The original school building, pictured behind the students, was owned by E.A. Wynne and built c.1868. The Loreto sisters purchased the property 1875 (and later the field beside it) and moved in on 23 September.
The house quickly became too small for the growing numbers of students. In 1876-7 a wooden dormitory building was built, followed by the tall stone ‘Residential Wing’ in 1881.
A further 21 students enrolled in 1876, and numbers grew each year. The majority of students came from Ballarat and the surrounding Western District of Victoria, although later they travelled from all across Australia, prompting the Loreto sisters to open further schools in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
First Students
Loreto Abbey Mary’s Mount opened as a boarding school on 29 September, 1875. Recorded in the Mary’s Mount Pupil Registrar are the following first students, and their date of enrolment:Alice O’Callaghan (aged 16) from Gordon, 28 September Minnie Ellis (17), Gordon, 2 Oct Amelia & Margaret Hudson (13), Portland, 2 Oct Minnie Twomey (15), South Yarra, 5 Oct Pettie Twomey (12), Penshurst, 5 Oct Lizzie Tobin (15), Ararat, 5 Oct Margaret (14) and Maude (11) Coghlan, Warrenheip, 2 Nov Annie Magill (16), Ballarat, 2 Nov Margaret Gleeson (13), Stawell, 8 Nov
Boarding Life
Students slept in large dormitories, with dressing rooms (wardrobes and washstands) on the floor above. As the school grew in size and new buildings were added, senior students were given their own personal cubicles in a dormitory known as ‘Rue Celeste’.
Eucalyptus Blossoms
The Loreto Convent Schools magazine, Eucalyptus Blossoms, was first published in 1886. Editions contained letters from Mother Gonzaga Barry to her ‘children’, photos and articles of activities the students participated in, and a collection of articles, stories and poetry written by the students.Digital versions can be found on the Loreto Province Archives website: https://www.loreto.org.au/records/loretto-eucalyptus-blossoms/
Welcome for Duke and Duchess of York
Welcome for Duke and Duchess of York
In 1927, the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) visited Australia.They passed through Ballarat on Friday 29 April 1927, for…
Learn MoreLaying of Chapel Foundation Bricks
Laying of Chapel Foundation Bricks
The Loreto Chapel was long desired by Mother Gonzaga Barry, who wished to be able to replace the original temporary (and very small) chapel built for the…
Learn MoreFirst Pupils Mary's Mount
First Pupils Mary's Mount
Loreto Abbey Mary’s Mount opened as a boarding school on 29 September, 1875.
Learn MoreJunior Students and Activities
Junior Students and Activities
From the beginning, Loreto Abbey Mary’s Mount students participated in technical and academic classes, as well as physical education, music and the arts, and…
Learn MoreDawson Street
Dawson Street
Loreto Convent Dawson Street opened on 4 November 1875 when Mother Gonzaga Barry realised the need for a day school for the town community. Originally, the…
Learn MoreAerial of Mary's Mount
Aerial of Mary's Mount
This aerial photo of Loreto Abbey, Mary’s Mount is estimated to have been taken c.1930, possibly as early as the late 1920s. The tennis courts that can be seen…
Learn MoreKindergarten at Mary's Mount
Kindergarten at Mary's Mount
Just inside the front gates of Loreto College is a small building that has served many purposes throughout its history.
Learn MoreThe Arts at Mary's Mount
The Arts at Mary's Mount
A Loreto Education always included the Arts: Music, Dance, Theatre and Fine Arts. The Loreto Sisters who taught these lessons had extensive educations and…
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