Waverley College

Waverley College is an independent, non-selective^[4][5] Catholic day school in the tradition of Blessed Edmund Rice, catering to approximately 1,400 students from Years 5 to 12.^[6]

The school grounds are located on Birrell and Henrietta Street in Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Waverley College operates a Cadet Unit (WCCU) which teaches discipline and leadership skills for students in Years 8 to 12. The WCCU celebrated its 100th year in 2011.

The college is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),^[7] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),^[8] the Catholic Secondary Schools Association NSW/ACT (CSSA),^[9] and is a member of the Combined Associated Schools (CAS).^[10]

History

The school opened with 20 students in 1903. In 1938, the school started accepting boarders. The school's boarders came from rural Victoria, Queensland, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Norfolk Island, Nauru, New Caledonia, Saigon and Singapore as well as country areas of New South Wales. The school stopped taking boarders in 1979.

The college is now staffed entirely with lay teachers, including the first lay Headmaster, Ray Paxton, who was appointed in 2010.

Two of the college's major buildings, the Chapel and the College Hall, date back to the 1950s. The latter, which includes stained-glass window displays dedicated to the armed services, has a vestibular Lady Chapel, focusing on the school's Marian tradition. Every year in May, the school hosts an annual May Procession in honour of Our Lady, which is the longest-running Marian procession in Australian history.

The Senior School and Middle School quads were added in 1963 and 1970 respectively. In 1970, an Olympic-sized swimming pool was also built, and in 1980 the school underwent massive renovations in which one of the halls, Ludlow, was transformed into a music centre and a modern gymnasium was built.

Waverley College, The Grange

In 2003, to celebrate the college centenary, the college built a $6.5 million Performing Arts Centre. The centre includes a 300-seat proscenium arch theatre with state-of-the-art lighting options; an 80-seat drama studio and a sixty-seat recital room. It was opened on June 15, 2003, by New South Wales Governor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir. It has since been named the Brother R. J. Wallace Performing Arts Centre, in honour of the headmaster who oversaw its development.

The centenary was also commemorated with a Mass for past and current students and families at the Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park, led by Bishop David Cremin, and the publication of The Crest of the Wave, a history of the school written by Justin Fleming.

In 2003, the College refurbished the area surrounding Ludlow Hall, clearing the way for a playground, and in 2007 the school started its million-dollar plan to develop classrooms into the 21st-century facilities that students and teachers enjoy today.

In 2014 the school began a major refurbishment and building plan including construction of a new car park on Carrington Road gates, refurbishment and expansion of the gymnasium and pool house, construction of a new Technological and Applied Studies building, art rooms and eventually library to be concluded in 2016–17.

Campus

The senior school campus, Our Lady's Mount, is located on Birrell Street in Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Waverley College gates, Carrington Road

Waverley College has a library, science and specialist areas, computer rooms, a large gymnasium, tennis courts, cricket nets, and a Performing Arts Centre to cater for all aspects of music and drama. The school's Olympic-sized swimming pool was used by Ian Thorpe^[11] when he was training for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The second campus, Waterford, on Henrietta Street, Waverley, houses the junior school, the pre-school and a theatrette. Playing fields are located at nearby Queens Park.

Affiliations

Waverley College is one of the original members of the Combined Associated Schools (CAS) in NSW. Other members include Barker College, Cranbrook School, Knox Grammar School, St Aloysius' College and Trinity Grammar School. The school participates in a number of sporting competitions within the CAS.

The college is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),^[7] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),^[8] the Catholic Secondary Schools Association NSW/ACT (CSSA),^[9] and is a member of the Combined Associated Schools (CAS).^[10]

Academic record

In 2014 the College received some of its best HSC results ranking it 128 in the state.^[12] Three students were placed on the Premiers All Rounders List in the state for achieving marks over 90% (Band 6s) in every HSC subject.^[13] 11.2% of students achieved over 90 and combined 49.6% students achieved over 80% which is the highest result in the College's history. The class of 2011 holds the honour for the best Band 6 results 12.7%.

Notable alumni

Alumni of Waverley College are known as Old Boys or Waverlians, and may elect to join the school's alumni association, the Waverley College Old Boys' Union.^[14] Notable alumni include:

• Scott Cam, TV personality with the Nine Network^[15]
• Peter Collins QC, former leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, deputy premier and treasurer
• Peter Cosgrove AK MC, 26th Governor-General of Australia (from 28 March 2014);^[16] Chief of the Defence Force (2002–04); Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University (2005–14)
• Michael Cleary AO, former rugby league and rugby union player, Commonwealth Games sprint competitor and politician as Minister for Sport in the Wran Government (1981–88)
• Clay Cross, Australian shot putter and competitor in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games
• Ryan Cross, Sydney Roosters Rugby League, Wallabies and Western Force Rugby Union player
• Sam de Brito, journalist and blogger for The Sydney Morning Herald
• Bruce Dellit, architect, pioneer of the Art Deco style; Most notable works include: the ANZAC War Memorial and the Bank of New South Wales^[17]
• Patrick Dougherty (1931 – 2010), Bishop Emeritus and Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst, from 1983 until his death in 2010^[18]
• Tom English, rugby union professional player for the Melbourne Rebels
• Adam Freier, broadcaster and former rugby union professional player
• Costa Georgiadis, television host for ABC TV Gardening Australia
• Isaac Heeney, Australian Rules Football player at the Sydney Swans
• Stephen Hoiles, professional Rugby Union player and Wallaby
• Michael Idato, journalist and critic for The Sydney Morning Herald
• Kenneth Kennedy, speed skater and ice hockey player, Australia's first Winter Olympian
• Thomas Kenny VC (1896–1953), recipient of the Victoria Cross^[19]
• Massimo Luongo, footballer, Australian Socceroo representative, Queens Park Rangers and formerly of Swindon Town
• John McCarthy AO, Australian diplomat, ambassador, High Commissioner
• Patrick McClure AO, Civil society leader, CEO Mission Australia (1997-2006) (also attended St Peter's College, Auckland)
• Shawn Mackay, Super Rugby and Commonwealth Games Rugby 7s player
• Tony Madigan, Olympic Games boxing bronze medallist
• John McKellar, playwright and social satirist
• Justin Melvey, television actor (Home and Away, Days of Our Lives)^[20]
• John Murphy, Australian Labor politician who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1998 until 2013, representing Lowe and then Reid
• Ezra Norton, newspaper proprietor (also attended The Scots College)^[21]
• Johnny O'Keefe, Australian rock singer of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s^[20]
• Barry O'Keefe AM QC, judge in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and former commissioner of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption^[22]
• Patrick Phibbs, rugby union player
• Sam Talakai. rugby union player
• Bill Tilley, Victorian politician and member for Benambra (also attended St Gregory's College, Campbelltown & Redden College)^[23]
• Morgan Turinui, rugby union player
• Charles Waterstreet, Sydney barrister and author

See also

• List of non-government schools in New South Wales

References

• The Crest of the Wave, Waverley College 1903–2003, by Justin Fleming, Published by Allen & Unwin 2003.

External links

• Waverley College website