Principals Message

St Clare’s College history can be traced back to the early 1880s with correspondence between the Waverley Franciscan Friars and Irish Franciscan Friars. 

The passage of the Public Education Act in 1880 hindered the Waverley Franciscan Friars in providing a Catholic education to Catholic children in the developing colony. Therefore in mid-1882, the Friars approached the Poor Clare Sisters in Ireland to educate the children in the Franciscan district of Waverley.

Three Poor Clare Sisters from the Newry convent – Teresa Lawless, M Dominic Cunningham and Francisca Sloan, together with the three Poor Clare Sisters from the Keady convent – Patrick Murray, Antonia O’Hare, and Aloysius O’Hare, travelled to Australia. Departing on 4 October 1883, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, they arrived in Sydney on 23 November 1883. The foundation stone of the St Clare’s school was laid in December 1883 and was officially opened and blessed by Archbishop Moran on 28 October 1884. Registration was obtained in 1921, during which time, the college was fully equipped for every level of public education.

Sister M Teresa Lawless was principal with 20 girls enrolled. In 1910, and again in 1929, extensions were added to accommodate the increasing enrolments. The Assembly Hall opened in mid-1930 and in 1953 an additional wing was built dedicated to the pioneer Sisters.

With government funding, the Claverie and O’Sullivan wings were constructed providing science laboratories, a library, offices, computing, and sports facilities. In 1983, additional buildings were purchased to provide facilities for the Visual Arts and Design and Technology departments. 

In 1996, the Governing Council of the Poor Clare Sisters incorporated the college as a company with limited liability. This was to ensure that the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ was carried on, with or without the presence of the Poor Clare Sisters in the college. 

In 2011, the Poor Clare Sisters decided to hand over the governance of the college to the Archdiocese of Sydney. A new chapter began in 2013, as St Clare’s College was now part of the archdiocesan system of schools. 

The college retains its strong Franciscan focus and maintains its links with the Poor Clare Sisters and their traditions. Embracing simplicity, joy, and profound reverence for every person, all of creation, and the Creator of all.

From those humble beginnings, the college continues to grow, both in student numbers, Alumni, our physical environment, and community.