Principal's Welcome

Welcome to St Mary's College, Wattle Creek. Whether you are a current family, a prospective parent weighing up schools, or a past student checking in on the place, I am glad you have found your way here. This page is a short introduction to who we are; the rest of the site is deliberately practical, so if you are looking for bell times, fees or how to book a tour, the links at the bottom will take you straight there.

Who we are

St Mary's is a Catholic, co-educational Prep to Year 12 college on a single campus at 14 Chapel Road, Wattle Creek. We were founded in 1954 by the Sisters of St Joseph, and their founder, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, remains our patron. Our motto, Lumen in Tenebris — "Light in the Darkness" — is not a slogan we put on banners and forget. It is the standard we hold ourselves to: that a St Mary's education should make a young person a source of light for the people around them.

Today around 1,480 students learn here: about 620 in our Junior School (Prep–Year 6) and 860 in our Senior School (Years 7–12), supported by 165 staff. We are big enough to offer a full VCE, VCE Vocational Major and VET program, a serious music and drama program and competitive sport, and small enough that our Heads of School know students by name.

What you can expect from us

• Every child known. Every student belongs to a homeroom or class, a year level with a dedicated coordinator, and one of our four Houses — MacKillop, Chisholm, Polding and Romero. Siblings share a House, so families build a tradition.
• Faith that is lived, not just taught. Religious Education runs from Prep to Year 12, we gather for whole-school Mass on the first Friday of each month at 9:15am, and our social justice program puts students in front of real need — from the Year 11 Winter Sleepout to the Christmas Hamper Appeal.
• High expectations, real support. Our Learning Diversity team, two school counsellors and free Homework Club (Monday–Thursday 3:30–4:30pm in the Learning Commons) exist so that expectations and support rise together.
• Straight communication. Notices, permission forms, absences and payments all run through the Parent Portal and the St Mary's Connect app. If something is unclear, ring the office on (03) 9555 0100 and a person will answer between 8:00am and 4:30pm on school days.

A word to prospective families

The best way to understand a school is to walk through it on an ordinary day. Our College Tours run fortnightly during term — Tuesdays at 9:30am and Thursdays at 4:30pm — and I or one of the Deputy Principals will meet you at Reception. Our next Open Day is Sunday 8 March 2027, 10:00am–1:00pm.

If you have a child starting Year 7 in 2027, our Year 7 2027 Information Evening is tomorrow, Wednesday 26 August 2026 at 7:00pm in Mary MacKillop Hall. Prep 2027 families will be with us for Transition Session 1 on Tuesday 1 September 2026 at 9:15am.

A word to current families

Thank you for the trust you place in us. Term 3 is a busy one — the Junior Athletics Carnival on Friday 4 September, Senior Athletics on Tuesday 8 September, the Spring Concert on Wednesday 16 September at 7:00pm — and the Term Dates and Daily Schedule pages will keep you on track. If you ever need to raise a concern, start with your child's teacher or year-level coordinator; the full list is on our Leadership & Staff page, and our Contact Us page explains who handles what.

I look forward to meeting you.

Dr Helen Carmody Principal, St Mary's College

Quick links

Contact

Principal's Office — Dr Helen Carmody, Principal Phone (03) 9555 0100 · Email office@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au · Reception, St Joseph's Building, 14 Chapel Road, Wattle Creek VIC 3799 · Monday–Friday 8:00am–4:30pm during term.