History

STRATHCONA IS THE CATALYST
OF A LIFE-SHAPING MOMENTUM

12 February, 1924

Founding

Strathcona Girls Grammar School was founded by Miss Henrietta Hughes and Mrs Florence Mabel Livingstone

12 February, 1924

12 February 1924

Original House Named

The original house at 34 Scott Street was named after Lord Strathcona of Canada

12 February 1924

1928

Basketball match at Strathcona

1928

1932

Strathcona Sports Day at Glenferrie Oval

1932

1941 - 1942

Miss Bessie Sweetland, Headmistress

1941 - 1942

1943 - 1953

Miss Dora Bulie Featherstone, Headmistress

1943 - 1953

1943

The Baptist Union purchased the School

1943

1948

School Hymn created

Prefect Val Hutchinson wrote the School Hymn and composed the original music

1948

1949

Spicer Block

On the 10 November the Spicer Block was opened

1949

1950

Mellor House

Mellor House was purchased to be used as the Junior School. Named after Head of Junior School Joan Mellor.

1950

1954 - 1956

Miss Helen Menzies Smith, Headmistress

1954 - 1956

1957 - 1972

Rev John Morley Headmaster

1957 - 1972

1969

Australia’s first separate Year 9 girls’ campus

Tay Creggan was purchased and Australia’s first separate Year 9 campus was established. The first cohort of Year 9 girls were welcomed onto the campus in 1970.

1969

1973 - 1989

Mr Ken Lyall OAM, Principal

1973 - 1989

1974

First pupils visit

Mr Lyall with Strathcona’s first two pupils, Mrs Una Cromie and Mrs Jean Lovegrove (Austin)

1974

1975

A Royal Visit

Princess Margaret visited Tay Creggan on her Royal Tour

1975

1990 - 2000

Mrs Ruth Bunyan AM , Principal

1990 - 2000

1994

New Humanities and Administration Block Opened

On the 5 March the new Humanities and Administration block was opened containing the Lyall Chapel

1994

1997

Middle School Centre and Science Labs opened

1997

1998

Tay Creggan extended

11 October Tay Creggan extension and the reflection pool was opened

1998

2000

New Science Wing and Language and Middle School opened

18 July Professor Suzanne Cory, Director of the Walters & Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research, opened the new Science Wing and Language and Middle School Centre

2000

2001 - 2014

Mrs Helen Hughes, Principal

2001 - 2014

2001

Mont Calm Nursing Home was purchased and converted into the Junior School

2001

2003

New Senior Centre and Library opened

2003

2004

Former teacher Mr Gary Bradley was commissioned to compose the new music for the School Hymn Divine Instructor

2004

2005

Charlotte’s Web filming

Scenes from Hollywood’s Charlotte’s Web was filmed in the front rooms of Tay Creggan

2005

Opening of the New Mellor House

2005

2008

Creative Performing Arts Centre Opens

29 August Ms Nehama Patkin OAM opens The Shirley Bourne Gallery in the Creative and Performing Arts Centre (CPAC)

2008

2011

Opening of the Aquatic and Fitness Centre

17 March 2011

2011

2012

Featherstone Hall is refurbished

30 October His Excellency the Hon. Alex Chernov AC QC Governor of Victoria opened the refurbished Featherstone Hall

2012

2015

Mrs Marise McConaghy Principal

2015

Contemporary Learning Centre Opens

19 June Opening of the Contemporary Learning Centre by Dr Vanessa Murrie (’90) BSc (Melb), M.S. (Mayo Grad. School), PhD (Cambridge)

2015

2018

Year 9 Envision Program launched

Woven together with Australian National Year 9 Curriculum, the TC Envision Program teaches important entrepreneurial and life ready skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, design capability, intellect, collaboration, communication and resilience.

2018

Students met Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai

Malala advises Principal, Mrs Marise McConaghy, to teach our girls to be “Respectfully Rebellious”.

2018

2019

Wall of Inspirational Strathcona Women launched

2019

Strathcona won the award for Best STEAM Initiative at the EduTech Asia Awards. This award recognises a school that has taken their STEAM curriculum to the next level, created interdisciplinary learning experiences for its students by successfully incorporating both inquiry and problem-based learning methods.

2019

2020

Continuous Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic

Students and teachers adapted brilliantly to learning virtually at the end of Term 1 as Australia went into home isolation to flatten the curve of the pandemic.

2020

2024

Ms Lorna Beegan, Principal

2024

Strathcona Celebrates 100 Years

2024

Strathcona Early Years Officially Opens

2024

Vision and Values

Publications