Scary Santa Sabina – Historical Walking Tour

Santa Sabina is an important historical site to the heritage of our College community. The buildings, symbols and material culture reflect the legacy of the Dominican Sisters, our Catholic Dominican charism, and the major historical events within our community and in Australia from 1894. The theme for History Week in 2022 was ‘Hands on History. All students studying History in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 had the opportunity during a History class to experience a Scary Santa Sabina Historical Walking Tour. The tour was scary as the students investigated how Santa Sabina students lived through major historical events such as the Spanish Flu Pandemic and the invasion of Sydney Harbour in wartime. Students were also able to access restricted areas of the College, view restricted items of material culture and grow to understand the major events in our College history. I would like to thank Ms Yvette Graniero and Ms Jane Sulis who led these tours with creativity and good humour. As alumni both have the historical insight and understanding from the perspective of former students and present College staff to be able to interpret the College site to answer student questions.

Brigida Zagora
Head of HSIE (History)

Student Reflection

To celebrate History Week 2022, our History class had the pleasure of exploring the robust history of the school with our tour guide Ms Graniero. We started by discussing how the school was affected by dates in history and events such as the Spanish Flu Pandemic, and World Wars One and Two. Interestingly just behind the Chapel and adjacent to the LER room is the school’s very own air raid shelter just buried underneath the ground. It was used by Santa students when sirens warned that Sydney Harbour was attacked in 1942.

We explored the significance of our school’s Chapel, specifically the secret sacred relics that it preserves. We were able to view tiny fragments that are considered first-hand relics of St Dominic, St Catherine of Siena and St Thomas Aquinas. The whole class was in awe!

This tour opened our eyes to the minuscule details around our school that are often overlooked at first glance but have a large significance to the history of the school. This is evident in the 1894 and 1927 buildings, especially as we analysed the meaning of the numerous carvings on the walls, viewed the intricate details of the stained-glass windows, were shown the school bell and wandered various staircases and corridors of the school that normally students didn’t have access to see.

As students of Santa Sabina College we are immensely proud of our heritage and history that our school holds within its walls and across the whole site. 

Isabel Aunedi
Year 10