User:Stewart.collis

Stewart James Collis (born 12 July 1955) born in Strathfield, NSW to Stewart George Collis and Gwendoline Jewel Ann Margaret Johnston. Stewart went to Boronia Rd primary School as well as Balmain Primary School, followed by Concord Public School and then to Burwood Christian Brothers for Year 1 to Year 10. He then completed Year 11 and 12 at St Mary’s Cathedral Christian Brothers College in College St Hyde Park in Sydney.

'''Early life’ ‘Stewart was born in Strathfield New South Wales, the oldest son of eight children to Stewart George Collis, from the Collis family of Concord, a truck driver and Gwendoline Johnston, a nurse, from the Moree Johnston’s’ who owned property in the Moree region. His parents divorced when he was twenty. He lived with his family until end of March 1974 where he was attempting an Accounting Degree in Sydney which he deferred after only 4 weeks.

During his teen years, he lived at 59 Henry St Fivedock, corner of Boronia Rd and Hillcrest Avenue Greenacre, 71 Smith St Balmain then to 33 Archer St Burwood where he remained for the last year of Primary School at Concord. He then commenced Ashfield Boys High School but was expelled after three weeks, as a result, his mother decided that the entire family would attend catholic schooling, Stewart at Burwood Christian Brother’s College and the younger members went to St Mary’s Catholic Primary School. After year 10 all members of Stewarts class were required to change schools as the school only went to year 10 and Stewart chose St Mary’s Cathedral, Christian Brothers which also had Kevin Hastings and the guys from the Wiggles as some of the most famous students.

Early career Stewart’s career began with part time roles as a paper boy the first year of employment and then in Bonds /Coats- Paton as an accounts clerk in year 10 holidays and then at the end of year 10 and into year 11 worked at the Bath Arms and Rubinsons Hotel on Parramatta Rd. he was working the 4 busiest nights and a shift on a Saturday between Cricket and Rugby League seasons and a heavy social calendar towards the end of year 12. Stewart moved to Melbourne after a run in with his father, Stewart took the bare necessities and began a life in Melbourne firstly staying with a family that he had made contact through a wonderful young lady he had met at the Eucharistic Congress in the previous year as he was on the Executive committee and had been an altar boy at St Mary’s at Concord and then when he moved to College street at Hyde Park, he served as an Altar boy at the Cathedral and had regularly served mass for the Cardinal of Sydney and the occasions of his visits the Apostolic Delegate from Rome and the Pope Paul VI in 1970 at Randwick race course on the main altar.

Stewart went onto work for Phosphate Co-op as an accounts clerk and simultaneously as a barman at a number of hotels in Caulfield where he met an Ex- Army caterer as manager who suggested he join the great Carlton and United Breweries. He applied and was interviewed by Brendan Sertorius himself and was successful and remained in the role as a trainee assistant manager for 3 years. He then applied to join the Corp of Infantry in the Army and was sent to boot camp at Kapooka on 21 July 1976. From there he was posted to the 5th /7th Battalion in Sydney and commenced an absolutely fabulous career, which led to many postings and service overseas on operational deployments and exercises.

Stewart discharged from the regular Army on 14th October 2006 and enlisted into the Army Reserve into NORFORCE on 16th October 2006, and by this time his transfer to become an Officer had been accepted and was commissioned as an Officer in the Australian Army, and was posted to OPS SPT SQN as the 2IC. Defence was able to assist in his education and gained a Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Education in Training and Development plus a plethora of Diploma in Government, HS&E, and many others.

Stewart had requested Long service leave in March 2006 and took up a position with Drake International as the State Manager; during his 12 months he was a member of the Chamber of Commerce Executive, on the Foundation Board of CDU and was nominated as the Manager of the Year for the Australian Institute of Management in 2007. He then took up a position with DEEWR as the Assistant Director of Indigenous Employment Programs during the intervention which he found very exciting and rewarding. During this time he came in contact with an Indigenous Civil and Mining Company which impressed immensely and was then offered a position with the company where he remained until 2010 and then returned to Defence as OC Training SQN NORFORCE and doing special projects.

Stewart has played for Western Suburbs as a junior in under 16 and Newtown in under 18s. He then moved to Corio football club and was selected for train on squad until he turned 19 and was excluded. He then joined Geelong Rugby Club and played half back in first grade on debut and went on to play for Victoria rep side, NSW and QLD country. He moved to Sydney played for Campbelltown Harlequins and then moved to West’s. Stewart played for GPS in Brisbane and was a coach, player and Captain of 3rd grade for his time at the club and had the privilege of being a reserve in 1996 Grand final against South’s he had turned 41.The same year Stewart was the Captain Coach of the 25/49RQR Rugby team (The 49er's) in the 7th Brigade at Enoggera. The 49'ers had only just scraped into 4th spot and the Minor Premiers 8/9RAR were undefeated all year, with a change of style Stewart went on to be the Captain Coach of one of the best Grand finals ever seen in Enoggera Barracks winning by 16 points. Stewart went on to play Netball for QLD Army side and indoor Netball from D to A grade in Brisbane. Stewart is a competitive squash player from B to C grade and has played at the Defence Nationals and a number of Open tournaments across Australia. He has run three half marathons being the Brisbane, Singapore and Melbourne half marathon. He has always promised himself to do a full marathon.

Stewart supports all Australian sport particularly League, Union, Soccer, Cricket and NFL. Stewart is an avid supporter of Carlton, West Tigers, Waratah's supporter, and a Central Coast Mariners and San Francisco 49er's fan and locally Subiaco in the WAFL, Norwood in the SANFL, Williamstown Seagulls in the VFL, University Pirates and Mozzies fan as well as an avid Thunder fan in NT and QLD especially working for CDE and the Rusca’s, it’s contagious. So he has a lot of sleepless nights as a supporter and fan particularly during Grand slam events in the tennis,and RWC and looks forward to another Australian great emerging.

Stewart plays Rugby for the Stray Cats, and University Pirates, played indoor netball for Team Busted and Squash in pennant and Ladders .As well he refereed Rugby in the NTRU competition. He is also a Southern Districts supporter in NT as well as a Norwood supporter in SA, and Williamstown supporter in the VFA, and Subiaco supporter in the WAFL. Stewart is a member of Darwin Rotary Club, Lodge Foelsche, and the Country Liberals -Darwin branch as well as members of West-Tigers, Carlton FC, Waratahs, Central Coast Mariners, Norwood, and Subiaco, and Williamstown and QLD Reds footy clubs as a supporter. Stewart was upgraded to a Fellow of the Australian Institute of management in July 2011. Stewart commenced employment at Rio Tinto Argyle Diamond mine in January 2011 as Senior Safety Advisor and then went on to serve as OC of NORFORCE and serve with 5 RAR whilst they were on their tour of Afghanistan and then joined Gumala Enterprises in March 2012 until October 2013 when he moved on.