Alumni

About the Thistlelonians

The Thistlelonians was formed in 1994 to encompass the ex-students and staff of McKinnon High School/McKinnon Secondary College. Our goal is to celebrate and facilitate communication and involvement amongst the past and present college community.

All of our fundraising endeavours are proudly channeled directly back to the College.

Office Bearers

Contact Details

President: Geoff Woolnough ('71)

Vice-President/Treasurer: Andrew Newton (Former Assistant Principal)

Secretary: Jenny Cooke ('65)

Administrator: Melanie Lynch

Email: alumni@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au

Phone: (03) 8520 9092

Facebook: McKinnon Secondary College Alumni - Thistlelonians

Stay Connected

Please keep an eye on our Facebook page and school website for updates. Make sure your contact details are up-to-date! Scroll to the bottom of this page and complete the form to update your details.

Are you a McKinnon Secondary College Alumni on LinkedIn? If so, we’d love you to please update the education section of your LinkedIn profile to include the McKinnon Secondary College LinkedIn page.

Our college LinkedIn page includes an ‘alumni’ tab, and once you've added McKinnon Secondary College to the education section of your profile, you will be added to the alumni on our official page.

McKinnon Secondary College Alumni - Thistlelonians - Facebook Page

McKinnon Secondary College - LinkedIn Page

Grand Reunion and Afternoon Tea 2026

McKinnon’s alumni community came together on Saturday 17 October for our Grand Reunion, celebrating lifelong friendships, shared memories and the connections that make our school community so special.

The evening welcomed alumni from the Classes of 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2016. It was wonderful to see so many former classmates reconnect and share memories of their time at McKinnon.

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated Thistlelonian Committee and all the volunteers who helped make the evening such a memorable occasion.

Earlier in the day, we welcomed back the Classes of 1961 (65 years) and 1976 (50 years) for a special reunion Afternoon Tea. The gathering was filled with warm conversations and cherished memories as former classmates reconnected and reflected on their shared experiences. Our Senior Clarinet Ensemble provided beautiful musical accompaniment, while our Year 11 Food Technology students catered for the event. Having current students help welcome our alumni made the afternoon even more meaningful, bringing generations of the McKinnon community together.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make both occasions so special. These reunions are a wonderful reminder that the friendships and connections formed at McKinnon continue long after graduation.

Explore the photo galleries to revisit the highlights from both events.

Afternoon Tea Photo Gallery

Grand Reunion Photo Gallery

Grand Reunion 2025

Our Grand Reunion evening brought together the Classes of 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015 and 2020.

It was a night filled with laughter, memories and reconnections, as old friends shared stories from their school days and celebrated the years gone by. The friendly bar staff kept the atmosphere lively, and many familiar faces were reunited once again.

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful Thistlelonian Committee for organising such a special event, and to the many volunteers whose efforts make these reunions possible.

Scroll to view the photos below, or click here

2026 Thistlelonians Magazine

The Thistlelonian Committee is delighted to present our latest magazine for 2026.

We hope you enjoy reading about our activities and encourage you to visit our Facebook page for current news and information involving ex-students and staff from McKinnon Secondary College.

Thistlelonian Magazine 2026

Past Events - 2024

2024 Grand Reunion - Classes of 1959, 'The Originals', 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014, 2019, and classes of 1990 and 1991 who missed their 10-year reunions due to COVID lockdowns.