Rostrevor College has a rich history of educating boys in the Edmund Rice tradition since its foundation over a century ago.
Established in 1923 by the Christian Brothers, under the direction of the first Headmaster Brother Purton, Rostrevor’s purpose was to cater for the overflow of boarding students from Christian Brothers College on Wakefield Street.
The College’s foundation students walked up Moules Road and through the front gates on Rostrevor’s first official day – 6 May 1923. The first boarders lived on the top floor of the iconic Rostrevor House, which was built decades before in 1858.
1923 was also the year of the first Rostrevor College vs Sacred Heart College Intercollegiate Football match. Now known as ‘Intercol’, the tradition continues to support a friendly rivalry between the two school communities and has grown to include a range of sports across the summer and winter competitions.
In the early years, there were 90-100 boarders attending classes alongside roughly 75 day students. During this time, Rostrevor was not its own school, but was considered a second campus for CBC. All ‘Leaving’ students were taught at Rostrevor, and players for sporting teams were selected from both campuses.
In 1939 the current College Chapel was built and the Murray Gates were erected, and in 1941 a new dormitory was built to cater for the influx of students seeking boarding during WWII. This building is now the Mary Fountain Music Centre.
In 1943 the campus officially split from CBC to form Rostrevor College – a name up to that time was unofficially used by most community members. The Murray Gates at the top of Moules Road cemented the change, with the words ‘ROSTREVOR COLLEGE’ permanently noting the new identity of the campus.
The early 1990s saw a state-of-the-art Boarding House built just beyond the Handball Courts which catered for around 70 boarders and live-in staff. However, the interior looks very different today after being completely refurbished in 2021.
While Junior Years boys were enrolled at the College from 1923 (then referred to as “the small boys”), the first Reception to Year 2 classes were established in 1998.
The College was led with Christian Brothers at the helm as Headmaster until 2003 when Jeff Croser became the first lay Headmaster. In 2022, Shana Bennett made history when she was appointed as the first female Principal of an all-boys school in South Australia.
In 2023, Rostrevor College celebrated its Centenary Year. The wider community was brought together through a series of celebratory events culminating in the Centenary Gala, which was attended by almost 700 people who shared a collective attachment to the red and black.
We are proud of our history and traditions. The legacy left by those who have come before us continues to shape the Rostrevor experience and culture, adding to the vibrant spirit of our College.
Rostrevor’s stories are told through photographs, artifacts and memorabilia displayed in the Heritage Room in Rostrevor House, which is opened on special occasions such as the annual Old Boys’ Lunch, the Year 7 Enculturation Day or by special appointment.
An in-depth history of Rostrevor College can be found in the Rostrevor College Centenary Book.