11 September
Five pioneering and courageous Presentation Sisters arrived in Mosman Park.
2 February
Iona Presentation College, opened its doors to students in the original convent, named Chateau Perseverance (pictured).
3 October
Originally all Presentation students attended school in the Convent, which served as a nunnery, boarding house and school. In 1914 the first new purpose-built building on the site, constructed as a classroom for kindergarten, infants, junior and upper primary classes was erected on bushland facing Palmerston Street. School fees for day students rose from a sixpence to 1 shilling per week.
29 May
The first reunion of Past Pupils took place and the Old Ionians Association was inaugurated with Archbishop Prendiville as patron (Marchant James, p. 449).
Registered School
In 1946 the Presentation Sisters made an application to be listed as a Registered School with the Education Department and the University of Western Australia. 120 students were enrolled at this time.
New Primary School
A new Primary School facing Lochee Street was built. The school was a brick and tile single-storey building consisting of four classrooms, a kindergarten room, a library and small staffroom, an entrance porch and separate cloakrooms for boys and girls.
Change in Uniform
The introduction of ‘London Tan’ into the uniform was a major change, consisting of a new blazer to accompany the dark blue winter uniform and light blue summer dress.
Sacre Coeur West Wing
A modern three-storey building capable of accommodating 200 students was designed by Henderson and Thompson and constructed by builder C B Wildy at a cost of $23,269. The two upper floors provided facilities for classrooms, a secondary library, science laboratory, music room and staff room. The lower floor included an undercroft, canteen and five music practice rooms. It was blessed and officially opened by Archbishop Redmond Garrett Prendiville on 5 February 1961.
Parents and Friends
The Parents and Friends were formed in 1963 to provide assistance to the College. In 2014 the Parents and Friends group was phased out and the Iona Parent Council was introduced.
Sacre Coeur East Wing
The building of Sacre Coeur East Wing (second wing of secondary school) commenced in 1967. The first stage of the new three-storey Science and Classroom Block was completed in 1968.
Student numbers across both Campuses was 355 students.
20 August
The College Anthem was sung for the first time. It was largely composed by past Goomalling pupil and writer of Australian ballads, RJ Fitzgerald with some input from Sr Carmel Ryan and Sr Patricia Lynch.
Moving Location
Continued growth necessitated further expansion for the school at both primary and secondary levels. The solution was to move the Primary School to a separate location. The Presentation Order was given first option on the General Motors Holden site which was rezoned for educational purposes. The site had originally been a dairy (Witheridge’s Model Dairy, Victoria Street, Cottesloe/Buckland Hill).
21 April
A new Boarding House was officially opened by Sir Charles Court to accommodate 110 country students, in addition to a College Library and study hall. It was officially blessed by Archbishop Goody.
Buckland Hill
The Iona Primary School officially moved to the Buckland Hill site following the completion of its construction/
First Mass Held in Nagle Hall
The first Mass in the new school hall was on the Feast of the Ascension 1983, with Father Jegerow as the celebrant.
First Lay Principal
Iona Presentation College's first lay principal, Mrs Joan Hanavan, was appointed.
Clock Tower and House System Change
The clock tower on the Senior School Palmerston Campus was built with the assistance of a donation of $8,000 from the Parents and Friends Association.
Previous House names - Anne's (gold), Theresa's (red), Nagle's (green) and Mary's (blue) changed to: Moynihan (blue), O'Dowling (green), O'Halloran (yellow) and Treacey (red).
Official Opening of Iona Sports Centre and New Classrooms.
The new Iona Sports Centre and new classrooms were blessed and officially opened by Most Reverend Donald G Sproxton, Auxiliary Bishop of Perth, and Sister Anna Fewer PBVM, Congregation Leader, Presentation Sisters of Western Australia on 23 July 2006.
Opening of Treacey Hall at the Primary School
A new school hall was built at the Primary School on the site of the old hall. It was blessed and officially opened by Father Freddy Hernandez on 20 May 2011.
New House System
Two new houses, Columba (purple) and Kildare (orange), were added to existing houses, O’Dowling (green), O’Halloran (yellow), Moynihan (blue) and Treacey (red), to cope with the increasing numbers of students, formally commencing in 2013.
Transfer of Governance
A transfer of governance from the Presentation Sisters WA to the Archdiocese commenced in 2017.
Re-amalgamation and Renovations
The Old Library and Boarding House buildings were demolished to make way for new constructions.
Iona Presentation College and Iona Presentation Primary School were re-amalgamated to form one Pre-K to 12 College.
Major New Works
Sister Albeus Fahey Building (pictured), named after ... Sister Albeus Fahey was officially blessed by Sister Lucy van Kessel PBVM (Congregation Leader for the Presentation Sisters WA) and Monsignor Kevin Long PhD and opened. The official opening was conducted by The Honourable Neville Owen AO, KSCG on 20 November 2020. Dr Simon Forrest conducted the traditional Smoking Ceremony.
The Naturescape Playground was established at the Junior School Campus.
Sister Carmel Ryan Centre Opens
The old Year 12 heritage block was officially renamed the Sister Carmel Ryan Centre in an official ceremony on Presentation Day, 2022.
Content and photos courtesy of the Iona Presentation College Archives and the Presentation Sisters Archives.