In the early years of Capricornia College, there was scuttlebutt about zany parties, the invention of the 'goonopoloy' drinking game and 'pants-optional' pranks.

What we do know for sure is that - despite (or maybe because of) the cheeky antics - thousands of residents of the Capricornia College have prospered in their studies and have gone on to glittering careers across the globe.

The College environment helps residents relax

Many of them are now engaged with Facebook groups*, planning a 40th Anniversary Reunion on June 20 this year.

Legendary Rockhampton Mayor Rex Pilbeam - who personally door-knocked to raise funds to build the College - was a larger-than-life character and would no doubt have loved to wind back the clock and attend the establishment he helped to foster.

The place certainly became known as a romantic catalyst, with many former residents since emerging as husband and wife.

One resident who found her future companion at College is Lyndal Shield (nee Dunning), who is now married to World Cup football referee Mark Shield.

Lyndal has a sporting-related pedigree of her own. Before settling down to have a family, she had a marketing role with the England Cricket Board and spent six years with Foster's working on the Olympics, AFL and VB One Day Cricket accounts.

She remembers "wobbly walks home ... after 20c pots for presidents night" at the campus bar.

Jason Barrett married his College room-mate Melinda and is now working for a property development company in Brisbane.

Capricornia College has been a fixture on campus for 4 decades

He also remembers jug-fuelled 'happy hours', after which students had to run back to convince the dining hall door monitor they weren't too drunk to eat dinner. All that running seems to have paid of as he recently completed a half-marathon.

Nathan Doyle married neighbouring College resident Tracey Gargett and is now a rugby league-loving teacher who remembers the after-ball recoveries. Similarly, Scott McGuiness and his wife Penny originally met at Jardine House and are now building a new house together west of Mackay.

Susan and Arthur Shew were at the College in the 1970s and now their son Stephen is a second-generation resident. Susan notes that the College coleslaw still tastes the same 30 years later (but does not mention if that is a good thing).

Who would have thought that David Heap - once to be found thumping golf balls around on land behind the College - would one day be planning archaeological research on pig domestication in ancient Egypt?

Similarly, who would have realised that Matthew Johnson - a fixture at the College in the mid-1990s - would now be a molecular geneticist exploring the human genome, in search of genes involved in pregnancy disorders and other cardiovascular-related diseases.

Lynette Beck, now a teacher, has fond memories of friends at Gutekunst House. She has travelled and work overseas and represented Australia as a Youth Ambassador to Nepal.

Hundreds are hosted each year

George 'Diggler' Christensen is now a city councillor in Mackay and has started 2 community newspapers. He also earned the nicknames 'Porgie', 'Evil', 'Harry', 'Tangles' and 'Chief' during a period when he was on the College member association executive.

Former College resident William Clarke is now running a 'learn to surf' business in California but fondly remembers a Bar Mitzvah night.

* Paul Cochrane, who has started one of the reunion sites on Facebook, is now a TV sports reporter. One of the other Facebook sites entitled 'Bring Bowtie Back' relates to former College Manager Ian Robert, who was famous for wearing his bowtie on all occasions.