Catholic Ladies College, Eltham

The base of CLC dates back to 1787, when a great woman named Mary Aikenhead was born. Dedicating her life to diminish poverty and founding the Sisters of Charity, a man named Bishop Polding asked Mary to send a few sisters to Australia. He believed that this would aid many of the poor female convicts. After five sisters volunteered, they set on a four-month-long trip to the shores of Sydney, reaching on 31 December 1838. Dedicating their lives to improve that of others, the sisters educated the poor convicts about God. Educating the convicts of Australia impacted the lives of many, and soon the Sisters of Charity expanded across the country.

After many years, in 1902, the sister opened a Catholic school to enrich the minds of young women. This was the first Catholic Ladies' College, though then situated in East Melbourne. In 1971 CLC moved to Eltham, where it still stands today.

The four houses and their associated colours are:

• Loyola, the yellow house, named after St Ignatius of Loyola, whose work has inspired many.
• Marita, the blue house, named in honor of Jesus' mother.
• Aikenhead, the green house, named in honor of Mary Aikenhead. She was the founder of the Sisters if Charity, and has influenced their great work.
• Vincentia, the red house, named after St Vincent De Paul. His work improved the lives of many poor children in France.

Competing with each other in house sports and activities, there is always friendly competition within the houses. Many of the activities include house swimming sports, athletics, and Founders Day activities.

• List of schools in Victoria, Australia
• Catholic education in Australia

• Catholic Ladies College Website