Damascus College Ballarat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Damascus College
Address
1412 Geelong Road, Mount Clear Ballarat , Victoria , 3350 Australia
Coordinates	37°36′42″S 143°52′7″E / 37.61167°S 143.86861°E / -37.61167; 143.86861
Information
Type	Independent, co-educational, day school
Motto	Latin: Luce Christi Vivere (To live by the light of Christ)
Denomination	Roman Catholic, Sisters of Mercy
Established	1881 (Sacred Heart) 1948 (St Paul's) 1968 (St Martin's in the Pines) 1995 (Amalgamation)
School board	Berenice Kerr RSM and Kevin Maloney
School number	265
Principal	Steven Mifsud
Staff	129
Teaching staff	86
Years offered	7–12
Gender	Co-educational
Enrolment	1102
Colour(s)	Gold, navy blue and maroon
VCE average	28
Affiliation	Ballarat Associated Schools
Website	http://www.damascus.vic.edu.au/

Damascus College is a Catholic secondary school in Ballarat, Victoria. It's a co-educational school, meaning both boys and girls attend. The college was formed in 1995 when three older Catholic schools joined together.

These schools were St Martin's in the Pines, Sacred Heart College, and St Paul's College. The college is located on a large, treed campus in Mount Clear. This is about 7 kilometers from the center of Ballarat. Damascus College welcomes students from Year 7 to Year 12.

How Damascus College Started

Damascus College was created by combining three older schools. Each of these schools had its own unique history.

Sacred Heart College: A Girls' School

In 1881, the Sisters of Mercy opened Sacred Heart College. It was in Ballarat East. This school taught girls from their early years up to Year 12. Later, in 1906, the younger students moved to a different school.

St Paul's Technical College: A Boys' School

Ludbrook House, a building that was part of St Paul's College.

James O'Collins, the Bishop of Ballarat, started St Paul's Technical College in 1948. He asked the Christian Brothers to run the school. It focused on technical education for boys. In 1987, the school moved to a new location on Victoria Street.

St Martin's in the Pines: A Senior Campus

Alice Fanning left her property in Mt Clear to the Sisters of Mercy in 1960. The Sisters first used the land for farming. In 1964, they decided to build a senior school campus there for Sacred Heart College. The foundation stone was laid in 1966.

In 1967, this new campus opened as St Martin's in the Pines. It was for Year 11 and 12 girls. By 1988, it became a co-educational school, welcoming boys, mostly from St Paul's.

Joining Together: The Amalgamation

In 1995, Sacred Heart College, St Martin's in the Pines, and St Paul's Technical College officially joined. They formed Damascus College. It became Ballarat's only co-educational Catholic secondary school.

At first, students in Years 7 to 9 were at the old St Paul's site. Students in Years 10 to 12 were at the former St Martin's site. By 2011, all students moved to the Mt Clear campus. Many local Catholic parishes help support Damascus College. In 2016, the college won an award for being the "Sustainability Victoria Biodiversity Secondary School of the Year."

What Students Learn at Damascus College

The school's learning plan follows its vision and mission. It also uses important education guidelines from Australia and Victoria.

Students can choose to learn French or Indonesian from Year 7 to Year 12. Physical Education and Health are taught from Years 7 to 10. Religious Education is a subject for all year levels. For older students (Years 10, 11, and 12), Damascus College offers different study paths. These include the VCE, which is a common pathway to university. They also offer VET and VCE Vocational Major courses. These focus on practical skills and job training.

Fun Activities Outside of Class

Damascus College offers many activities beyond regular lessons. These help students grow and learn new skills.

Mercy and Justice: Helping Others

Students can join programs that focus on helping people and making the world fairer.

• Timor-Leste Immersion Program: Students raise money and visit a sister school in Timor-Leste.
• Edmund Rice Camps: Students learn to be leaders for camps for children and families who need support.
• Seeds of Justice: This project helps students understand more about fairness and justice.
• Mercy Works: Students support projects that help people locally and overseas.
• Justice Action Group (JAG): A student group focused on social justice issues.
• Christian Personal Development Award (CPDA): An award for personal growth and service.

Sustainable Racing Team (SRT): Building and Racing Vehicles

Since 1998, Damascus College students have designed and built Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs). These are vehicles powered by people, like bicycles. The team trains and competes every year in the Energy Breakthrough challenge. This is a 24-hour race where teams earn points for how far they travel. They also get points for knowing about their vehicle's technology.

SRT is an after-school activity. Students build vehicles to learn about energy-efficient technology. This technology could be important for future transport. The team also races in other competitions, like the Victorian HPV Grand Prix Series.

The college won the World Future Cycle Challenge in 2005 and 2007. This was a 1200 km journey from Ceduna to Adelaide. In 2008, the team rode 1009 km in less than 24 hours from Sydney to Ballarat. This ride raised awareness about reducing greenhouse gases.

In 2009, the SRT team rode a solar-powered vehicle 3775 km. They went from Darwin to the Victorian State Parliament. This journey raised awareness about climate change. The vehicle was 30% solar-powered and 70% pedaled. It could even reach speeds of 115 km/h! The team was known as the Energy Breakthrough Team (EBT) until 2019, when they became the Sustainable Racing Team (SRT). In May 2024, SRT rode 1085km from Broken Hill to Ballarat to raise money for cancer research.

Drama: On Stage!

Students can join the senior or junior Drama Club. They can also perform in the school's yearly play. There is also a special Easter production called the Final Hours every two years.

Sport: Get Active!

Each year, the school holds carnivals for swimming, athletics, and ball sports. All students can join in. Damascus College is part of the Ballarat Associated Schools. This means students can represent the school in many different sports:

BAS Premierships: Winning Teams

Damascus College and its earlier schools have won many championships in the Ballarat Associated Schools (BAS) competitions.

Combined (Boys and Girls):

• Athletics – 1995
• Badminton (2 wins) – 2006, 2007
• Lawn Bowls – 1997

Boys' Teams:

• Badminton (4 wins) – 2006, 2008, 2009, 2019
• Cross Country – 1990
• Soccer – 2003

Girls' Teams:

• Athletics (6 wins) – 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1995
• Badminton – 2017
• Basketball (10 wins) – 1965, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1982, 1997, 1999, 2000
• Football (2 wins) – 1999, 2000
• Hockey – 1976
• Netball (7 wins) – 1961, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1991, 1992
• Soccer (3 wins) – 1999, 2000, 2003
• Softball (2 wins) – 1965, 2008
• Volleyball (2 wins) – 1989, 1992

Other Activities

• Debating and Public Speaking: Learn to argue and speak well.
• SRC (Student Representative Council): Students help make school decisions.
• French and Indonesian language trips: Travel and practice languages.
• Ski trips: Hit the slopes!
• Youth-Tutoring-Youth program: Older students help younger ones.
• Green Group: Work on environmental projects.
• Book Club: Discuss and enjoy reading.

Buildings and Areas on Campus

Damascus College has several buildings and areas, each with a special name.

• Bishop Connors Wing: Classrooms for Year 9 and 10 students. Named after a former Bishop of Ballarat.
• Catherine McAuley Wing: Classrooms for Year 7 and 8 students. Named after the founder of the Sisters of Mercy.
• Genevieve McDonald Wing: Science classrooms. Named after Sister Genevieve McDonald.
• John Shannon Centre: The school gymnasium. Named after John Shannon, the first principal of Damascus College.
• Mercy Wing: Where the school's main office and reception are. Named to honor the Sisters of Mercy.
• Our Lady of Mercy Chapel: The school's chapel for religious services.
• St Martin's Resource Centre: The school library. Named after St Martin's in the Pines, one of the founding schools.
• St Paul's Arts and Technology Wing: Rooms for art, metalwork, and woodwork. Named after St Paul's Technical College.
• Valda Ward Auditorium: A hall and rooms for drama. Named after Sister Valda Ward.
• Damascus Events Centre: A large building used for events and exams.

School Houses

Students at Damascus College belong to one of four houses. Each house is named after an important person or group connected to the school's history.

•      McAuley: Named after Venerable Catherine McAuley. She founded the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland in 1831. They helped educate girls and young women who needed support.
•      Rice: Named after Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice. He started the Christian Brothers in Ireland in 1802. They educated boys from poor Catholic families.
•      Xavier: Named after Mother Xavier Flood. She was one of the first Sisters of Mercy in Ballarat. She was also the first principal of Sacred Heart College.
•      St Martin: Named after Saint Martin de Porres. He was a Peruvian lay brother known for helping the poor. This house was formerly called O'Collins House.

School Principals

Here are the principals who have led Damascus College since it was formed:

Famous Former Students

Many students from Damascus College and its founding schools have gone on to achieve great things.

From Sacred Heart College

• Karen Overington (1969): A member of the Victorian Parliament.
• Judith Myrea Brewer (1979): Awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia.

From St Paul's Technical College

• Mick Malthouse (1971): A famous AFL football player and coach.
• Val Perovic (1971): Former AFL footballer.
• Maurice O'Keefe (1972): AFL footballer.
• Geoff Cunningham (1977): AFL footballer.
• Daryl Cunningham (1978): AFL footballer.
• Sean Simpson (1987): Former AFL footballer.
• Anthony McDonald (1990): Former AFL footballer.
• James McDonald (1992): AFL footballer.

From St Martin's In the Pines

• Helen FitzGerald (1984): A novelist and screenwriter.
• Rachael Taylor (1994): An Olympic medalist in rowing.

From Damascus College

• Darren Jolly (1996): Won two AFL premierships.
• Shayne Reese (2000): An Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmer.
• Cameron Richardson (2005): Former AFL footballer.
• James Frawley (2006): AFL footballer.
• Jordan Roughead (2008 school captain): Won an AFL premiership with the Western Bulldogs.
• Aislinn Prendergast (2009): An orienteer for Australia.
• Shaun Reeves (2011): Member of the band Kuchi Kopi.
• Sam Rizzo: A Para-athlete.
• Shelby Sherritt: A ceramic artist.

See also

• Catholic All Schools Sports Association (CAS)
• Education in Ballarat
• List of schools in Victoria
• List of Christian Brothers schools
• List of schools in Ballarat
• List of high schools in Victoria
• Sacred Heart College, Ballarat
• Victorian Certificate of Education