Welcome to Loreto College Marryatville and the Acacias garden. This enchanting space is far more than a collection of plants. It’s a vital, living part of our school community that nurtures both nature and learning.

For over a century the Acacias garden has been central to the educational experience of Marryatville students. The garden’s diverse ecosystem creates a natural sanctuary within our urban setting. Majestic Eucalyptus and stately Bunya pines tower above, while the lush plantings in the sunken garden and the carefully cultivated Indigenous garden, work together to create a green buffer. This natural barrier effectively masks the traffic noise from bustling Kensington and Portrush Roads, transforming the space into a tranquil oasis.

The hum of insects, the songs of native birds and the whisper of breeze through leaves create a natural soundscape that enhances the gardens serene atmosphere. The choice of the Acacias garden as our central imagery encapsulates our 120 year history at Loreto College Marryatville. This garden serves as a living, breathing chronicle of our school’s evolution and its deep connection to the land.

On the right side of the skirt you will notice the majestic Eucalyptus trees, swaying Kangaroo grass and the gentle flow of First Creek. These elements pay homage to Kaurna country, a landscape rich in the cultural and spiritual significance. For thousands of years, the Kaurna people carefully managed these grassy plains, heavily timbered bushlands and waterways. The land is home to the red kangaroo and the emu whose spirit is embedded in Kaurna dreaming, the landscape and the night sky, guiding and shaping the Kaurna way of life.

As your eye moves around to the right you will see the Acacias residence as it appeared in 1881. This stately home, with its Victorian era architecture represents the beginnings of our school physical appearance on this land. In front of the house you will notice the early stages of the sunken garden. A horticultural masterpiece initiated by the previous owner, Sir Edwin Smith. The circular details lead us through the front door to the intricately painted wall frieze depicting garden scenes and elements from Sir Edwin Smith’s time here. A prominent figure in Adelaide’s history, his vision laid the foundation for what would become a central feature of our school’s landscape and a cherished space for generations of students.

This archival photograph captures the natural beauty of our grounds and symbolises the layered history of this land from its Indigenous heritage to its colonial past and its present day role as a nurturing, educational environment. As you are drawn to the image at the centre you will notice a key feature in the design – the depiction of Mother Gonzaga Barry in a familiar contemplative pose. This portrayal speaks to her legacy as a prolific communicator and letter-writer, qualities that shaped her deep connection with the Loreto community she served. The Adelaide connection is particularly poignant, beginning with an invitation from St Mary of the Cross

MacKillop: There is work for you to do in Adelaide that no-one else can do. For some time you will have many and great difficulties, but eventually you will succeed.

In the surrounding imagery Mother Gonzaga Barry’s own words come to life as reflected in her publication Eucalyptus Blossoms. In a letter addressed to My dearest children she vividly describes the charm of Adelaide: Around Adelaide hangs the perfume of roses, the quaint old house is surrounded by roses, roses of every kind, shade and size. This nostalgic sentiment is captured in the floral motives - a tribute to her vision and enduring influence of her vision on the landscape and spirit of our school.

As you continue to explore the imagery you will discover our history through a curated blend of archival and contemporary photographs, illustrating the evolution of Loreto College Marryatville from its humble beginnings to the ELC, to Year 12 and Boarding school that it is today. To the right just above the Acacias residence is a cherished archival image featuring our very first young pupils from 1905. These pioneering students with their period attire and earnest expressions represent the foundation upon which Loreto College Marryatville was built. Throughout this section snapshots from various eras reference our multi-faceted history. More recent additions to our community are also represented with images of our early learning children.

As a Year 11 Visual Arts student I had the remarkable opportunity to collaborate with my classmates for this project. We worked with Artist-in-Residence, Rosina Possingham, who guided us through various applications of Cyanotype printing, one of the earliest photographic processes. The striking Prussian blue colour results from the chemical reactions between iron compounds and UV light. The plant images were created with garden cuttings, drawings and photographic negatives placed under glass on prepared watercolour paper and exposed to sunlight.

Two large scale prints were created on site from cast shadows. The Grevillia silhouette on the left front panel emphasises the connection between our artwork and the gardens rich botanical heritage. The range of shades and depths of blue was achieved by altering exposure times and moving plant cuttings part way through the exposure.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the process was its unpredictability. Each print emerged uniquely which motivated me to explore further. The experience of not knowing how the prints would turn out felt like unwrapping a gift. Collaborating with Rosina was truly inspiring. Learning from her how to combine traditional Cyanotypes with contemporary three-dimensional photographic scanning techniques, equipped me with new skills and transformed my understanding of photography and printmaking.

The large coloured roses and banksia flowers featured throughout our three dimensional scans of garden flowers. Their definition and colour provide a striking contrast to the dreamlike nostalgic quality of the Cyanotype prints. By juxtaposing these images against the backdrop of the Acacias garden a powerful visual metaphor was created.

Just as the garden has grown and flourished over the years, so too has our school community. The Acacias garden stands as a testament to our commitment to honouring the past while cultivating the future, much like the diverse ecosystem it supports.