St Patrick's College plans new boarding precinct

The college plans to build the new precinct next year, to be finished for the start of the 2017 school year.

St Patrick’s College headmaster John Crowley said that for the construction to start next year, the college would need to close two of its boarding houses.

“We will limit the places to 43 students, however no current students will miss out and our priority will be students in our Indigneous program. In 2017 we will have 75 to 80 boarders. We have 57 at the moment,” Mr Crowley said.

“We currently have four seperate boarding houses. The idea is to bring together the boys on one site. They will be under the same roof.”

Mr Crowley said the development would provide improved and more spacious accommodation for students, boarding staff and their families.

The college has received in-principle approval from its governing body, Edmund Rice Education Australia, to proceed with initial planning to construct the new building.

Mr Crowley said boarders at the college came from across Australia, including students from the Tiwi Islands.

“At heart, we make sure the boys feel at home,” he said.

Boarding at Ballarat schools remains a big part of their culture with both Ballarat Clarendon College and Ballarat Grammar experiencing a high demand to live and study on campus.

Ballarat Clarendon College accommodates 75 girls and 75 boys in its boarding houses, while Ballarat Grammar has 110 girls and 110 boys.

Ballarat Clarendon College registrar and marketing manager Denis Moneghetti said the college’s boarding houses had been full for the past 10 years.

He said students boarded from across Western Victoria and Southern New South Wales.

“The purpose of boarding is to provide an education opportunity for those people who can’t access them in their local environment,” Mr Moneghetti said.

Ballarat Grammar director of admissions Bruce Pipkorn said the school focused on accommodating country students because they were the most in need of education opportunities.

“We have very few if not no metro Melbourne students,” Mr Pipkorn said.

“Our agriculture program is something our boarders, not all, find engaging. It means the school has some aspects to it that are appealing.”