St Euphrasia

St Euphrasia, designed by Thomas Kelly and completed in 1879, housed a local Catholic primary school. Although not a ‘teaching order’, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd were asked to open a local school in response to the Victorian Government’s withdrawal of funding to religious schools in 1873. By 1974, St Euphrasia had become a secondary school with the primary school shifted to other buildings across St Heliers Street.

The Abbotsford Convent was enclosed by a 15-foot-brick wall. St Euphrasia was the only building on the site with a door opening onto the street, providing access for local school children. Boarders lived upstairs and a music room was added to the rear in the 1950s. Today St Euphrasia houses 3MBS, a community classical radio station. Launched in 1975, 3MBS was the first FM radio station in Victoria.