Mater Maria Catholic College is an independent Roman Catholic co-educational

secondary Secondary may refer to: Science and nature * Secondary emission, of particles ** Secondary electrons, electrons generated as ionization products * The secondary winding, or the electrical or electronic circuit connected to the secondary winding i ...

day school, located in

Warriewood Warriewood is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Warriewood is located 26 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Northern Beaches Council. Warriewood is par ...

, on the Northern Beaches of

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, New South Wales, Australia. It was established in 1962 by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay.

History

In January 1962, Sisters of the Good Samaritan founded a secondary school for thirty-eight Catholic girls at Narrabeen. In 1964 the college moved to Forest Road at

. The school's immediate priority was to educate the girls in a peaceful environment. By 1979, the local population growth and demand led to the decision to expand and establish the college as co-educational. In 1984, students sat for the Higher School Certificate for the first time at the College. The majority of these students had been the pioneers of co-education at the college in 1979 and had become the founding members of the new senior school. Over the next decades, new facilities were built concurrent with developments in curriculum and increasing enrolment. Contributions from the Commonwealth and the five feeder parishes financed five new buildings that were opened in the period from 1974 to 1990 and the Sisters donated the land to the College in perpetuity in 1980. In 1990 the first Lay Principal was appointed. During the 1990s significant changes were made in management, pastoral care and the curriculum. In 2002, the Bush `bush' Chapel was closed and decommissioned in preparation for the largest integral expansion at the College.

John Ducker John Patrick Ducker AO (29 March 1932 – 25 November 2005), Australian labour leader and politician, played a leading role in the Australian labour movement and the Labor Party for 20 years. Background Ducker was born in Kingston upon Hull ...

, the former president of the Australian Labor Party, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and a member of the

NSW Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...

, was the first chairperson of the Parent's Board. One of the school buildings is named after Ducker.

Notable alumni

James Dargaville James Dargaville (born 25 April 1992) is an Australian rugby union footballer who currently plays as a wing for the New South Wales Country Eagles in the National Rugby Championship, following stints with the Brumbies and North Harbour. He also ...

rugby union footballer * Danielle Macdonald (actress)

References

Catholic secondary schools in Sydney Private schools Northern Beaches Sydney Roman Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay Educational institutions established in 1962 1962 establishments in Australia {{NewSouthWales-school-stub

History

Notable alumni

See also

References