Salesian College, Rupertswood
Encyclopedia
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, Roman Catholic, co-educational school located in Sunbury
Sunbury, Victoria
Sunbury is a regional city, located north-west of Melbourne's central business district, in the state of Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hume. At the 2006 Census, Sunbury had a population of 31,000...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
It is located on the grounds of Rupertswood MansionRupertswood
Rupertswood is a mansion and country estate located in Sunbury on the outskirts of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is well known as the birthplace of The Ashes, awarded to the winning team in cricket Test match series between Australia and England. Rupertswood is one of the largest houses...
. Set up by the Salesian Society when the mansion and its grounds were sold to them in 1927, it was originally an all-boys boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
. In the 1950s it began admitting day students as well as catering for boarders. After Sunbury grew in the 1980s the school began to welcome girls to the school and by 1997 it had become fully co-educational and stopped student boarding.
The property is well known as the birthplace of The Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
, awarded to the winning team in cricket test match series between Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Rupertswood
Rupertswood
Rupertswood is a mansion and country estate located in Sunbury on the outskirts of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is well known as the birthplace of The Ashes, awarded to the winning team in cricket Test match series between Australia and England. Rupertswood is one of the largest houses...
is one of the largest houses constructed in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and, although now subdivided, has significant farm land. The estate also had its own private railway station and artillery battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
.
The school has a very wide curriculum ranging from agriculture to visual communications. It has its own sporting facilities including a 25m swimming pool, a large stadium, a cross-country equestrian course and full-size football ground facilities. The closure of the railway station, as well as the abandonment of the school's VCE
VCE
VCE could refer to:* Victorian Certificate of Education, Year 11 and 12 qualification in Victoria, Australia* Vocational Certificate of Education, a Further Education qualification in the United Kingdom...
Drama and Agricultural units have proved a controversial issue amongst parents and students in the past years.
The Rupertswood railway station was located adjacent to the school, and from 1962 until closure in 2004 was used exclusively by students.
Past Pupils Association
The Past Pupils Association is the alumni associationAlumni association
An alumni association is an association of graduates or, more broadly, of former students. In the United Kingdom and the United States, alumni of universities, colleges, schools , fraternities, and sororities often form groups with alumni from the same organisation...
of Rupertswood for all students since its foundation in 1927. This Association networks with the other Salesian Past Pupils Associations in Australia and around the world. The group aims to foster and cultivate a continuing association with the College and to build on the networks and friendships developed over the years.
Sexual Abuse Claims
During the 1970s and 1980s a number of sexual abuseSexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
crimes occurred at Rupertswood that were later brought to public attention. Following police investigation and criminal trial a number of past brothers and priests were brought to justice with successful convictions being achieved including substantial jail terms. Four clergy from the school, Michael Aulsebrook, David Rapson, Frank Klep and Peter Paul Van Ruth were charged and convicted of crimes related to sexual abuse that occurred while they were performing roles within the Salesian College.
Notable alumni
- Ronald RyanRonald RyanRonald Joseph Ryan was the last person to be legally executed in Australia. Ryan was found guilty of shooting and killing prison officer George Hodson during a prison escape from Pentridge Prison, Victoria in 1965...
- Stéphanie MontreuxStéphanie MontreuxStéphanie Montreux was born Stéphanie Shoshanna May Montreux Carswell on 19 June 1985 in Melbourne, Australia. Sometimes credited as Stephanie Carswell / Stéphanie May Carswell / Shoshanna May. She is the older sister of Jennifer Carswell.-Life and career:...
- Peter WalshPeter Walsh (organizer)Peter Walsh is an Australian-born professional organizer, writer and television personality residing in Los Angeles. He is a very private person but spoke about his US citizenship, outed himself and spoke about his June 2008 marriage to his partner on his SiriusXM radio show on the Oprah Channel...
See also
- RupertswoodRupertswoodRupertswood is a mansion and country estate located in Sunbury on the outskirts of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is well known as the birthplace of The Ashes, awarded to the winning team in cricket Test match series between Australia and England. Rupertswood is one of the largest houses...
- Rupertswood railway station
- Sunbury, VictoriaSunbury, VictoriaSunbury is a regional city, located north-west of Melbourne's central business district, in the state of Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hume. At the 2006 Census, Sunbury had a population of 31,000...