A cohort of year 7 students has made history as the first students to study at the new Kolbe Catholic College campus in Mickleham.
Students, parents and teachers gathered on the new school courts, to celebrate the opening on 30 January with a smoking ceremony.
Principal Nick Scully said the school had built an ongoing relationship with Indigenous elders.
“It’s a massively important moment to recognise the significance of the land on which we stand,” Mr Scully said.
He said students would continue to learn about First Nations peoples and culture through art, music and storytelling.
The St Catherine of Bologna Campus will continue to add a new year level each year.
The school’s expansion was supported by $11 million in funding through the state government’s Catholic schools building fund.
Mr Scully said many locals missed out on the 150-student places for 2026.
“We had somewhere around 320 applications for 156 positions… the need for a Catholic education in this area… is essential.”
The government funding has already delivered general and specialist learning areas, administration space and associated spaces.
The current development will deliver 16 classrooms, a performing arts centre, multipurpose rooms and four relocatable modular classrooms.
Mr Scully said the building process would be undertaken in nine stages and the school would eventually cater for years 7 to 12.
“We are now in stage two of development which will cater for years 9 and 10 in two years’ time.”
