Catholic education in Australia refers to the education services provided by the Catholic Church in Australia within the Australian education system. From 18th century foundations, the Catholic education system has grown to be the second biggest provider of school-based education in Australia, after government schools. The Catholic Church has established primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Australia. As of 2018, one in five Australian students attend Catholic schools. There are 1,755 Catholic schools in Australia with more than 777,000 students enrolled, employing almost 100,000 staff.
St Bede's Bentleigh East in Victoria
Mary MacKillop established an extensive network of schools for the poor and is Australia's first canonised saint of the Catholic Church
GPS athletes from St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, pictured in 1939
The observatory at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview was founded by the distinguished Jesuit scientist Edward Francis Pigot in 1908
Xavier College
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Xavier College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, founded in 1872 by the Society of Jesus, with its main campus located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Classes started in 1878.
Memorial Chapel foundation stone
Cigarette card featuring the Xavier College colours and crest, c. 1920s
(L–R) The Memorial Chapel on top of the hill overlooking a game of Australian rules football being played on the Roche Oval, Xavier College.
Former Senator Richard Alston a Former Xavier student