1956-1966
The First Decade
The Mount Alvernia College story began with the arrival of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters in Kedron in 1930. At the invitation of the Parish Priest of Kedron, the Sisters established Saint Anthony’s Primary School. Twenty seven years later, the Sisters’ dream to establish a secondary school for girls was realised.
On the 1st of February 1956, Mount Alvernia College opened its doors to ten students. It began in a room of the Convent, now Delamore Retirement Community, and was staffed by three Sisters.
In 1957, the College began the year with an enrolment of 29 students. In this year, the first college building was opened by His Grace, James Duhig, Archbishop of Brisbane. The “ruin” that can be seen in La Foresta today was the foundation of the first classroom.
1967-1976
The Second Decade
To accommodate growing enrolments, the Clare building opened in 1967. In the same year, co-education was introduced at Sub-Senior level with the girls taking Science subjects at Padua College and the boys attending Mount Alvernia for Botany and Ancient History. A library was built in 1973. It served as the Sub-Senior and Senior classroom.
1977-1986
The Third Decade
The seventies ushered in musicals and sporting success for the College.
The first Musical “We Believe in Music” was performed in 1976. This was followed by “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat” in 1977, “Hail, Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll” in 1978, and “Frank” the story of Saint Francis in 1979.
In 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1980, Mount Alvernia won the overall trophy, the Pellegrini Cup, at the annual Secondary Interschool Athletics Carnival. We were the first school to win the trophy three years in succession. In 1978, Mount Alvernia also won the Frawley Shield at the Interschool Swimming Carnival. It was said at the time that while the College didn’t yet have a pool, it did have “spirit and enthusiasm.”
1987-1996
The Fourth Decade
In 1987, the Francis building was added to the college campus. It consisted of four classrooms, a Music room, a Science room, Home Economics rooms and an Art Room.
Sr Karen Bourke, the last of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters to be Principal of Mount Alvernia College, served from 1984 – 1992. In 1993, Ms Lee-Anne Perry was appointed as the first lay Principal.
To book end this decade, another building was built on the College campus: the Elizabeth Hayes Learning Centre. It was opened in 1996.
1997-2006
The Fifth Decade
The expansion of College facilities continued in the fifth decade with the construction of the San Damiano Centre.
The College’s second lay Principal, Ms Vicki Ward, was appointed in 1999. The College continued to grow and, in the year 2000, enrolments increased to over 600 students.
2007-2016
The Sixth Decade
Throughout Mount Alvernia’s history, cheer squads were a feature of school and interschool carnivals.
In 2007, the Spirit Squad replaced the Student Advisory Committee to instil a greater sense of school spirit and pride. It was in this year that Gubbio was introduced as the school mascot, a reference to the story of Saint Francis taming the wolf.
In 2008, Dr Kerrie Tuite became the third lay principal of the College.
As the College numbers increased so did the building programs. The Anthony Middle Years Centre – including the Carceri and Assisi Room – was opened in 2008. During 2013 and 2014, the La Verna building was erected and the Anthony building redeveloped. The original administration building on Cremorne Road was demolished to make way for the working gardens of La Foresta, the Anthony Building and La Cucina.
In 2015 we welcomed Year 7s into secondary school. The House structure was expanded with the addition of two Houses – Belle Prairie and Villa Spada. A new school song – “Beginning Our Journey” – was created in 2015 by composer Tim Sherlock.
2017-2027
The Seventh Decade
The College has consolidated the enormous changes of the previous decade.
The Rooftop Terrace was completed and solar panels were installed on the Anthony and Laverna buildings. Bee hives were established in La Foresta and the College welcomed its beloved chickens. A recycling program was introduced.
Students have been given incredible opportunities to engage in the College’s rich co-curricular programs including a pilgrimage to Italy, immersions to the Solomon Islands, Cambodia and Vietnam, a Choir tour to the USA performing at Disneyland, participation in the annual Brisbane Sings event, and a Visual Art trip to Sydney for the Biennale of Art.
The College, in collaboration with Padua, staged two spectacular musicals: The Wiz in 2018 and We Will Rock You in 2021.
The College’s sporting program has flourished enabling students to participate not only in competitive competitions, but fun and engaging fitness programs. In 2017, we hosted the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball Carnival.
The Read Like a Girl program was established in partnership with Riverbend Books to encourage students to discover a love for reading and enhance literacy.
Recent years have also seen significant changes to the curriculum not least the end of the OP system and introduction of the new Queensland Certificate of Education This saw the return of external exams.
In 2021, we welcomed Ms Samantha Jensen as the fourteenth principal of Mount Alvernia College.
This is our story. It is a story of which many are a part and that continues to be written. We give thanks with joy and gladness.
Mount Alvernia College is the only all girls’ independent secondary Catholic College in the Franciscan tradition in Brisbane. Founded in 1956 and located at Kedron, just 10 kilometres from the CBD, Mount Alvernia College delivers a quality education with dedicated staff, contemporary facilities and rigorous academic and co-curricular programs. Our College welcomes all to participate in our Franciscan traditions, hospitality and community spirit.
Mount Alvernia acknowledges the Jagera and Turrbal people as the traditional owners of the land. We promise to walk together in a spirit of reconciliation.