A St John’s Visit to Yarralumla
and the Governor-General
Following from the success of the General Sir John Monash Foundation Leadership Series Dinner held at St John’s in September 2024, and in my capacity as former Board Member and Scholar of the Foundation, I was invited to attend a special function at the Governor-General’s Residence in Canberra (Government House, Yarralumla) with the current Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC. Her Excellency was a joy to speak with and loved hearing about the exciting new developments here at St John’s College, and we are incredibly grateful for her support and hospitality.
Her Excellency’s achievements and leadership serve as a powerful example for all our students, especially our young women, showing what is possible with courage and commitment.
This event celebrated the life and leadership of General Sir John Monash.
General Sir John Monash was a distinguished Australian military commander and civil engineer, best known for leading the Australian Corps to key victories on the Western Front during World War I through innovative tactics. After the war, he played a major role in public infrastructure development and is remembered as one of Australia’s greatest national figures.
Representing the students of St John’s College was the 2025 House Secretary, third-year student Dougal Lane.
The occasion gave Dougal the unique opportunity to speak with the Governor-General in such a special setting, and to meet other leaders, luminaries, and senior figures from government and industry.
We were also given the opportunity to stand on the steps of the Yarralumla entrance, where official photographs of newly sworn-in Prime Ministers and their Cabinet Members are taken with successive Governor-Generals.
These are the same steps, where in 2013, College alumnus, the Honourable Tony Abbott AC, stood with his Federal ministry after his swearing-in as the 28th Prime Minister of Australia and more recently, the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, who stood on the same steps after being sworn in for his second term as Prime Minister of Australia.
My hope is that one day soon, a student of St John’s College will stand on these very steps as Australia’s Governor-General, as Prime Minister (as Tony did), or as a Cabinet Member!
A heartfelt thank you to the CEO of the General Sir John Monash Foundation, Mr Paul Ramadge, for providing Dougal with this unique opportunity – an experience I’m sure he will treasure for years to come.
As a College, we remain focused on developing the leaders of tomorrow; individuals who understand the honour and responsibility of leadership, especially in caring for the most vulnerable in our society.
“Equip yourself for life, not solely for your own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole community.”
General Sir John Monash
Dr Mark Schembri
Rector
