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Heritage building at Mercedes College featuring red roof, historic stonework, and manicured gardens.
Heritage Mercedes College is situated on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people, with its structural history stretching back more than 120 years.

Mercedes College originated to support the rapid expansion of existing Mercy school, St Aloysius College, which still operates today in the Adelaide city centre as our 'Sister School'. To encourage girls from the country to attend as boarders, a property with plenty of open space was considered the ideal solution.

A Springfield estate of 100 acres owned by the Cornell family came onto the market, with widow Marjorie deciding that the size of the home no longer suited her. Although originally not wishing to sell the private estate to an institution, the property was sold to three men who were acting as nominees for the Sisters of Mercy in confidence. Two days after their purchase, in January 1953, the men sold the property to the Sisters as agreed.

Some time later Mrs Cornell met the Mercedes College nuns, and graciously agreed that their care and appreciation of the estate pleased her afterall.

Black and white photograph of Catholic nuns from the Sisters of Mercy, the founding educators of Mercedes College in Adelaide

The boarding house at St Aloysius College was closed, and its furniture relocated to Strathspey during the 1953-54 summer holidays. Mercedes College opened on 9 February 1954 with 11 nuns, 85 boarders, and 64 day-scholars.

First Principal of the College, Sister Mavis McBride, recalled the early days as part of a historical record taken in 1990.

"Because of the shortage of rooms, Sister Vianney and I slept outside under the trellis behind the altar. We were pestered with so many possums, insects, and creeping things that Father Gleeson strung up a tent for shelter under the wisteria."

The Laying of the Foundations Stone and Blessing of Strathspey House took place on 2 August 1954 by Archbishop Beovich.

Building Names

The history and heritage of Mercedes College is remembered in the building names around Campus, as well as in the titles of our four 'House' teams used to build camaraderie between year levels.

  • Baggot Street Walkway links the library and Junior School marquee and is named in memory of the location of Catherine McAuley's home in Dublin.
  • Barry Building is named for Sr Dolores Barry, Mother General of the Adelaide Sisters of Mercy who authorised the purchase of the Springfield Estate. Barry is also one of our House teams (yellow).
  • Carmel Bourke Library and Technology Centre honours Sr Carmel Bourke, the second Principal of the College.
  • Coolock Atrium connects our Gleeson Theatre and Yitpi Centre and is named after Coolock House, the estate left to Catherine McAuley and the current location of the Mercy Centre.
  • Dalton Building is named after Mother Maria Xavier Dalton, the first Mother General of the Adelaide Sisters of Mercy and Reverend Mother of the Mercy community in Adelaide in 1920. Dalton is also one of our House teams (red).
  • Fitzpatrick Building is named for Mother Evangelista Fitzpatrick, the first Superior of the Sisters of Mercy who came to Adelaide from South America to establish the Adelaide Foundation in 1880. Fitzpatrick is also one of our House teams (blue).
  • Founders Lane, running alongside the Yitpi Centre, acknowledges our College's founders, the Sisters of Mercy.
  • Gallivan Building is named for Sr Monica Gallivan, Deputy Principal of the College from 1983 until 1989.
  • Gleeson Theatre (formerly Gleeson Hall) was named after Archbishop Gleeson, the first resident College Chaplain from 1954 to 1957 and founding Chairman of the Board of Governors.
  • John McDonald Performing Arts Centre recognises the contribution of long-serving member of the Board of Governors and College Council, and former Director of Catholic Education.
  • McAuley Building is named for Mother Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, 1831. McAuley is also one of our House teams (green).
  • McBride Building is named for Sr Mavis McBride, the foundation Principal of the College until 1960.
  • Strathspey is the original name of the house built on the property by Sir John James Duncan, named after his family home in Scotland, and retained by the original nuns - the "Springfield Eleven"
  • The Stables is named appropriately, as it was used for this purpose by the Duncan family.
  • Ursula Frayne Chapel located within Strathspey House is name for Sr Ursula Frayne, Mother Superior from 1816 to 1885.
  • Yitpi Centre is named for a traditional Kaurna word roughly translated to mean 'seed' or 'soul', in recognition of the traditional owners of our land, and the space as a meeting place for our community.