Parade College is a Catholic all-boys multi-campus secondary school, run under the auspices of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and Edmund Rice Education Australia. The school has two campuses in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria; one at Bundoora; the other, eight kilometres away at Preston.
The school was founded by five Christian Brothers in January 1871. They had taught for two years in a small school behind St Francis’ Church in Lonsdale Street before moving into the bluestone building in Victoria Parade, East Melbourne. The school's official name was CBC East Melbourne but it was generally known as Parade College. About one hundred boys enrolled on the first day and this number grew steadily over the years. This building was affectionately known as the "Old Bluestone Pile" and the school song takes its name from this building.
Eventually in 1953 it became necessary to move the junior classes to a site newly acquired by the Old Paradians Association at Alphington. In 1968 further expansion was necessary and the college moved to a site of 80 acres (32 ha) on Plenty Road, Bundoora. The old school premises in East Melbourne were taken over by Cathedral College (this school closed in 1995). In 1988, the junior classes at Alphington were moved to Bundoora and all three campuses occupied the spacious grounds large enough to give each campus its own recreational areas. In 2009 Parade opened a second campus in Preston. This had formerly been a long-established school, Marist College Preston which had been renamed Redden College before becoming Samaritan Catholic College. This new campus of Parade Years offers 7–9 classes as well as the Year 10 Edmund Rice Pathways Program and Year 11 VCAL studies.
Today, the college has almost 1900 students in Years 7–12 across both the Bundoora and the Preston campuses. The four houses (mainly used for sporting purposes) of the school are named after the founding Brothers: Treacy (Yellow), Hughes (Blue), Bodkin (Red) and Lynch (Green). The school is a member of the Associated Catholic Colleges. Its "old boy" association is the Old Paradians. The school's sporting colours are purple, green and blue, which also feature in the lyrics of the school war-cry.
Academia
Professor Barry Blake, humanities academicJohn Borrack, noted Australian artist and art academicDesmond Cahill OAM, intercultural studies academicDavid Connor, agricultural science academicAssociate Professor Peter Connor, classical poetry and sculpture academicRobert Brian Crotty, theology academicThomas Doyle AO, Director of Catholic Education in MelbourneDr Michael Heffernan, science academicGavan McCormack, Asian languages and affairs academicKevin A Rickard AM, haematology academicPoustin Mariathasan, academic in African American cultureTrevor Phillips, academic in social sciences and founder of Trevor Phillips EnterprisesThe Arts, Media and Entertainment
Walter De Backer (Gotye), singer and musicianDrew Dorman (Deciduous), emerging Triple J Unearthed singer and songwriterJohn-Rocco Todarello, sous-chef at Michelin-starred restaurant, Dal PescatorePolitics, Law and Government
Richard Di Natale, Leader of the Australian Greens and Senator for VictoriaDavid Jones AM, Victorian County Court JudgeRussell Lewis, Victorian County Court JudgeMichael Gerard McInerney, Victorian County Court Judge, Moran AC, Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and CabinetSir Norman O’Bryan Kt, judgeJohn X O’Driscoll OBE, judgeAndrew Robb AO MP, Commonwealth Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction, and former Howard Government MinisterMilitary
General John Stuart Baker, AC, DSM, Australian army general; Chief of the Australian Defence Force 1995-1998; and Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation 1990-92Sir Bernard Callinan CBE, DSO, MC, Commanding Officer, 20th Australian Infantry Battalion, the PacificMajor-General John Austin Chapman CB, DSO, Quarter Master General, Australian Military ForcesVice-Admiral Sir John Augustine Collins KBE, CB, Captain, HMAS Sydney; Commodore, HMA China FleetSquadron Leader David William McCormack, DFC, Bar, Commander of RAF fighter squadron, ‘Churchill’s Own’Major General Andrew James (Jim) Molan AO, DSC, Australian Defence College, 1st Division, 1st Brigade, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian RegimentMichael Kenneth Pratt, George Cross recipient for bravery (and Australia's only living Medal recipient)Sport
Peter Bedford, Australian Rules Football, Sth Melbourne - 1970 Brownlow MedalistBrad Boyd, Australian Rules Football player, Fitzroy's last club captainBlake Caracella, Australian Rules Football player, Essendon/CollingwoodPaul Cheel, ACC record holder for 100m sprint, Current TeacherTrent Cotchin, Australian Rules Football player, Richmond captainAdam Dale, Australian CricketerRicky Dyson, Australian Rules Football player, EssendonAndrew Eccles, Australian Rules Football player, Adelaide/CarltonDaniel Harford, Australian Rules Football player, HawthornGary Honey, Silver Medalist, long jump, 1984 Los Angeles Olympiad, dual Commonwealth Games Gold MedallistRobert Hyde, Australian Rules Football player, CollingwoodBen Johnson, Australian Rules Football player, CollingwoodGreg Jones ASM, Coach, Australian Paralympic Team 1996-2008Michael Lewis, Australian CricketerDaniel Mirecki, Victorian Hockey player, Australian Development SquadJarrod Molloy, Australian Rules Football player, Collingwood/BrisbaneMassimo Murdocca, Association Football player, Brisbane Roar/Melbourne CityAdam Pattison, Australian Rules Football player, Richmond/St Kilda/HawthornPeter Read, Australian middleweight boxing champion, 1959Sergio Silvagni, Australian Rules Football player, CarltonTony Sneazwell, Australian high-jumper, 1964 Tokyo Olympiad, 1968 Mexico OlympiadPatrick Veszpremi, Australian Rules Football player, Sydney/Western BulldogsJade Gresham, Australian Rules Football player, St KildaSahil Lobo, Rookie Pokemon Go player, 2016Shurane Vijayaram (Krishnan), Winner Aussie Millions Poker Championship, 2017Accommodates students in years 7-12 with VCE, VET, VCAL.
2 Football / cricket ovals2 Soccer pitches (one synthetic, one grass)Athletics track6 Tennis courts2 Hockey fieldsCricket netThe Great Hall (2 basketball courts, 2000+ seating capacity)The Auditorium (basketball court, table-tennis tables, badminton nets)Greening AuditoriumOn-site fitness centreAlphington Court (multipurpose sports area)Edmund Rice Complex (ERC)ClassroomsScience labs (senior)Canteen (senior)Mt Sion ComplexClassrooms1 Drama room2 Art roomDedicated VCE study roomWaterford BuildingClassroom2 Science labs (junior)Music department (2 classrooms, recording studios)Yarangabee Centre2 Food technology kitchens (one industrial, one standard)Canteen (junior)Monagle Technology CentreWoodwork, metalwork, robotics roomsMultiple places to fall in loveAccommodates students in years 7-9 and VCAL.
Soccer / cricket ovalPenola TheatreMackillop Centre (multipurpose hall)Callan BuildingScience labsWoodwork / metalwork roomsKilkenny BuildingClassroomsVCAL facilitiesRice BuildingClassroomsRice Library