Mother Sebastian Whyte and Mother Malachi Moloney of the Fitzroy Mercy Convent purchased ‘Shelbourne Park’ in Mornington as a holiday retreat. The property, which extended from Barkly Street along Tanti Avenue to The Esplanade, came with a large house and a few small cottages. They decided it would be a good location for a boarding school for young ladies, and on 1 May 1898, the first two pupils were enrolled in ‘The College of Our Lady of the Sea’.
The Sisters opened ‘Padua House Preparatory School for Little Boys’ with 11 foundation students. This was located at ‘Tara’, a house in Frontage Way. Both schools continued under the supervision of the four Mercy Sisters, and students were often taught in the same classrooms but on strictly segregated lines. The motto ‘Omnia Perseverantia Vincit’ (Perseverance Conquers All), was adopted for both schools. Mother Sebastian and Mother Malachi shared a vision, not then prevalent in society, that girls should be cultivated in intellectual disciplines including Latin, French, algebra, geometry as well as music, dancing, art, needlework, singing, health and deportment. Students were prepared for Matriculation and public exams. Over coming years, a small number of local day students were accepted, with boarders from country districts and interstate. The school continued through severe financial difficulty during the Great Depression and then World War II. At the request of Archbishop Mannix, the girls’ boarding was discontinued by the end of 1945 to allow for an intake of junior boy boarders. It was at this time that the name ‘Padua College’ was adopted as a co-educational school with local male and female day students. The boys’ boarding school closed in 1960.
The primary section separated and became St Macartan’s. As student numbers increased, and Government funding was made available, the school purchased land in Oakbank Road for the secondary school which opened in February 1975. At this time, the Mercy Sisters relinquished control of the school and it became a regional college under the direction of the Catholic Education Office and the Association of Parish Priests. The original intake of 250 students (Years 7-10) had 13 teachers. Sister Bernadette Kennedy was to be the final Mercy Principal and was succeeded by Mr Bernard McDowell in 1976. Sisters of Mercy remained on the teaching staff for some years, with Sr Mary Dennett being the last to leave at the end of the 1980.
Padua College in Mornington was the only Catholic secondary school south of Frankston. The 1980s saw a rapid population increase on the Peninsula. The Catholic communities of the Southern Peninsula voiced a need for a Catholic secondary school for their children.
Padua College opened a campus at Rosebud, located on Inglewood Crescent, and this new co-educational campus commenced operation with 120 foundation students in Year 7-8 and a staff of seven to serve the Parishes of Sorrento, Rosebud and Dromana. Michael McLoughlin, who was Deputy Principal at Mornington, was appointed Head of the Rosebud Campus until he retired in 2002. The students started their lessons in portable classrooms with the first permanent buildings completed by the end of 1989. Year levels and class numbers were increased until it became a Year 7-10 Campus with four classes at each year level. Students then transferred to the Mornington Campus for their Year 11 and 12 VCE studies. Rosebud was the first campus to have its own chapel since the convent days. In 1994 the original Red Hill Methodist Church (c1884) was relocated to the Padua Rosebud site. With repairs and new stained-glass windows created, it became a major focus for the liturgical life of the campus. It was later renamed Our Lady of the Sea Chapel in honour of the first school.
Padua College celebrated its centenary which included the publication of the school’s history ‘Padua College – A College by the Sea’ written by a former teacher and College historian Mary Bowe. It was also the year that a College song was commissioned and written by Dr Robyn Horner to tell the story of the College and be an anthem for future generations. The song is titled ‘The Padua College Song (If we persevere, we conquer all)’.
Padua introduced a new House system across the College under the direction of the Principal, Mr Christopher Houlihan. Individual Houses were divided into four main communities that reflect the Catholic heritage of the school: Mercy, Franciscan, Australian Church and the Modern Church. The school grew in population, which saw the introduction of House Co-ordinators to manage smaller student groups rather than vast year level groups. A vertical homeroom structure was also adopted.
The College responded to the increasing population growth of the Western Port region and purchased land on Frankston-Flinders Road, Tyabb
The Mornington Campus obtained a purpose-built chapel which was opened and blessed. The St Francis of Assisi Chapel was named to honour the connection with the College patron St Anthony of Padua who was a follower and member of the Franciscan order.
Padua College opened a Campus at Tyabb with 145 foundation students in Years 7-10 and a teaching staff of 12. Mr Sam Cosentino, previously Head of Campus of both junior and senior campuses at Mornington, was appointed as the inaugural Head of Campus for Tyabb. Additional year levels and classes were added over the coming years until Tyabb was also a Year 7-10 Campus with students travelling across to Mornington to complete VCE studies.
Principal Anthony Banks launched a new College Strategic Plan to create a Senior Campus at Mornington that would include all Year 10-12 students.
The Whyte Senior Learning Centre was opened, named in honour of the founder, Mother Sebastian and her sibling, Mother Bernard Whyte, the first principal. It became the central focus of the Padua Senior Campus. The junior campuses at Rosebud, Tyabb, and Mornington were restructured as Year 7-9 campuses.
The St Clare Performing Arts Centre opened, a contemporary, multipurpose facility that supports Padua’s vibrant Performing Arts and Music Department.
The Coolock Learning Centre opened for Years 7 and 8 providing a modern, engaging environment for junior students at the Mornington Campus
Insights from more than 500 parents across the College and wider community helped shape and launch a renewed communication and identity framework for Padua College, one that remains true to our values, identity, and Catholic legacy, while clearly articulating who we are, what we stand for and the value of a Catholic education to parents across our catchment in a more meaningful, better understood way.
1898 Mother Bernard Whyte
1905 Mother Malachi Moloney, Mother Gabriel Fitzgerald
1933 Sr Dymohna Wolfe
1943 Mother Gertrude Moore
1945 Sr Ildephonsus Campion (former student of the College)
1952 Sr Justinian Gildea
1954 Sr Gertrude Hessian
1959 Sr Pius Byrne
1963 Sr Basil Doolan
1967 Mother Mercedes Hogan
1973 Sr Bernadette Kennedy
1976 Mr Bernard McDowell
1984 Mr Peter Gurry
1996 Mrs Patricia Cowling
2001 Mr Christopher Houlihan
2016 Mr Anthony Banks
2023 Ms Kelly McGurn
