User:Stewart.collis/Stewart Collis

Stewart James Collis (born 12 July 1955) born in Strathfield, NSW to Stewart George Collis and Gwendoline 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 lifeStewart 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 the first week, 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. Career 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 a 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 in 1973 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 h met an Ex- Army caterer as manager who suggested he join the great Carlton and United Breweries. He applied and was interviewed by Brendan Sertori himself and was successful and remained in the role as a trainee assistant manger 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 coomenced an absolutely fabulous career, which led to many postings and service overseas on 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. He then took up a position with DEWR as the Assistant Director of IEP 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 remains today.

Stewart supports all Australian sport particularly League, Union, Soccer and Cricket. Stewart is an avid Carlton supporter, an avid West Tigers supporter, an avid Waratahs supporter, and an avid Central Coast Mariners fan and locally an avid 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 fan particularly during Grand slam events in the tennis, and looks forward to another Australian great emerging.

Stewart plays Rugby for the Stray Cats, and University Pirates, plays indoor netball for Team Busted and Squash in pennant and Ladders .As well he referees Rugby in the NTRU competition. He is also a Southern Districts supporter in NT as well as a Norwood supporter in SA, and Caulfield supporter in the VFA. Stewart is a member of Darwin Rotary Club, Lodge Foelsche, and the Country Liberals -Darwin branch as well as members of West-Tigers, Carlton, Waratahs and QLD Reds footy clubs as a supporter.