the 2013 AFL season, Ted Richards, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery, Alex Johnson, Daniel Robinson, and Xavier Richards were all listed on the Sydney Swans playing list, holding the record for the most Old Xavierians at one AFL club.

The 2012 AFL season was a successful year for Old Xaverians as Ted Richards, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery and Alex Johnson were all in the Swans premiership team, and Watson, Richards and Kennedy were all selected in the All-Australian side.

See also

• List of schools in Victoria
• List of boarding schools
• Associated Public Schools of Victoria