A ‘top out’ for St Ignatius College, who eagerly await the completion of their $24m MacKillop Senior Centre
June 22, 2023

The CDF team celebrated with St Ignatius College, Geelong, at their ‘top out’ ceremony, for the eagerly anticipated MacKillop Senior Centre. The ceremony, a construction tradition, marked the completion of the building frame, with the final structural beam being raised into place.

 

The College’s Senior Centre, due to be completed in August 2024, will consist of a 400-seat lecture theatre. 16 general learning areas, a dedicated ‘maker space’, gallery and breakout areas, a learning deck and staff offices alongside additional student amenities. 

 

The project will help the College fulfil its mission in creating compassionate future community leaders, who have social justice at the heart of their education. Michael Exton, Principal explains “our young women and men share educational experiences and leadership opportunities and, in the process, they learn to understand, respect and appreciate each other in a co-educational environment which prepares them for life beyond school.” 

 

CDF bared witness to this earlier in the year, where St Ignatius Year 11 Student, Curtis, was selected and awarded the CDF Father James Wall Bursary for 2022. Curtis was a very deserving recipient, and only one of four students who were awarded the bursary in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

The scale of the Senior Centre development is one of the largest in the area at present and also the largest undertaken by the college. Totalling $24 million, predominantly funded by CDF, the project will see Stage Three of the school master plan come to life; supporting the community and students of the growing Bellarine Peninsula community.

 

Mr Exton reflected on the ongoing construction and the opportunities it will present. “Each day, with over 1400 students and 170 staff, I look across at the construction site, curious and excited about the changes happening before our eyes, as the Plan Group team and their workers add new pieces to the puzzle that will become a striking landmark and impressive front presentation of our school. The additional facilities and amenities this project will provide will enhance student learning outcomes.” 

 

Representatives from Plan Group, architects ClarkeHopkinsClarke, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) and CDF, together with Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant MP, visited the college for the ceremony. 

To help CDF continue to meet strong loan demand from the Catholic community, you too can put your faith in action and save for a greater reward than money alone. Not only will you earn a competitive rate of interest, but your savings will assist Colleges like St Ignatius and other Catholic organisations to continue the work the Gospel calls on them to do. Learn more and apply today.

Share this article:

Related articles

CDF Catholic Connect Explores Navigating Economic Change with Confidence and Purpose

By Michelle Ross-FitzGerald • August 4, 2026
Catholic agency leaders are being urged to face a world of "brutal realities" with clear purpose, disciplined leadership and hope. At the recent CDF Catholic Connect workshop, leading economist Ivan Calhoun warned that AI, geopolitics, inflation and productivity pressures are reshaping the environment in which Catholic organisations operate. Insights from Leading Catholic Sector Voices Professor Elizabeth Labone – Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) Virginia Bourke – Chair, Mercy Health Martin Teulan – Chief Executive Officer, Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons (AMPJP) John McClusky – Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Development Fund (CDF) Ivan Colhoun – Independent Economist

Applications Now Open for the 2026 Father James Wall Bursary

July 14, 2026
As CDF celebrates 70 years of empowering Catholic communities, we are delighted to announce that applications for the 2026 CDF Father James Wall Bursary are now open. To mark our 70th anniversary, the value of each bursary has increased from $5,000 to $7,000. Seven bursaries will be awarded across the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale, Ballarat and Bunbury, supporting outstanding Year 10 students as they complete Years 11 and 12 at a Catholic secondary school. Honouring a founding vision Established in 2002, the Father James Wall Bursary honours the vision of CDF's founder, Fr James Wall. In 1956, at a time when Melbourne was experiencing a post-war population boom and government funding for Catholic schools was unavailable, Fr Wall established the Fund, as a new way for Catholic communities to invest in the future of education and support schools in growing communities. For 70 years, CDF has continued that mission, partnering with Catholic organisations to build schools, churches, health care services, aged care facilities and other projects that strengthen communities. The Father James Wall Bursary carries that same spirit forward, investing directly in young people who demonstrate the leadership, service and compassion that Fr Wall's vision was built upon. Since its establishment, the Bursary has supported 119 students, helping them complete their senior secondary education and grow into confident leaders making a meaningful contribution to their schools and communities. CDF CEO John McClusky said the increase in bursary value is a fitting way to mark the anniversary. " As we celebrate CDF's 70th anniversary, it is fitting that we honour Fr James Wall's legacy by increasing the value of these bursaries and continuing to invest in young people who are already demonstrating leadership, compassion and service within their school communities." 

Multi Factor Authentication - The Second Lock That Could Protect Your Organisation

July 6, 2026
Cyber criminals are constantly looking for the easiest way into your systems, and unfortunately, passwords alone are no longer enough. Even strong passwords can be compromised through phishing emails, data breaches, malware or social engineering attacks. Once a criminal has your password, gaining access to email, cloud platforms, financial systems and sensitive information can be alarmingly straightforward. This is where Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) becomes one of the most effective cyber security controls available. Think of it as a second lock on your front door: a stolen password may open the first, but MFA prevents criminals from walking straight in.
More

CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has indemnified the Catholic Development Fund ABN 15 274 943 760 (the Fund) against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the Fund. In practice, this means your investment is backed by the assets of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Fund is required by law to make the following disclosure. Investment in the Fund is only intended to attract investors whose primary purpose for making their investment is to support the charitable purposes of the Fund. Investors’ funds will be used to generate a return to the Fund that will be applied to further the charitable works of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale and Bunbury. The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). The investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by ASIC. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and investments in the Fund are not comparable to investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed here or by contacting the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.