Lighting the way
For 150 years, Presbyterian Ladies’ College has been a trusted name in girls’ education, nurturing generations of young women with character, compassion, and purpose. From our beginnings in East Melbourne in 1875 to our impressive home in Burwood today, PLC has consistently upheld values of integrity, service, resilience and curiosity.
Rooted in strong traditions and guided by Christian faith, our College continues to evolve, blending heritage with innovation to prepare girls for a world of change. We remain committed to instilling confidence, creativity and a lifelong love of learning.
As we celebrate our 150th year, we reflect on the light that has shone brightly through every generation. A light sparked by bold ideas and shared values. A light that continues to guide us forward, together.
PLC is a place where every girl is empowered to make her mark. A place where girls grow into women who are ready to lead, serve, and shape the future.
Join us, as we continue lighting the way.
Celebrating 150 years
150th Anniversary Events
Timeline
1875-1895
1875: PLC opens in Albert St, East Melbourne with 60 pupils
1875-1878: Rev George Tait serves as Principal
1876: PLC's first motto is 'Ohne hast, ohne rast' (Without haste, without rest)
1876: More than 200 students attend PLC
1876: Launch of Patchwork, now Victoria’s second oldest continuing school magazine
1879: Tennis begins at PLC
1879-1888: Andrew Harper serves as Principal
1882: PLC one of the first schools in Victoria to teach girls Ancient Greek, a prerequisite for university study
1880: Six of the first 13 women to study at university in Victoria are PLC graduates
1889-1911: Rev Samuel McLaren serves as Principal
1890: PLC begins its first classes for girls under 8 years old
1896-1915
1897: First telephone installed at PLC
1899: PLC graduate Ethel Godfrey becomes Victoria’s first female dentist
1903: Grata Flos Greig, PLC graduate, becomes Australia’s first woman lawyer
1903: The first woman to stand for parliament in Australia is PLC graduate Vida Goldstein
1903: Dr Constance Ellis, PLC graduate, becomes the first woman in Victoria to earn a Doctor of Medicine
1904: Blue, black and gold are registered as the PLC colours
1908: More than 300 students attend PLC
1910: PLC graduate Ethel ‘Henry Handel’ Richardson publishes classic Australian novel The Getting of Wisdom
1911: First PLC uniform is introduced, a long navy skirt, jacket, white shirt, hat and gloves
1912-1937: William Gray serves as Principal
1916-1935
1916: School motto changed to ‘Lex die vitae lampas’ (The law of God is the lamp of life)
1920: More than 500 students attend PLC
1924: Visit to PLC from Dame Nellie Melba, global opera sensation and most famous PLC graduate
1925: PLC celebrates its 50th Anniversary
1929: First PLC swimming sports, held at South Melbourne Baths
1929: House system introduced, with each House later named after a Scottish castle, reflecting the origins of our founders
1936-1955
1938-1956: Mary Neilson serves as Principal
1938: PLC purchases a 33-acre farm in Burwood which will become its new campus
1939: Junior School transfers from East Melbourne to Burwood
1939: New, modern, grey uniform introduced
1950: PLC celebrates its 75th Anniversary
1956-1975
1957: New Junior School building opens; the Junior School Hall follows in 1958
1957-1968: Ruby Powell serves as Principal
1958: Senior School moves from East Melbourne to Burwood
1958: Former PLC site in East Melbourne is sold and later demolished by new owners
1965: New Physical Education building opens
1966: New uniform introduced
1967: First PLC swimming pool opens
1969-1985: Joan Montgomery serves as Principal
1973: More than 1300 students attend PLC
1975: Centenary of PLC celebrated; opening of the Centenary Music School
1976-1995
1977: PLC acquires its first computer
1984: New wing of Senior School built to house laboratories, classrooms, library and ceramics studio
1986-1997: William Mackay serves as Principal
1990: Junior School Houses renamed after historic PLC people and places: Hethersett (blue), Koorinya (silver), Woollahra (yellow) and Wyselaskie (pink)
1990: PLC Foundation established
1994: PLC opens new indoor swimming and diving pools
1994: Early Learning Centre opens
1996-2015
1998-2006: Elizabeth Ward serves as Principal
1998: New uniform introduced
1998: Opening of the Doris Daniel Theatre and Language Centre
1999: Inaugural Twilight Picnic and first edition of community magazine PLC in Print
2000: PLC celebrates its 125th Anniversary with a history pageant, torch relay and tour of Scotland
2001: Junior School Hall renamed in memory of Betty Caldwell
2001: PLC joins new organisation Girls Sport Victoria (GSV)
2005: New Junior School buildings open
2006-2017: Elaine Collin serves as Principal
2007: PLC commences collaboration with Neno Girls’ Secondary School in Malawi
2012: Opening of our new library, the Learning Resource Centre
2016-2025
2017: New Performing Arts Centre opens
2018-2019: Dawn Clements serves as Principal
2020-2025: Cheryl Penberthy serves as Principal
2023: New uniform launched
2022: Junior School named Victoria's highest performing primary school in NAPLAN testing and second highest performing primary school in all of Australia.
2023: PLC grows to more than 1700 students
2025: New sporting and aquatic facility, the Joan Montgomery Centre opens
2025: PLC celebrates 150 years of outstanding education for girls
PLC's original campus in inner Melbourne, 1880s
Students in 1995
In 1958, the Senior School moved from East Melbourne to Burwood
Service has always been part of our ethos, 1938
PLC's first uniform was introduced in 1911
Cricket team, 1908
A group of boarding students, 1996
School leaders with Principal Mary Neilson, 1954
Junior School Principal Agnes Robertson, Senior School Principal Mary Neilson and Junior School students in the 1950s
PLC students ready for an Empire Youth Day March, 1940s
Junior School students, 1975
Junior School Renaissance group, 1978
A student gymnastic display, 1950s
Senior A Basketball Team, 1930s
Prep Class N, 1985
Students ready to perform a pageant about the history of PLC, 1950s
Boarders, 1960s
Class of 1974
Students at PLC swimming sports, 1920s
Archives and Heritage Centre
Presbyterian Ladies’ College acknowledges the Wurundjeri, Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians, by God’s gracious providence, of the land on which our school stands.