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Founding of the Swan River Colony
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30 students began first Catholic school in WA under the guidance of Fr. Brady. The primary school was funded by the Bishop and parents at a cost of £60 per year. Irish catechist Patrick O'Reilly employed as teacher.
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Fr. Brady consecrated as Bishop of Perth moves from Windsor to Western Australia. He returns to Australia to provide religious instruction to Europeans and Aboriginals.
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Bishop Brady returns to Australia with 27 missionaries; French priests and brothers, Irish nuns and catechists and Spanish Benedictines.
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Mother Frayne leads a group of six Sisters of Mercy in opening the first secondary school in Perth.
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Numerous religious Orders including; Benedictines, Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Dominican Sisters, Sisters of Mercy, Ursuline Sister, Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, De La Salle Brothers, Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Presentation Sisters and Irish Christian Brothers to name a few.
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Swan River settlement sees dramatic growth in Irish Catholic numbers
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Free, compulsory and secular education Act. Compulsory attendance, usually by children to the age of 13.
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Bishop Gibney secures the future for Catholic education by increasing WAs Catholic presence from 12 churches, 11 primary schools, 2 orphanages and 3 superior schools, to 31 churches, 43 primary schools, 2 orphanages, 21 superior schools, 1 college, a wayward women's asylum, 2 hospitals and a monastery
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Responsible Government/ education made a priority by Parish Priests.
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State aid terminated to Catholic schools. Western Australia continues to see rapid population growth
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During the time period 1896 - 1929 the number of Catholic schools rises from 21 to 86; with enrollments increasing from 3,190 to 9,083. The affiliation of schools with religious orders such as Christian Brothers, Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, De La Salle Brothers, Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Presentation Sisters and
Dominican Sisters is maintained and flourishes.
Cooperation with the Education Department improves. -
Between 1896 and 1929 the momentum of Catholic Education was maintained and flourished.
The Bushies scheme was introduced with children receiving religious education by post and catholic families in the cities providing support for country counterparts. -
Catholic education was sustained during the depression (1929-39) and WW2 (1939-45) by initiatives set in place by Bishop Clune and Fr McMahon.
Schools included; Castledare, St Brigid’s Lesmurdie, St Brigid’s West Perth, Loreto Nedlands and primary schools in Pinjarra, Mingenew, Wiluna, Cunderdin. -
In the 1950’s the State’s population surged due to post war migration and a rising birth rate resulting in an 81% increase in enrolments in Catholic schools. Unable to keep pace with the population increase, the percentage of Catholic children educated in Catholic schools had fallen to 16% by 1969.
A shift from predominantly religious teachers (Priests, Nuns, Brothers) in 1950 (80%) to predominantly lay persons (20% religious) by the 1970's. -
While some government funding was established, the 1970’s continued to be a period of struggle, with scant resources and a diminishing number of Priests, Brothers and Sisters available as a voluntary work force.
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Commission in 1971 – First meeting 24th May – feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. Boards around 1972-73 The Catholic Education Commission of WA (CECWA) was created in 1971. WA Bishops and the heads of the teaching orders established protocols to make broad policy decisions across the whole state, crossing diocesan boundaries. By the 1980’s increased levels of Government funding reduced the strain and enabled continued expansion.
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In the 20th century the focus of providing education for Aborigines moved to the Kimberley region, with lay staff and Religious Sisters and Brothers often staffing schools in remote settlements.
1991 saw the birth of Australia’s first Catholic University, the ‘University of Notre Dame in Fremantle. The Teacher Education faculty has provided Catholic schools with teachers who have an appreciation of the distinctive ethos of a Catholic school and who are qualified to teach Religious Ed. -
Challenges for the future include; inspiring charism and ownership of Catholic missions. There is a focus, both in teacher training and school advertising material that focuses on what is distinctive about Catholic education. Catholic schools in WA continue to grow; with demand being high.
