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Independent, co-educational, day school in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Damascus College is Ballarat’s only Catholic co-educational secondary college. It was established in 1995 after three separate Catholic colleges, St Martin's in the Pines, Sacred Heart College and St Paul's College amalgamated. The college is located on a treed 20 hectare campus in Mount Clear, 7 km from Ballarat's central business district. Damascus College is a day school for secondary students in years 7 to 12.
Origins
Sacred Heart College
In 1881, the Sisters of Mercy established Sacred Heart College in Ballarat East for students from Preparatory to Year 12. The primary students were later moved to St Francis Xavier College in 1906.[citation needed]
St Paul's Technical College
Ludbrook House, formerly the site of St Paul's
When the Bishop of Ballarat, James O'Collins established St Paul's Technical College in 1948, he invited the Christian Brothers to continue their work for boys through the provision of technical education.[citation needed]
In 1987 the school moved from Lydiard St to the former Ballarat Orphanage on Victoria Street.[citation needed]
St Martin's in the Pines
Alice Fanning, who had been looked after by the Sisters of Mercy for several years, bequeathed the Mt Clear property to the Sisters of Mercy on her death in February 1960. The land was used by the Sisters to grow vegetables and raise cattle, and following the decision in 1964 to develop the site for the senior school of Sacred Heart College, the foundation stone was laid in 1966.[citation needed]
In 1967, the separate campus for Year 11 and 12 girls was developed at Mt Clear to form St Martin's in the Pines. In 1988, this campus became co-educational, with boys mainly from St Paul's Technical College.[citation needed]
Amalgamation
In 1995 Sacred Heart College, St Martin's in the Pines and St Paul's Technical College amalgamated to form Ballarat's only co-educational Catholic secondary school. Year 7 to 9 students were located in Victoria St at the former St Paul's site and Year 10 to 12 students were located in Mt Clear at the former site of St Martin's in the Pines. In 2011 all students were relocated to Mt Clear. Damascus College is jointly sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and the parish priests of Ballarat, Ballarat East, Ballarat North, Bungaree, Cressy, Creswick, Daylesford, Gordon, Linton, Redan, Sebastopol, and Wendouree.
In 2016 the college was named the Sustainability Victoria Biodiversity Secondary School of the Year.[4]
Students have the opportunity to learn French or Indonesian from Year 7 to 12. Physical Education and Health are taken from years 7 to 10, while Religious Education is taken for all years. Damascus College offers VCE, VET and VCE Vocational Major to Year 10, 11 and 12 students.[5]
Extracurricular activities
Mercy and Justice
Timor-Leste Immersion Program – students are given the opportunity to raise funds for Timor-Leste and visit the college's sister school Santa Maria in Ainaro[6]
Edmund Rice Camps – students are trained to become camp leaders for disadvantaged children and families[6]
Seeds of Justice – a Mercy Schools Project which allows students to deepen their awareness of justice[6]
Mercy Works – projects supporting local and overseas relief and development activities
Justice Action Group (JAG) – social justice group[6]
Since 1998 Damascus College students have designed, built and tested Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs).[7] The team trains and competes annually in the Energy Breakthrough challenge in Maryborough.[8] The competition involves a 24-hour non-stop endurance race where teams gain points for the most laps travelled as well as their demonstrated knowledge of the vehicle and the technology used to make the vehicle.[7] SRT is offered as a after-school extra-curricular activity that requires students to build the vehicles in an effort to engage them in energy efficient technologies that may make up the future of transport and manufacturing.[7][9] Additionally, the team competes in the Victorian HPV Grand Prix Series and Australian HPV Super Series.
The college won the World Future Cycle Challenge in 2005 and 2007, a 1200 km journey from Ceduna to Adelaide.[10][11]
In March 2008 Damascus College rode 1009 km in under 24 hours from Sydney to Ballarat to raise awareness of solutions to greenhouse emissions and to raise funds for sustainable energy and food programs.[12]
In 2009, SRT rode a 3775 km journey by solar vehicle from Darwin to the steps of the Victorian State Parliament from 23 November - 9 December, just as the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen opened. Their Outback Rode RAGE (Ride Against Greenhouse Emissions) campaign aimed to raise awareness about climate change and how individuals can reduce their environmental footprints. Seven students took turns on the hi-tech vehicle. The vehicle was 30 per cent powered by solar electricity and 70 per cent by pedalling and hit a top of 115 km/h.[10]
Formerly known as Energy Breakthrough Team (EBT), in 2019 it was renamed to Sustainable Racing Team (SRT).
In May 2024, SRT rode 1085km from Broken Hill to Ballarat to raise money for the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.
Drama
Students can join the senior or junior Drama Club, can participate in the annual production and the biannual Easter production the Final Hours.[13]
Each year school swimming, athletics and ball sports carnivals are held for all students to participate in. Damascus College is a member of the Ballarat Associated Schools through which students can choose to represent the school in:
Damascus College is divided into several school wings[9]
Bishop Connors Wing – Year 9 and 10 classrooms named for former Bishop of Ballarat Peter Connors
Catherine McAuley Wing – Year 7 and 8 classrooms named for Sister Catherine McAuley
Genevieve McDonald Wing – Science classrooms named for Sister Genevieve McDonald
John Shannon Centre – gymnasium named in honour of first Damascus principal, John Shannon
Mercy Wing – administration and visitor reception named in honour of the Sisters of Mercy
Our Lady of Mercy Chapel
St Martin's Resource Centre – Library, named for St Martin's in the Pines
St Paul's Arts and Technology Wing – art, metal and woodwork rooms named for St Paul's Technical College
Valda Ward Auditorium – Drama auditorium and rooms named after Sister Valda Ward
Damascus Events Centre – a multipurpose building primarily for hosting events and exams
Houses
McAuley: Venerable Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy, who had their formal beginnings in Ireland in 1831. In response to the needs of the time, Catherine McAuley established an institution for the care and education of less advantaged girls and young women. The congregation has continued to act in response to contemporary needs in society.
Rice: Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice founded the Christian Brothers in Ireland in 1802 to educate the sons of poor and oppressed Catholic families. The brothers provided education by which these boys gained some control of their lives.
Xavier: Mother Xavier Flood was one of the founding sisters of the Convent of Mercy, Ballarat East and the first principal of Sacred Heart College.
