Vale Bernie Dowling OLHC Principal 1983-1990

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Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School
​East Warrnambool 1971-2021

History of OLHC- Sisters of Mercy

The Institue of Our Lady of Mercy was founded by Catherine McAuley in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland. The first sisters of Mercy dedicated themselves to the ministry of serving the deprived and disadvantaged of ther society. This included caring for and instructung the childern of the poor, visiting the sick and elderly in hospitals and in their homes and offereing protection to young woment who were homeless and unemployed.
The first sisters of Mercy arrived in Victoria in 1857 and opened their first school in Fitzroy of that year. Their work was inspired and motivated by the Mercy spirit to serve the poor through Catholic Education.

We acknowledge and thank the sisters of Mercy for their work in the foundation our Our Lady Help of Christians School.​

Leadership @ OLHC over the years

Principals @ OLHC
  • 1971-1973 Sr Shelia Gleeson (Sr Bertrand)
  • 1974-1978 Sr Noelle Russel
  • 1979-1982 Sr Mary Bennett
  • 1983-1990 Mr. Bernie Dowling
  • 1991-1992 Mr John Cambell
  • 1993-2003 Ms Tonia Mizzi
  • 2004-2021 Mr Eugene Dalton
  • 2021- Mr Stephen Madden
Parish Priests @ OLHC
  • ​1971-1972 M. L. Fiscalini
  • 1973-1983  Father P.J.Downs
  • 1984-1988  Father A. McInerney
  • 1989-1991  Father W. O'Connell
  • 1992-1999   Father P.Claridge
  •  1999-  Father L.O'Toole

School Logos



​The original design from the early 1980's.

​The Motto then was "Peace through Love and Respect"
In the early 80's it was decided to develop a school logo. A competition was held to promote the logo and was won by Denis McKimmie, a parent at the school. The logo includes the following:
The three imposing towers of OLHC Church. Each of the towers is symbolic. The tower on the left , enshining the Bible, represents Christ, the Word of God. (The truth of the Word). On the center tower is the image of the Risen Christ. (The Way of the Cross). The tower on the right represents Christ, the Life of the world, whose presence is with us in the Eucharist. (The Life of Christ).
​The open book at the base of the towers symbolises the word of God in the Bible and Book of Knowledge
Current logo updated with the motto "The Way, The Truth, The Life"
and Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life."
( John 14:6)
                                                      OLHC Parish Logo

Past Pupils...our Prep classes of 1996