Our
Mercy Story
Celebrating our Mercy Story In our 160th Anniversary year we celebrate the dreamers from our Mercy story: Catherine McAuley, Mother Xavier Maguire, the countless Sisters of Mercy who for the past 160 years have influenced education, health and child and family care in Geelong, and the former students and staff of Sacred Heart College Geelong. We join our dreams to their vision.
- Anna Negro, Principal
1859
Archbishop Goold
Baggot Street, Dublin
Archbishop Goold calls on the Convent of Mercy in Baggot Street, Dublin to request a group of Sisters for his diocese.
June 1859
Ocean Chief
Mother Xavier Maguire and five sisters depart Dublin on the Ocean Chief.
28 November 1859
Geelong 1860s
St Augustine’s
Mother Xavier Maguire and five Sisters arrive in Melbourne.
Sisters arrive in Geelong and are lodged at St Augustine’s Orphanage.
3 December 1859
1860s
Sunville
Geelong Advertiser
Mother Maguire and Sisters take up residence at Sunville on Mercer Hill and bring 25 orphan girls with them.
March 1860
Sisters announce in the Geelong Advertiser that they have opened a boarding school and a small day school.
April 1860
Mother Xavier Maguire
Plan showing Sunville Estate
Small wooden building erected for use as an orphanage on the Sunville site.
Mother Maguire obtains the deeds to the convent, construction of the east wing begins.
1861
1862
1860 -1879
1860s Mr Joseph Shaw is the architect commissioned to erect the south wing of the convent.
1869
1870s
1870s
Library Rules A lending library for public use is developed by the Sisters at the convent.
1871
Foundation Stone Construction commences on the Chapel.
1871
1870s Chapel Completed Chapel completed and blessed by Archbishop Goold.
1874
Death of Sr O’Farrell Sr M. Gertrude O’Farrell dies. She is the first Sister to be buried in the Convent cemetery.
1878
Death of Mother Xavier Maguire Requiem Mass is celebrated in the convent chapel on 2 September and she is buried in the convent cemetery.
30 August 1879
1880s
Senior Students, 1800s
1879 -1888 Mother M. Gabriel Sherlock
1879 - 1888
Pipe Organ A pipe organ built by George Fincham is installed in the convent chapel.
Convent Cemetery Burials Newtown Council no longer permits burials in the convent cemetery.
Death of Archbishop Goold
St Joseph’s orphanage built.
1884
1885
Archbishop Goold bequeathed his chalice, alabaster crucifix and silver tea service to Sacred Heart College.
1886
1890s Mother Gabriel Sherlock fined Mother Gabriel Sherlock is prosecuted for a further burial, appears in court and is fined 1 shilling. Sisters of Mercy take over the running of St Mary’s School and Sr M. Evangelist Doogan becomes the first Principal.
1892
1892
1889 -1891 Mother M Xavier Fallon 1892 -1897 Mother M Gabriel Sherlock 1898 -1899 Mother M Xavier Fallon
St Agnes Ladies’ College St Agnes Ladies’ College in Geelong is established by the Sisters of Mercy.
Tennis Group
Prizegiving
1899 -1903 Mother M Bernard Lyons
1889 -1903
1896
1903
1900s
College Renovations Mother Evangelist Doogan oversees renovation of the chapel, having it beautified and a gothic-style altar installed.
1905
1904 -1907 Mother M Evangelist Doogan
1904 -1907
1908 -1910 Mother M Magdalen Gibson
Jubilee Celebration Jubilee celebrations held for the 50th anniversary of the Sisters’ arrival in Geelong.
Convent Expansion Land is purchased on the corner of Retreat Road and Talbot Street to enlarge the convent site.
1909
Jubilee Celebration
1910s
Theatre student in costume
Sacred Heart College students
Music students
1910
1912 -1913
St Agnes students Grotto Blessing
Maisie Daffy
Sacred Heart College students
1914
1916 -1917
1910s continued
St Patrick’s Primary School
1911 - 1914 Mother M Margaret O’Brien
Convent cemetery enlarged, crosses added to graves.
1911
St Patrick’s Primary School in West Geelong opened. This was an amalgamation of St Peter’s and Paul’s and Kildare Primary Schools which the Sisters administered.
1912
1913 Bluestone pillars and gates removed from Skene Street to create a new entrance at Retreat Road. Gardens are thinned out. 1914 Much loved grotto built by students. 1915 -1919 Mother M Peter Chamberlain
1913 - 1919
Influenza Pandemic Beginning of school year delayed due to Spanish Flu.
Development Three-storied building constructed to join the orphanage with the main building.
1916
Armistice Day Sacred Heart College takes part in Armistice Day celebrations.
1916
Apostolic Delegate visits the College and blesses the oratory
Hospital beds in the Great Hall, Melbourne Exhibition Building Geelong Convent of Mercy sends 20 from the community to nurse the sick in Melbourne during influenza pandemic.
1919
1920s
Reunion of Old Collegians
Tableau Performance
Senior Students
St Agnes Domestic School from The Advocate
1920s continued
Hot water is installed at the convent. Land is purchased in Highton for a standalone orphanage for girls. Boarding School Dormitory Stella Maris Juniorate
1920 - 1925 Mother M Margaret O’Brien Completion of sports oval
1922
A large earth tremor is felt in the dormitories, frightening boarders.
1923
Stella Maris Juniorate is established at St Helen’s.
1925
1926
Physical Culture Group
St Catherine’s Orphanage is completed and opened in October. George Dancey is commissioned to complete eight paintings for the side chapel.
1927
St Anne’s Primary School moves on-site to Sacred Heart College.
1928
1928
1929
1930s
Debutantes
Montgomery Windows Advertisement
Chapel Cemetery
1930
1930
Reunion of Old Collegians
Literary Class 1934
College Grounds
Roll Call
1934
1935
1936
1930s continued
House system introduced Clairvaux, Padua and Loyola
Violin Students Old Collegians established.
1932 -1934 Mother M Gabriel Mitchell
First publication of Mercedes yearbook.
1932 - 1934
1932
Stained glass windows are installed on the Sisters’ side of the Chapel.
1930
1933
Sports Day Legion of Mary established at Sacred Heart College
1935 -1940 Mother M Antonia Nolan
1935 -1940
1936
1938
1940s
Swimming Sports
Old Collegians’ Ball, St Mary’s Hall
Convent of Mercy First Communion
1940s continued
Rose Ryan and Rose McMahon sitting on a cow
1940
1941 - 1946 Mother M Cecilia McGlynn
St Anne’s ceases operation at the College and St Robert’s Primary School opens in Newtown.
1941 - 1946
1942
Leaving Class
Geelong Sisters win a landmark Supreme Court appeal against the Newtown Council regarding rates.
St Margaret’s School in East Geelong opens with Sr Immaculata Mulcahy as Principal.
1947 - 1952 Mother M Christina McIntyre
1945
1946
1947 - 1952
1949
1950s
Junior School Sacred Heart College Junior School built and opened.
1952
1953 - 1955 Mother M Ita Poynton
1953 - 1955
Sacred Heart College, 1954
100th Anniversary Celebrations at Kardinia Park
1955 - 1965 Mother M Thecla Day
Mother Superior and College Principal become separate roles Sister M Thecla Day is the first Principal but not Superior.
Holy Family Primary School opens Sr M Concepta Hay from the convent is Principal and Sisters are staff until 1968.
Centenary of the Sisters’ arrival in Geelong sees a year of school celebrations. McAuley Hall completed. Fourth House introduced.
1955 - 1965
1955
1959
1960s
Form D
Senior Dormitory Grade 5
1960s continued
New Aphrasia Street Gates Installed
Vatican II begins When completed, the second Ecumenical Council creates change, most notably alterations to the chapel and changes to the habit worn by the Sisters.
1961
1962
Sr Philomene Carroll
Science Labs and Thomas Moore Library are built
St Joseph’s Hospital is built on College grounds for the aging Sisters and later refurbished as the Aquinas Napthine Centre in 1999.
1966 -1967 Sister M Patrice Briggs
1968 -1972 Sister M Philomene Carroll
1963
1966 - 1967
1968 - 1972
1970s
Form 6 Music Class Graduating Class
Graduating Class
1973 -1974 Sister Patricia McArlein
1971
1973 - 1974
1975
Queens of Sacred Heart
1975 -1981 Sister Eileen Ann Daffy Last enrolment of boarders and Junior School boys.
Cast of Alice in Wonderland
St Catherine’s Orphanage in Highton is demolished
1975
Last Class of Primary School Students
1975 -1981
1976
1977
1978
1980s
Liturgical Dance, McAuley Hall
Sacred Heart College Library
Year 7 Students at Hanging Rock Prefects Photo
1980s continued
1982 -2000 Sister Carmel O’Dwyer
Talbot Street gymnasium is completed.
1981
Renovations commence on the west wing of the bluestone convent, converting the Sisters’ cells to classrooms.
1982
1982 - 2000
Maguire Wing Constructed
125th Anniversary of Sacred Heart College
1985
1989
1990s
Padua Cheering
Dance Studio Constructed
1990
Ash Wednesday Mass
VCE program is introduced.
Sacred Heart College Rowing Club is formed.
Weddings are now deemed permitted in the chapel by Archbishop Frank Little.
1990
1994
1995
2000s
The O’Dwyer Gym is completed and opened by Governor Landy
2001 -2007 Mr Jeffrey Burn
The Moran Home Economics Centre is completed.
2001 - 2007
2001
2003
Establishment of Seeds of Justice and the Felicity Program.
The College introduces International Baccalaureate (IB) program for Years 7 to 10.
2003
2006
Sacred Heart College Geelong celebrates World Youth Day and is a host venue. The Performing Arts Centre is completed, including the Costa Centre for the Performing Arts, the Raphael Sheehan School of Music and the Cranbourne Art Gallery.
Mr John Shannon Acting Principal
2007
2008
2008 2008 -2012 Ms Regina Burn
2009
2008 - 2012
2010s
Major restoration works begin on the chapel The College celebrates 150th Anniversary
Head of Schoolgirls’ Regatta
2010
Celestine Moran Hospitality Centre opens
Old Collegians change to Alumni Association.
140th Celebrations of the Chapel Anniversary and Centenary of the Grotto
The new Ching Learning Centre and Eileen Ann Daffy Library open. Chapel restoration is completed.
2012
Master Plan developed
2013 - Current Ms Anna Negro
2013
2014
2010s
Stage 1 of the STEAM development opens
Maguire building demolished and Stage 1 of the science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) development commences Redesigning learning commences. Strategy 2020 is developed. New educational partnership with Deakin University.
2016
2017
The Sisters of Mercy celebrate 160 years since the arrival of the Sisters in Geelong.
Stage 2 of the STEAM development opens Stage 3 of the STEAM development opens
Old art buildings are demolished
2018
2019
2020
The College celebrates 160 years of education at Simonds Stadium
160th Anniversary of Sacred Heart College
2020
February
Deadly Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads globally.
March
Premier of Victoria announces that, “All students who can learn from home, must learn from home.” The College enters shut down in Term 2 2020. 1,500+ students stay at home and commence their remote learning program.
April
Development of ‘The Way’ commences. First two story discs are laid.
Mother Catherine McAuley Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy
We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.
Autographs