One of the most remarkable alumni groups within the Old Wesley community is arguably the quaintly named Tall Ships group.
Founded by three fiercely strong Wesley supporters - Jack Joel OAM (OW1949) (dec), Gordon Newton OAM (OW1950) and Geoff Wagstaff (OW1949) (dec), the group began meeting as a monthly luncheon gathering in 1988 at the Tall Ships Restaurant in Port Melbourne. This was during the Bicentenary celebrations when a fleet of ‘tall ships’ visited Port Melbourne, re-enacting the First Fleet’s voyage.
From its modest beginnings, the group grew steadily to include around 30 Old Wesley Collegians from the late 1940s and early 1950s. It has continued to meet monthly despite the closure of its original venue, and today the Tall Ships group meets at the Malvernvale Hotel on the first Wednesday of each month, except in December, when they gather for a Christmas lunch at the Wesley boatsheds on the Yarra.
Many of this group have given outstanding service to Wesley over the decades, and include members of the College Council, Presidents of the OWCA, the founding President of the Wesley College Foundation, long-term staff members and keen supporters of Collegians Football Club. Many have been honoured for their service, recognised as Fellows of the College and Fellows of the OWCA, and have been substantial donors and/or bequestors.
In recent years, with numbers dwindling, the group has welcomed wives and family members to the luncheons, along with a younger generation of OWs who have brought renewed energy to the group.
As the photograph from the April 2025 luncheon illustrates, the camaraderie and Wesley spirit remain strong. With stories of Wesley days gone by continuing to flow freely, the Tall Ships group sails on, buoyed by loyalty, legacy and lasting friendships shared by members such as Gordon Newton OAM (OW1950), Andrew Torok (OW1951), Peter Le Get (OW1950), Susie Rodgers-Wilson (SABS Patron), Jack Ayerbe (OW1963), Frank Benjamin (OW1958), Jan Barry, Jim Barry AM MBE (OW1950), Frank Opray (OW1963), Peter Norman OAM (OW1949), Barry Fenton (OW1951), John Partridge (OW1950) and John Westacott OAM (OW1951).
