College History

Mazenod College is a Catholic Secondary College for boys located in Mulgrave. The College was established to serve the growing parishes in the suburbs of Clayton, Springvale and Waverley in Melbourne’s South East. The College, served by the religious congregation called the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, is named for the founder of the Oblate Order, St Eugene de Mazenod.

The College commenced in February 1967 with 79 students in 2 modest classrooms at St Joseph’s Primary School in Springvale. In 1968 the school moved to its current location in Kernot Avenue and today we provide quality education to over 1400 students. With little to no funding from government, those early years proved challenging, and the College was reliant on the parishes, the Oblates, and parents, to help support the school. With much goodwill and hard work the foundation of the College was forged and it is through their generous efforts that the College developed from those pioneering years.

Despite the struggles of the early years a clear vision for the school was created. Father James FitzPatrick O.M.I., the first Rector of Mazenod College from 1967 to 1972, was instrumental in the foundations of Mazenod’s curriculum and identity. He was responsible for the College crest, motto and anthem. With an emphasis on creating “an atmosphere of real academic excellence” even with the limited resources, Father FitzPatrick wanted a fair go for all the students enrolled. He later stated that our students were “going to have to say they’re from Mazenod for the rest of their life. It’s not just for six years that they’re there. Their future educational and social opportunities depend on it”. Mazenod College holds proud this tradition with the past students often identifying as old boys and ‘Mazenodians’.

The first building at the Kernot Avenue site was completed in early 1968, classes began at the new site on 4 June of the same year. These first years saw the College expand quickly with the addition of two science rooms in 1969, and much needed classrooms in 1971.

The student cohort numbered 570 in 1973 when Father Kevin Davine O.M.I. took over as Rector. With a new Rector a new era of the College began with a strong focus on developing student morale and sports involvement. Father Davine took on the responsibility of coaching the Senior Football and Cricket teams; the Sportsman’s dinners were introduced from August 1974 and the Old Collegians Cricket Team was established in the same year.

Further extensions were continued with the addition of the Library and Canteen in 1974, and the penthouse block in 1975. The ovals were improved and the freeway development opened up in 1976. In 1977, more buildings were in progress with the beginning of the construction of an administration block, and plans were in development for the construction of a Gymnasium. Father Davine reminisced “As I look back on those years I marvel how in the short space of 5 years I saw the College spirit grow to the point that our boys wore the colours proudly”.

In 1978 Father Ian Mackintosh O.M.I. was appointed Rector and continued through to 1983. With close to 800 students in his first year as Rector, the College continued to grow. The administration block was built in 1978, the College’s first gym in 1979, and stage one of the Manual Arts building was completed in 1982. This contained facilities for classes in Art, Engineering Workshop, Woodwork, as well as classes for choral and orchestral work. Stage two was completed in 1984 and the chapel just prior to this in 1983.

College History (cont.)

In 1981, the College launched the very first musical, ‘Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’, in conjunction with Avila College. This was the beginning of the annual musical production at the College, a tradition that proudly continues to this day.

Father Mackintosh was instrumental in encouraging students’ interest and concern for the Oblate missionary activities in Indonesia. The Charism of the Oblates has remained an integral part of the Mazenod community, “We encouraged senior students to attend our morning Masses, to be part of youth groups in their Parish and by our overall friendliness with the boys and our involvement in sports coaching, plays, music...to get close to the students and be models for them”.

On February 19, 2021, Father Ian was the first of the Mazenod College Rectors to have passed into eternal life.

Father Patrick Moroney O.M.I., who had been one of the early teaching staff in the 1960s, and school counsellor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was appointed Rector in 1984. The student enrolment stood at over 1000, with 66 members of staff. During this era the College expanded to the other side of Kernot Avenue in 1984 when the Manual and Fine Arts Complex was opened. The O’Rourke building was opened in 1987, housing the school library, a lecture theatre and Year 12 complex.

Father Moroney encouraged Community Service initiatives in the area, organising for students to work with elderly people and the handicapped. One of his important achievements as Rector was the extension of the music program, providing greater resources and an expanded program. In 1984, to demonstrate the achievements of the talented students and staff, the first musical evening was held, establishing the tradition of the annual concert.

During his tenure, Mazenod celebrated its 20th Anniversary. He reflected that what “inspired the pioneers of the College, namely the parents, parishioners and priests of the area...was the genuine and heartfelt desire to have a Catholic Secondary Boys school to which they could send their sons” and that “Religious Education in its many facets, must hold a position of pre-eminence in the life of the College”. Father Moroney’s appointment concluded in 1988.

Father Davine returned as Rector in 1989. An ever expanding Mazenod now had to contend with a rapid increasing need for Information Technology and buildings were adapted and expanded to cater for computers. A new staff and conference room was added in 1992 to provide for the needs of growing staff and use of school facilities.

Father John Sherman O.M.I. was appointed Rector in 1996. He continued the tradition of the ever growing College with refurbishments to the Priests’ residence, Administration Wing, Gymnasium and major renovations of facilities in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The quadrangle was repaved and landscaped, and a new fountain was created outside the Chapel in 2000.

Father Sherman was influential in establishing the tradition of celebrating the successes of the students by introducing the 90+ assembly and creating the Hall of Honour “an important part in inspiring our boys in looking back, the sense of community is the important thing. We cooperate with each other and we try to celebrate each other’s success”. He was also instrumental in setting up the student representative council (SRC) in 1996. In 1999 Mazenod was accepted into the Associated Catholic Colleges sporting competition.

College History (cont.)

Father Moroney was re-appointed Rector in 2002. The new millennium saw the continued development of the College with the Founders complex opened in 2007, with dedicated space for Music, Drama and IT departments. The expansion of the Learning Centre enabled the College to provide assistance to students, and the development of a multi-purpose AV Teaching and Senior Cafeteria for Year 12 Students opened in 2009.

Father Michael Twigg O.M.I. became Rector in 2010, and quickly set to work in the improvement of the school grounds. The development of the synthetic football pitch, now called St Eugene’s Park, is FIFA and ICC approved, and brought Mazenod College into the forefront for hosting sporting events. The Provence Centre, a state of the art multi-sports centre was opened in 2014, allowing also for assemblies and community events to be held.

Father Twigg introduced a number of important changes into the spiritual life of the College, introducing Liturgy Prefects to assist for major ceremonies. He had a focus for social action and encouraged students, staff and the Mazenod community to be a part of helping those in need. Students took opportunities to assist in local regions with the effort to rebuild fences in devastated areas after the 2009 Victorian Bushfires. Students were also provided the opportunity to work in orphanages connected with Oblate Mission work in China, and assisted in nursing and caring for disabled abandoned babies.

Father Twigg created the Heritage Corridor (expanding on the previous Honour Hall), and worked to inspire our students with the hope that “the boys could look at the world and not sit back and be spectators but to be participants and to find a way to get involved”.

The next Rector (and former old boy), Father Christian Fini O.M.I. commenced in 2015. His lasting legacy was the introduction of laptops for every student. Such an expansive rollout of technology required a major infrastructure upgrade to accommodate the transition to digital learning. Fr Fini continued the traditions of charism by ensuring that Faith and Mission were an important part of the life of our College Community. With the celebration of the 50th Anniversary in 2017 we took the opportunity to remember “who we were, celebrate where we are, and continue our own legacy for what Mazenod is to become”.

2017 saw the extension and refurbishment of the O’Rourke Building and the Chapel. This included the creation of a new Library downstairs, new Year 11 classrooms and a modernised Lecture Theatre.

During an era of widespread governance changes across Victorian Catholic Education, the College transitioned to a Rector and Principal model of leadership. Due to this restructuring, Mr Tony Coghlan became the College’s first lay principal in 2019.

In 2021 Fr Harry Dyer OMI was appointed Rector of Mazenod College under the new model of leadership. A new College Advisory Board was also appointed the same year. Dr Paul Shannon was appointed lay princpal in 2021 and the opening of the new staffroom in 2022 was enjoyed by all staff.

As the ever-expanding College continues to move forward, it is important to reflect on the vision of those that came before us. Their dedication, hard work and belief in the College reflect the tradition of sacrifice, heroic faith and generosity. Mazenod has strived to reproduce these virtues in every generation since its humble beginnings.