College Tours & Open Day
Book a St Mary's College tour: fortnightly on Tuesdays at 9:30am and Thursdays at 4:30pm during term, with upcoming dates, what a tour covers, and details of Open Day on Sunday 8 March 2027, 10:00am–1:00pm.
The best way to decide whether St Mary's is right for your child is to see the college on a normal school day — classrooms in use, students in the yard, teachers teaching. Our tours are led by a member of the leadership team, usually Dr Helen Carmody or one of the Deputy Principals, and are joined by two student ambassadors from the Senior School who will answer the questions students actually want to ask. Tours are free, take about 75 minutes, and children are very welcome.
Regular tours
Tours run fortnightly during term in the even weeks of the term:
- Tuesdays at 9:30am — see the college in full swing: Junior literacy blocks, Senior classes in the science labs and Technology Centre, and morning recess at 10:45am.
- Thursdays at 4:30pm — for working parents: quieter, with Homework Club, ensemble rehearsals and sport training in progress.
| Date | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 1 September 2026 | 9:30am | Prep 2027 Transition Session 1 runs the same morning — the Penola Centre will be lively |
| Thursday 3 September 2026 | 4:30pm | |
| Tuesday 15 September 2026 | 9:30am | Last Term 3 tours |
| Thursday 17 September 2026 | 4:30pm | |
| Tuesday 13 October 2026 | 9:30am | |
| Thursday 15 October 2026 | 4:30pm | Year 6 2027 Transition Day — current Year 6s in the Senior School |
| Tuesday 27 October 2026 | 9:30am | |
| Thursday 29 October 2026 | 4:30pm | |
| Tuesday 10 November 2026 | 9:30am | |
| Thursday 12 November 2026 | 4:30pm | |
| Tuesday 24 November 2026 | 9:30am | Year 7 2027 Orientation Day in progress |
| Thursday 26 November 2026 | 4:30pm | |
| Tuesday 8 December 2026 | 9:30am | Last tours for 2026 |
| Thursday 10 December 2026 | 4:30pm |
2027 tour dates will be published in January 2027 and begin in the week of Monday 8 February 2027.
How to book
Book through the Parent Portal public page (Enrolment › Book a Tour), by emailing enrol@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au, or by phoning the Registrar, Mrs Kate O'Brien, on (03) 9555 0120. Please tell us the number of adults and children, the year level and year of entry you are considering, and any access requirements. Tours are capped at 12 families; if a date is full we will offer the next one. Private tours for families relocating from interstate or with particular circumstances can be arranged on other days by contacting the Registrar.
On the day
- Meet at Reception in the St Joseph's Building, main entrance, 14 Chapel Road, 10 minutes before the start. Sign in and collect a visitor lanyard.
- Park in the visitor car park at the main entrance (12 bays) or on Sutherland Street. Please do not use the Kiss-and-Drop zone or the staff car park — see College Map & Parking.
- Wear comfortable shoes; the tour covers about 1.5 kilometres, mostly under cover, with lifts available.
- Bring your questions and, if you are ready, your enrolment documents — the Registrar can check them on the spot.
What the tour covers
The route depends on the age of your child but typically includes the Penola Centre (Prep–2) and Tenison Building (Years 3–6), the Learning Commons, the Carroll Science Centre, Technology & Design Centre, Trinity Performing Arts Centre, Mary MacKillop Hall, the Sports Centre and Main Oval, and the MacKillop Chapel. Tours finish with tea and coffee in the Heritage Cottage, where the Registrar will explain the enrolment process, fees and answer anything else.
Open Day — Sunday 8 March 2027, 10:00am–1:00pm
Our annual Open Day is the one time each year that the whole college is on show, staffed by teachers and more than 200 student volunteers.
| When | Sunday 8 March 2027, 10:00am–1:00pm. Principal's addresses at 10:15am and 11:45am in Mary MacKillop Hall (30 minutes each). |
| Where | Whole campus. Enter via the main entrance on Chapel Road or the Sutherland Street car park; overflow parking on the Main Oval. |
| Tours | Student-led tours depart Reception every 15 minutes from 10:00am to 12:15pm (no booking required). Head of Junior School and Head of Senior School Q&A sessions at 11:00am in the Learning Commons. |
| See | Science demonstrations, Technology Centre workshops, art exhibition, Concert Band and Chamber Choir performances (10:45am and 12:00pm in the Trinity Performing Arts Centre), sport clinics on the courts, Prep classrooms set up for play, VCE and careers displays. |
| Meet | The Registrar, Business Manager, Uniform Shop (open for browsing, not fittings), OSHC, canteen, music staff and the P&F, who run a barbecue and coffee cart. |
| Bring | The whole family. Children love it; prospective students can join the sport clinics and science demonstrations. |
No RSVP is needed for Open Day, but registering at enrol@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au lets us send you the program and a parking map the week before. Open Day is ideal for families considering Prep 2028, Year 7 2028 and Year 7 2029; applications for Prep 2028 close Friday 28 May 2027 and for Year 7 2029 close Friday 20 August 2027.
Other ways to see the college
- Year 7 2027 Information Evening — Wednesday 26 August 2026, 7:00pm, Mary MacKillop Hall (for families with an offer; see Year 7 2027).
- Prep 2027 Transition Sessions — Tuesday 1 September, Tuesday 13 October and Tuesday 24 November 2026, 9:15–10:30am (see Prep 2027).
- Spring Concert — Wednesday 16 September 2026, 7:00pm, Mary MacKillop Hall. Prospective families are welcome; tickets $10 at the door.
- Carols on the Green — Friday 4 December 2026, 6:00pm, Main Oval. Free, bring a picnic.
- Parish Mass — Saturday 6:00pm, Sunday 8:30am and 10:30am at St Mary of the Cross Church next door; families are always welcome.
Contact
Registrar (Enrolments) — Mrs Kate O'Brien Phone (03) 9555 0120 · Email enrol@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au · Reception, St Joseph's Building, 14 Chapel Road, Wattle Creek · Monday–Friday 8:00am–4:30pm during term.