Celebrating 40 Years of the St Peter’s College Foundation
For 178 years, selfless acts of giving have enabled St Peter’s College to thrive and remain the enduring institution its founders Farrell, Allen and Da Costa envisioned. By the mid-1980s, the School recognised the need for a new model of community support to sustain this vision. In response, the St Peter’s College Foundation was established in 1985 as the central body for philanthropic giving, dedicated to securing the School’s future.
That same year, a fire devastated the iconic Memorial Hall. In the face of loss, the School community rallied with immediate and generous support. Memorial Hall was not only rebuilt but reimagined, respectful of its history and designed to meet the needs of the future.
“The School has lived under the myth of the Da Costa Estate wealth. The reality is, our future depends on all of us.”
– Dr A J Shinkfield, Headmaster, 1984
In 2025, the St Peter’s College Foundation celebrates its 40th anniversary. For four decades, it has strengthened academic excellence, supported scholarships, renewed the School’s walls and fields, and helped create an exceptional community of learning.
A Legacy of Renewal
Through the generosity of its supporters, the Foundation has enabled transformative projects that have renewed and reimagined the School’s learning and living environments.
Memorial Hall: Rising from the Ashes
In 1985, a devastating fire destroyed Memorial Hall, one of the School’s most iconic buildings. In the weeks that followed, the SPSC community rallied, raising an extraordinary $1.66 million to fund its reconstruction.
Over the next two years, Memorial Hall was rebuilt and restored not just as a building, but as a symbol of resilience, unity and shared purpose. It was opened on Friday 11 March 1988 by the Governor of South Australia, Sir Donald Dunstan and once again became the focal point of School life.
Big School Room: The Past Meets the Future
In 1850, 120 students were accommodated in the hastily built Big School Room, believed to be the oldest classroom still in use in Australia today. Big School Room was thoughtfully transformed into a modern learning environment in 2021. Careful restoration preserved its historic character, while new infrastructure ensures it remains a vibrant, functional space for today’s learners. Big School Room is now a spacious venue, used frequently for meetings, debates, musical rehearsals and performances, examinations and events.
Chapel Renewal: Preserving a Sacred Space
Since 1861, the Chapel has stood as the spiritual heart of St Peter’s College. In 2024 and 2025, with the generous support of donors, the School undertook essential heritage restoration works, including the Chapel flèche and the preservation of its unique stained glass windows. This $200,000 project was made possible by the contributions of many in the School and old scholar communities.
Preserving the RT Potter Room: Honouring a Respected Educator
Learning spaces evolve to meet the needs of modern education, but some places hold enduring significance. Located in Old School House, the RT Potter Room is named in honour of Mr Dick Potter, a dedicated educator who served St Peter’s College from 1952 to 1986.
Thanks to the support of the Foundation and many old scholars, the $100,000 Phase 1 renewal ensures the RT Potter Room continues as an active learning space. It remains a place of connection, purpose, and tribute to a teacher who shaped generations of students.
Foundation Impact at a Glance
Since 1985 the Foundation has:
– Welcomed the support of more than 6,500 individual benefactors
– Raised over $28 million through the generosity of our community
– Created life-changing opportunities through scholarships
– Renewed the School’s campus through funding support of the Walls and Fields Master Plan
– Commissioned initiatives that enrich student growth and development
