Forty years ago, Catholic College Wodonga was "an amazing village" and now it is also very strong academically.
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That was the assessment 1983 student Matt Pini had for his old school at the anniversary celebration in Sunday.
"I was in the second year that had boys in it, in 1978," Mr Pini said.
"Sister Mary [Duffy] was a founding stone and was a good and reliable force - just what the school needed to get going."
John and Judy Drummond also attended and reflected on the school's beginnings.
"I was on the original board and was chairman for 15 years," Mr Drummond said.
"The board met first in 1975, it took us four years to get to here from the old school in Hovell Street, which has subsequently been demolished.
"Students were here about July of '79 and the official opening was this date we're at now.
"We started here with 250 students and now there's 1200."
Catholic Education Office Sandhurst Director Paul Desmond said those founding families were crucial to the college's story.
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"Any enterprise like this, starting off a new school, doesn't happen just like that," he said.
"But these people said 'We want to build a school', and gave it the energy and life, and you're looking at their legacy right now.
"A lot of folks came behind them, but these folks started it, and that's worth celebrating."