Ambiwerra History

In 1983, St Aidan’s purchased a 17-acre site, five minutes from the Ruthven Street campus, to be used as sporting fields and to maximise the potential of the main school.

This land, previously used as a dairy farm, became home to a 400-metre oval with eight lanes, two full size hockey fields, three netball courts, three volleyball courts and provided space for softball, cricket and many other sports.

In 1985, the school appointed groundsman/caretaker Graham Caslick to oversee the land, which he did, for the next 17 years.

Also in 1985, the school was contacted by Mrs Geldart, the grandchild of the owners of the original house from which St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School was first established in 1929.

She advised that her grandparents’ house was called ‘Ambiwerra’ which meant ‘Girls over there by running water’ and suggested the school take this name for the new fields.

In 1997, the land adjoining Ambiwerra, known as “The Strawberry Farm” was acquired, resulting in a 2.5 hectare space for students and staff of Ambiwerra.