We were saddened to hear of the passing of Vincent (Vince) Bernard Colbert (SPC 1951-55) on 17 May 2026, aged 89.
Our condolences to his wife Pat and children Anne, Tony, Leon, Kathryn, Michelle, Terry and 14 grandchildren.
Who described Vince as “a man of incredible strength, intelligence, kindness, humility and quiet brilliance”.
Vince was the youngest of eight children and his early days were spent on the farm at Watchem, using the horse and buggy or his bike to ride the 10 kilometres or so to get to school.
He started boarding at SPC in 1951, where he excelled both physically and academically, and alongside his brothers Brian (SPC 1940-41) (dec), Johnny (SPC 1944-47) (dec) and Patrick (SPC 1945-48, PY1950) (dec).
In the eulogy at his dad’s funeral, son Leon recalled SPC boasted a number of particularly good sportsmen and numerous Aussie rules players at that time.
“Dad was good enough to be picked for the school side and played many games in the back line. He played alongside players who would go on to play for St Kilda, an Essendon captain and even a Brownlow medallist, so he was in good company.”
It turned out Vince was also a talented gymnast.
“A great friend of dad’s … told me of times where dad was in the gym at St Pat’s and when he would “do his thing” on the parallel bars that invariably people would stop what they were doing and a crowd would form to be in awe of dad’s prowess.”
However, in addition to all these attributes it was in the water where Vince truly rose to the top.
Vince was in the stroke position for SPC in the fiercely contested 1954 Head of the Lake.
“After almost two kilometres of intense competition there was barely a cigarette paper between St Pat’s and Ballarat College, but in an upset Ballarat College took the win in the final stroke.
Here’s where things take a very “Vince Colbert” 90-degree turn. You see St Pat’s hadn’t won the race in almost 20 years. They’d come third in 1953 and now second in 1954 but Dad had unfortunately run out of time as it was his final matriculation year at school… but, not our dad, he had unfinished business, didn’t he?
“So, in what can only be considered as one of the greatest gifts of team loyalty, I have ever heard of, my Dad returned to St Pat’s the following year and completed an entire extra year of schooling just so he could stay with that team for the 1955 race.
“That was our dad. Loyal, fiercely determined and selfless. When he committed to something whether it was a team, a job, his family or his friends, he gave everything he had.”
And after nearly two decades without a win, SPC won the Head of the Lake in 1955 with Vince as “the stroke”.
Vince combined this win with duties as an Assisting Prefect, member of the Sodality of our Lady Councillors, Holy Name Society executive and as a senior sports captain for rowing.
After leaving SPC, Vince set up a successful livestock cartage business, eventually with three trucks, moving livestock around the state and beyond.
He was a self-taught mechanic, an incredible problem solver, trusted operator and could fix anything.
Eventually the trucks gave way to a new outlook in life and Vince started working at a farm equipment business in the Mallee, eventually purchased a part in the business.
Vince was a stalwart in the local community.
He is remembered for his involvement as a goal umpire for Birchip and the North Central football league; member of the Birchip hospital committee; served on the North Central football tribunal; steward at the Watchem racing club; played football for Watchem for many years and went on write a book called “The Combine Continues” detailing the 100-year history of the club from its inception in 1893 to 1993 covering football and netball.
Vince was a member of the Watchem Football Club and local fire brigade, and the Knights of the Southern Cross. He even organised the one and only triathlon held in Birchip and he and his wife took in a number of underprivileged children to help them get a better start in life.
“He was never one to seek recognition or praise, he just saw things that needed to be done, and he did them,” Leon said at the funeral.
Thank you to Leon Colbert for his help in preparing this tribute
