Padua College is a Catholicco-educationalSecondary College located in Victoria, Australia. The college derives its name from FranciscanfriarSaint Anthony of Padua. The Mornington campus alone provides for approximately 2,404 students from across the Mornington Peninsula. The college also has two smaller campuses that cater for students in years 7-9 in Rosebud and in Tyabb. Facilities at the Mornington campus include the newly established 'Whyte Senior Learning Centre', bird hide and wetlands/bushland areas, aquarium, drama rooms, art and media rooms, gymnasium, chapel, library, music rooms, tennis courts, basketball courts, food technology rooms, an agriculture/horticulture centre and two ovals.
History
In 1898 the Sisters of Mercy opened the College of Our Lady of the SeaBoarding School for Young Ladies in Tanti Avenue, Mornington. In the following year, the Sisters established a separate school, Padua House Preparatory School for Little Boys. The name 'Padua College' had been assumed by 1950 with the Sisters being encouraged to enrol more day boys and having Padua operating only as a junior boys boarding school. By 1960, there was no longer a need for a boarding school for either sex. Another important date in Padua College’s history is 1968 when the primary section separated to become St Macartan’s Parish Primary School. Both schools continued to grow and in 1973 plans were drawn up for Padua College to be relocated to Oakbank Road, Mornington, which opened in 1975. An official opening ceremony was held later, in February 1977. As enrolments increased a second campus was established at Inglewood Crescent, Rosebud in 1987 and a third at Tyabb in 2014. The administration of the College passed from the Sisters of Mercy in 1976 to lay principals, including Bernard McDowell, Peter Gurry, Patricia Cowling and Christopher Houlihan. The present principal, Anthony Banks, commenced in January 2016.
Houses
Campuses
Mornington
The Mornington site is situated on over in a rural environment. The Junior Campus offers approximately 910 students from Years 7-9 a comprehensive range of subjects. Year 10, 11 and 12 students are located in the Senior Campus which is separate from the rest of the College. There are approximately 600 senior students, who may choose to undertake various courses of study including the Victorian Certificate of Education, the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning and Vocational Education and Training. Senior Campus facilities include a study centre with networked computers, specialised science and computer laboratories, an agriculture centre and gymnasium.
Rosebud
The Rosebud Campus was opened in 1987. The campus is designed on a homestead model. There has been a particular effort to use indigenous plants in the College grounds. The Rosebud Campus students move across to the Mornington Year 10-12 Campus for their senior studies.
Tyabb
The Tyabb Campus opened in January 2014, and draws upon students who live in the Western Port region. It is located on Frankston Flinders Road at the corner of Western Port Highway. Students at Tyabb Campus are offered the same opportunities as the Year 7-9 students at the Mornington and Rosebud Campuses. The Tyabb Campus students also move across to the Mornington Year 10-12 Campus for their senior studies.
