Daramalan College is a co-educational Catholic secondary school in the Canberra suburb of Dickson. Founded in 1962 by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, it has grown into one of the largest independent schools in the Australian Capital Territory. The school serves students from Year 7 to Year 12 and is recognised by its black and red colours and the distinctive wedge-tailed eagle emblem. Its motto, Fortes in Fide, reflects the school’s commitment to forming students in faith, character and service.
Originally established as a boys’ school, Daramalan expanded its enrollment in stages, welcoming girls into the senior years in 1977 and becoming fully co-educational in 1996. The campus has continued to evolve through recent decades. Major developments include the Dempsey Wing, opened in 2017 to provide modern facilities for Science and English, and the ongoing construction of a performing arts centre following the demolition of the former Naughton Wing.
The school offers a broad academic programme supported by strong pastoral structures and a wide range of co-curricular activities. Sport is a significant part of college life, with students representing the school in rugby league, rugby union, cricket, basketball, Australian rules football, softball and athletics. The school has produced a number of elite athletes across several codes, as well as figures in entertainment, business, academia and public life.
Daramalan’s student body is drawn from across Canberra, and the school maintains strong links with the local Catholic community and with the Associated Southern Colleges network. It remains guided by the ethos of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, focusing on respect, compassion and the development of confident, capable young people.