St Bernard's College traces its origins to the establishment of St Monica's at Moonee Ponds in 1917, by Brothers C. O'Keefe and T. Quinn. Students at this school were taken from Grade III to Intermediate (Year 10).
In 1940, during the war period, not only were the students sent away to help in Ireland, the school was also extended to take the Leaving Certificate (Year 11), and this necessitated the building of the first St Bernard's on the Strand Moonee Ponds, with Brother Cregan as the first Headmaster.[1]
In the mid-1950s, Brother Brendan Murphy organised the purchase of the West Essendon property. While initially used as sporting grounds, building work began at this site in the mid-1960s. Since then, the site has developed with all classes being located at West Essendon by 1995, at which time the Moonee Ponds site was sold. In 2001, the college set up its Santa Monica campus on the Great Ocean Road near Lorne. This campus is most notably used by Year 9 students where they live, study, and undertake outdoor education for four-week periods as part of the standard curriculum.[2] Since 2023,[3] the college has had its Year 9 students at a dedicated campus in Aberfeldie, known as Resurrection House. Resurrection House has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1952,[4] run by the Sisters of the Resurrection, as a Catholic primary school until they closed and sold the property for campus use to St Bernards.
For the 2025 Victorian school year, the current term dates are as below.[6]
Term 1 - Monday, 3 February (Years 7, 9, 11 & 12)/Tuesday 4 February (Years 8 & 10) - Friday, 4 April
Term 2 - Tuesday, 22 April - Friday, 4 July
Term 3 - Tuesday, 22 July - Friday, 19 September
Term 4 - Monday, 6 October - Friday, 5 December
Activities
Sports
View of the St Bernard's College Oval
St Bernard's is a member of the Associated Catholic Colleges and competes against twelve other schools in sporting fixtures and carnivals. Students play week-end sport with the Old Collegians. St Bernards is particularly successful in Australian Rules Football, winning the Herald Sun Shield in 2017 and 2018. A number of boys from these sides have been drafted into the AFL like Noah Balta to Richmond, Xavier O'Halloran to Greater Western Sydney, (in the first round of the AFL draft) and Lachlan Sholl to Adelaide.
St Bernards had a record twelve straight Athletic championship wins from 2003 to 2014, under the coaching of Gerard Brown, a teacher with years of experience in the role as head coach of the Athletics squad and Cross Country team.[7][8]
The college has musical productions and music programs. It has combined with St Columba's College, to stage shows annually.
Recognition by Music Theatre Guild of Victoria
St Bernard's College productions in conjunction with St Columba's College have been recognised by the prestigious Music Theatre Guild of Victoria, a not-for-profit organisation for the ongoing support, encouragement and development of non-professional music theatre in the state of Victoria.[11]
2025 – "Newsies"
Commendation for Junior Production of the Year
Brittany Crane, Nominee for Direction of a Junior Performance
Kira Neilson & Monique Zammit, Nominees for Choreography
James Chappel & Joshua Romeo, commended for Musical Direction of a Junior Production
Joshua Zanella, commended Best Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Jack Kelly
Isabell Moschini, commended Best Lead Performer in a Female Presenting Role as Katherine Plumber
Ensemble, commended for Best Ensemble
2024 – "Chicago"
Commendation for Junior Production of the Year
Linda Henderson, Nominee for Direction of a Junior Performance
Linda Henderson, Kira Neilson & Monique Zammit, Nominees for Choreography
Ed Chan, commended for Musical Direction of a Junior Production
Cooper Marin, Recipient of Best Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Billy Flynn
Sienna Alexander, commended for Minor/Cameo Role as Emcee
2023 – "Little Shop of Horrors"
Commendation for Junior Production of the Year
Brittany Crane, Commendation for Direction of a Junior Production
Chris Smith & Ed Chan, Commendation for Musical Direction of a Junior Production
Lucas Bonnici, Nominee for Best Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Seymour Krelborn
Cooper Marin, Recipient of Best Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Audrey II
2016 – "The Boy From Oz"
Nomination for Junior Production of the Year
Brooke Sullivan & Brendan Tollitn Nominees for Best Direction of a Junior Production
Ben Kelly, Nominee for Best Musical Direction of a Junior Production
Katherine McWaters & Jess Barlow, Nominees for Best Choreography
Liam McWhinney, Recipient of Best Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Peter Allen
Nesceda Blake, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role as Judy Garland
Brigid Hanley-Leonard, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role as Marion Woolnough
2013 – "Once Upon A Mattress"
Nomination for Junior Production of the Year
Catherine Ohlsen, Recipient of Best Direction of a Junior Production
Laura Danby, Nominee for Best Musical Direction of a Junior Production
Ben Hargreaves, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role as King Sextimus the Silent
Jeremy Deutscher, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role as Jester
Jasmine Romanin, Nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role as Queen Aggravain
Justin Madden – former Australian rules footballer for Carlton Blue and Essendon Bombers; former Member of the Legislative Assembly for Essendon in the Victorian Parliament
Simon Madden – former Australian rules footballer for Essendon Bombers[12]
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