Stuart McIntyre retired from his position at BDC in February 2021 after 28 years of service to the college. 

His career started here in 1993 as a part-time volunteer which became a part-time paid position in 1994. In 1995 he was one of two maintenance staff; the other being Debbie Smith (now Loads) the cleaner. From 2005 to 2007 his title was Senior Groundsman, 1998 Grounds Manager, 2009 Head of Maintenance Staff, and since 2010 Property Services Manager.

During this time, Stu undertook study for an Advanced Diploma in Horticulture, a Certificate Course in Business and a course in leadership and management (FLM). His previous knowledge of gardening and ability to perceive the future of the grounds, saw wonderful displays of mass plantings all around the school grounds. The tall eucalyptus trees at the top of the oval embankment, the masses of agapanthus at the front of the school and the row of evergreens down the access road give testament to his foresight.

Regardless of title, Stu was there for everybody, staff, students and parents. As a parent himself of his two children at BDC, he spent many hours labouring at weekends, sometimes at Parents and Friends Association working bees to make the school grounds the envy of many a headmaster from city schools.

Early mornings and late evenings in all sorts of weather conditions, he would be setting up for sporting carnivals, archaeological digs, putting up tennis nets on the hard courts, removing stones from the newly graded oval, hoisting House banners, mowing, gurneying footpaths, building bridges across Newports Creek, setting up and packing up after events in the Branson Centre, making the 5-metre cross in Assisi Garden, the three Rosewood and Pine podiums that grace the BC stage nowadays and the list goes on. 

As his team of staff grew, he earned the respect from each of them as a mentor. Stu knew how to harness the best in them and enlighten them in all aspects of maintaining the grounds of a school. He taught them the finer points of caring for plants, the best way to tackle different jobs, teaching them the finer points of lock and blind repairs and patiently giving them enough time to be confident in making decisions themselves as he slowly realised he could not cover the ever growing list of tasks as the school grew to the dynamic, large operation it is today. 

As a tribute to Stu’s service over the past 28 years, the access road to the west of the school has been signposted as Stuart Street.

Here are some of the many comments from staff to support this testament:

With you, any request for assistance is immediately met with the answer ‘yes’ then you work out the details and make it happen. The school grounds always look like a showpiece and you have always gone above and beyond, working tirelessly to help make BDC a success.

Another crucial element of BDC's identity in which Stu was instrumental, was the development of Etcetera magazine. As his first career was in the pre-press area of printing, he was a great help when the magazine team had to grapple with wet photography and bromides. This was pre-digital cameras and desktop publishing. Many weekend hours of cutting and pasting were necessary.

Thank you for all you have given to make this school what it is today. As you were heard to comment more than once ‘the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.’

You have succeeded in your mission; it is park-like and you have been faithful in service.

 I appreciate our grounds every day that I teach.