Damascus College

Story

Damascus College is Ballarat’s only Catholic co-educational secondary college. It was established 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.OriginsSacred Heart CollegeIn 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.St Paul's Technical CollegeWhen the Bishop of Ballarat, Most Reverend 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.In 1987 the school moved from Lydiard St to the former Ballarat Orphanage on Victoria Street.St Martin's in the PinesMiss 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.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.