From the earliest days of its history, Emmanuel College has always been a forward-looking school. Emmanuel was born in 1991 when St Ann’s and CBC joined together to create a new and progressive co-educational college.
St Ann’s and CBC share a similar beginning. In many ways the story of the two schools is a story of overcoming adversity, making the most of opportunities and creating a strong sense of community.
Emmanuel College has been on an amazing journey since its inception. The College values its history, from its early beginnings in 1872 as a Sisters of Mercy community and a school, and in 1902 when the Christian Brother’s community and school were established. With the support of our broader College community we are able to keep this rich history alive through the development of our History Centre. A place that lays the foundation for many of the College’s traditions and values, and preserves and shares the artefacts of our story.
You can help to enrich our heritage collection by volunteering at the History Centre. Hours are flexible, and your experience from your time at school may assist in identifying the subject of photos or the use of artefacts held at the centre.
We never truly realise the value of something in our life until it becomes a memory. Take part in our alumni community and share some of your favourites.
I have great memories of the Brothers. Wednesday afternoons we’d play sport. Whatever sport you liked. I was always football. Each House had a team. We’d spend all week working out how we could beat the competition.Noel Mugavin, CBC Class of 1974
My memories from secondary school are amazing. I recall all the teacher's names, Mr Barker saying "pull your socks up"; Mr Tobias conducting choir where volume was emphasised over melody; a dunking machine at the school fete; and making a surf movie with my mates as a "project" (for us this was a scam to go surf, but we actually learned about editing and videography along the way!)Jeremy O’Brien, College Captain and Class of 1991
I can remember particularly, a concert, well it wasn’t a concert actually, we had a show and it was on the basketball court, which were where…just below the carpark. And doing Hungarian dancing.Sr Geraldine Mugavin, St Ann’s Class of 1958
Miss White was an incredible biology teacher. At the end of the year (1990) we did a dead poets salute to Miss WhiteDr Alison Farley, St Ann’s Class of 1990
I remember the rules around the uniform - which I now agree with - top button had to be done up (under the tie) or Mrs Bastow would sew the shirt together. Your winter tunic must touch the floor when you kneel, and gold or bottle green ribbons only (not lemon, or any other form of green or yellow) and the hair tie had to match. Absolutely no wearing your school jumper without your blazer in public, long hair must be tied up, etc.Allison Tippett (nee Myers), St Ann’s Class of 1990
Well we used to go over (to CBC) for Chemistry and they would come for General Maths at St Ann’s. What I loved about that, was that they had a better canteen. So we would go over there and finish our class and then it would be recess. You’d go and get your cream bun and eat it on the way back to St Ann’s. So that was fantastic. Our canteen was not much at all really. But the boys for some reason, maybe their mothers thought that their boys had to be fed well.Anne Wines (nee McElgunn), St Ann’s Class of 1972
When I look back at my time here at Emmanuel college, I look back with great fondness. I have countless memories here. Memories of Learning, of growing, of friendships, laughter and a whole lot of mischief. And they’re all memories that I cherish now and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.Harry Price, Emmanuel Class of 2018
St Ann’s had a great effect on my music. Sister Mary Ena, who was a very authoritarian taskmaster in early 60s, teaching Prep, Grade 1, and Grade 2 in the same class of 120-160 students, was a great teacher for me. She introduced us to the musette, a plastic whistle in prep, and then the recorder in Grade 2 - I loved both instruments.Anne Cameron, St Ann's Class of 1973
