1952
Outdoor education began at Chum Creek. Wesley alumni with skills in architecture, engineering and many trades, as well as teaching staff and students, especially boarders, rallied to support the outdoor education program at Chum Creek, beginning with the building of the original mess hut in 1952.
1957
Dr Tom Coates OBE, the 12th Headmaster of Wesley College, served from 1957 to 1971.
1966
The Glen Waverley Campus, originally called Syndal Junior School, opened.
Low, horizontal, modern: the Glen Waverley Campus opened in 1966 as Wesley's Syndal Junior School. The former orchard awaits new tree planting.
The First Hundred Years
The third history of the school, Wesley College – The First Hundred Years by OWs Geoffrey Blainey, James Morrissey and SEK Hulme, was published in 1966.
The first 100 years of Wesley was celebrated at the Founders’ Day Dinner.
1972
David Prest AM, the 13th Headmaster (the title later changed to Principal), served from 1972 to 1991.
Prest transformed Wesley College in many ways, but his greatest legacy was the introduction of coeducation. He also oversaw an incredible expansion of the College including the incorporation of Cato College as the Elsternwick Campus.
1975
The last group of officers of the Cadet Corps was photographed in 1975.
Established in 1867, the Cadet Corps was disbanded in 1975 following changes in government policy and waning interest.
1978
Coeducation was introduced, starting with students in the Beginners to Year 3 classes. Coeducation had been temporarily introduced in 1917 when South Melbourne College was incorporated into Wesley, with a dozen girls added to the roll, prior to the permanent introduction of coeducation in 1978.
Wesley College Foundation
The Wesley College Foundation was established.
Since its establishment in 1866, Wesley College has relied on the generosity of its donors and benefactors – alumni, parents, past parents and community friends – to enhance its facilities, develop its academic programs, fund the rich diversity of cocurricular and sporting activities, and increase the number of scholarships on offer.
1980
The boarding house at Wesley College closed.
1981
The Wesley College Society for the Arts was launched to promote the arts.
Since 1981, thousands of students have benefitted from the activities of the Wesley College Society for the Arts. The society has presented a wide variety of events including artists-in-residence ranging from jazz legend Bob Sedergreen to Professor Charles Castleman (with his Stradivarius), photo journalists, playwrights, painters and sculptors.
1986
Formal acquisition of Camp Mallana on the Gippsland Lakes provided another outdoor education facility.
1988
The Adamson Theatre Company at the St Kilda Road Campus, honouring the great tradition of performing arts at Wesley, was officially named. Richard of Bordeaux was one of the Company’s early productions.
1989
The Elsternwick Campus of Wesley College was formally established when Cato College, formerly the Elsternwick Campus of Methodist Ladies’ College, merged with Wesley College at the end of 1988.
St Kilda Road Campus fire
Fire destroyed much at the St Kilda Road Campus, including irreplaceable archival material.
1990
The first coeducation class, the Beginners of 1978, graduated as Year 12s in 1990.
1992
D Glen McArthur, the 14th Principal of Wesley College, served from 1992 to 1996.
McArthur was a great supporter of arts and the development of Elsternwick.
1993
The Special Interest Music Centre, later renamed the McArthur Music School, opened at Elsternwick.
1994
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was introduced.
Pictured: teacher Anna Simonsen instructs student Tanya Wilkinson in Mandarin.
1997
David Loader OAM, the 15th Principal of Wesley College, served from 1997 to 2002.
Loader was the driving force behind the introduction of student computer-based learning and also established the Year 9 residential program at Clunes.
2000
The residential program for Year 9 students opened at Clunes in 2000.
2003
Dr Helen Drennen AM, the 16th Principal of Wesley College, served from 2003 to 2018.
Drennen, Wesley’s 16th and first female Principal, was appointed in 2003. Her achievements included implementing the International Baccalaureate program across Prep to Year 12, engaging partners in learning through the Yiramalay/Wesley Studio School and the Year 9 program at Clunes, and reintroducing boarding to Wesley in Melbourne through the Learning in Residence program.
Fourth college history publication
The fourth College history, A Great Australian School: Wesley College examined, by Dr Andrew Lemon was published in 2004.
2005
The Wesley College Institute for Innovation in Education was launched by founding patron Sir Gustav Nossal.
Fitzroy Valley
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Fitzroy Valley community and Wesley College to work together on educational and other projects.
2009
The redeveloped Coates Pavilion at the Glen Waverley Campus was opened in 2009.
2011
The Yiramalay/Wesley Studio School, the result of a partnership between the Fitzroy Valley community and Wesley College, was formally opened on 20 May.
College Sports Centre
The new College Sports Centre at the Glen Waverley Campus was opened.
2014
The Moubray Street Precinct Redevelopment, featuring a new Music School, refurbished Menzies Wing and Adamson Hall, was opened by Her Excellency, Dame Quentin Bryce AD, CVO, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
2016
In 2016 Wesley College celebrated its 150th anniversary with events across the world.
Boarding returns
Boarding returned to Wesley with the opening of Learning in Residence at the Glen Waverley Campus in 2016.
2018
The Wells Centre, the first stage of a state-of-the-art redevelopment and expansion of the Middle School at the Glen Waverley Campus, opened for Years 5 and 6 students. Construction of the Drennen Centre, the second stage of the redevelopment, continued in preparation for opening in 2019. The Drennen Centre includes new facilities for Years 7 to 9 students as well as a campus chapel, library and language centre.
2019
The appointment of Nicholas Evans (OW1985) as the 17th Principal of Wesley College, to commence in July 2019, was announced in 2018, with Deputy Principal Richard Brenker as Acting Principal in the interim.
