The Lumen Story

Lumen Christi was officially opened and blessed on 29th April 1990, becoming the second Catholic school in St Aloysius Parish, Redan, when Delacombe was in its infancy as a suburb.

The building of this new school was the realisation of the vision of Parish Priest, Father Barry Ryan, supported by St Aloysius parishioners, who saw the need to cater for the education of the Catholic children in every part of the Redan parish.

Father Barry had a vision of this new school as one that would offer excellence in education within a strong faith environment. The late Barry James, a Ballarat businessman, donated a 5-acre site on Whitelaw Avenue, and a Federal grant enabled the building of the new school. When it opened with an enrolment of 73 students and a completely lay staff led by Principal Fiona Tonkin, it was the first Catholic school in the Ballarat Diocese to be established without staff members from a congregation of Religious since the pioneering days of the 19th century.

From these small beginnings the community engaged wholeheartedly in setting the foundations for Lumen Christi as we know it today. Today the Lumen learning community is one of over 310 children, 56 staff and over 200 families, all learning on generous grounds and indoor spaces that are responsive to a variety of learning needs and purposes. Staff, students and families work together to ensure all members of our community are inspired by, and engaged in, authentic and focused opportunities to learn, grow and achieve.