Mary MacKillop College is located in Kensington, South Australia, the suburb where St Mary MacKillop lived and worked for many years. The College is an incorporated work of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Mary MacKillop College proudly announces the completion of the Tenison Centre, an innovation hub designed to inspire curiosity, unleash creativity and evoke collaboration. The Tenison Centre is dedicated to Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education for girls.

The official opening ceremony occurred on 21 March 2024. Construction commenced in November 2022 with completion In January 2024. The double-storey $9.7 million development offers flexible collaboration spaces, dedicated science laboratories, art and design studios and integrated technology, all designed to inspire and engage students in authentic, rich and connected learning.

The Tenison Centre sits proudly at the entrance of the College, named in honour of Father Julian Tenison Woods, an artist and scientist who worked closely alongside St Mary of the Cross MacKillop to provide education for poor and isolated families in the 1800s. Fr Julian also co-founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph with St Mary MacKillop.

Displayed in the foyer of the Tenison Centre are shells that are part of Fr Julian’s collection. The shells are on permanent loan from the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (who were founded by Fr Julian), Villa Maria Spirituality Centre.

Mary MacKillop girls, together with the whole College community, look to the future with great hope and excitement, confident that our students are being nurtured in an environment where they can build their own pathways to success and develop the courage to lead.

View photos of the Tenison Centre and the opening ceremony below.