About
Our Past Propels Our Future
"We do not teach subjects, we teach children. Our focus is to introduce them to a Christian worldview where God is in charge, directing us about how to live."
Rev. Joe Westlake – College founder
About
In Honour of Reverend Joe Westlake
Reverend Joe Westlake was the founding visionary of Heathdale Christian College. It was Rev. Joe who followed the call from God to begin a Christian school in the Western suburbs.
Imagine our Werribee campus as open grass paddocks, with no classrooms, no carparks and no people! All the eye could see were open fields with sheep, cows and – in the centre of Hoppers Crossing – a train station accompanied by several newly-built display homes dotted along Heaths Road. Beyond that – between our college land and the You Yangs – there was just more farming land. Very hard to imagine indeed!
Reverend Joe was the Pastor at Werribee Baptist Church at this time and proposed the purchase of a large parcel of land to begin a Christian school that would provide local families in the area with an education based on a Christian worldview and Biblical perspective. He saw the importance of Christian education for parents and families in aligning the values of home, life and church. He believed that God placed this vision on his heart for families in the Western suburbs of Melbourne.
As you can imagine there were many things involved in starting a school; buildings, funding, registration and, of course, enrolling students. Through all of this, Rev. Joe was instrumental in praying for these plans to become reality and bringing the right people and resources together to commence our school. “We didn’t know what to do until it became apparent what we had to do,” he reflected. “Our problems are God’s opportunities.” Such a statement of faith was testament to the life he lived.
With enough funding for some portable buildings, 38 student enrolments and a temporary school registration from the Registered Schools Board, Rev. Joe and his fellow founding Board members began operating Heathdale Christian College in 1982. Little could Joe have known what God had planned for Werribee, and also Melton. Still, through his humble obedience and his desire to follow God’s calling, he put one foot in front of the other to open our school.
Rev. Joe was dedicated to serving God wholeheartedly and followed the vision for this school that God had laid on his heart. “We would teach the kids Christianly – not be an exclusive school just for Christians.”
Rev. Joe's legacy will remain as our College and Board are committed to continuing God's vision for this school.
"We should never overlook the past, but respect it as a springboard for the future... If the original vision was of God, it is unlikely that He will change it... He is, after all, Sovereign Creator God, but He continually works for good with those who love and trust Him.
My prayer is that He who brought the College into existence may continue to guard it, and guide it into a future enhanced for His Glory."
Rev. Joe Westlake
About
Our Story Continues
We opened our doors in 1982, after years of preparation by Reverend Joe Westlake and a group of dedicated Christian parents. These parents wanted their children taught on the basis of a Christian worldview, where teachers would see them as a parent does; as individuals, each with their own unique, God-given potential. The purpose, mission, values and quality statements of our College were born out of this foundational belief.
We owe our founding families a deep debt of gratitude. We honour those who faithfully heard and responded to the call from God to establish our College. We thank God for His continued and gracious guidance, encouragement and provision in the growth and development of the College over many years.
In 2013, we were blessed to add another branch to the Heathdale story through the acquisition of our Melton campus. Unfortunately, Mowbray College had to close its doors two years earlier and we felt a significant responsibility and privilege to be able to provide the families of Melton with a thriving leaving community once again. On the 3rd of February 2014, we opened the doors of our Melton campus and began to share our heart for the community through Christian education. In 2024, we are pleased to see God blessing the Melton community as we celebrate the significant milestone of 10 years in Melton. From humble beginnings, we now have 500 students, over 50 staff and have continued to grow in Secondary, having commenced VCE this year and look to graduate our first class of Year 12s in 2025. It is a wonderful time in the life of our Melton community.
About
Investing in the Future
The acknowledgement and appreciation of our history propels us forward to grow and invest in our College. By the grace of God, our Board and Staff are constantly striving in all areas to develop and invest in:
- The development of our students through the curriculum, subjects and programs which provide opportunities for each student according to his or her God-given gifts and talents
- The development of our teachers and staff through personal development training, to equip them to support, guide and meet the needs of our students and the College
- Infrastructure to enable learning and teaching with state of the art facilities
- Developing opportunities and programs for students to serve God locally and globally
About
College Logo
Within the oval ground there are three elements which remind us that the College is part of the total education of the child in cooperation with the home and the church.
The leaf within the oval is emblematic of the growing child sheltered within the protection of a caring environment.
The white ground suggests the light in which the plant grows. The source of this light is the revelation of God as found in the Bible.
The 'h' (for Heathdale) on the right forms a shape reminiscent of a stone tablet, a symbol of the revelation God gave to Moses. It also represents both a path leading through the darkness to the light and a door opening to give entrance into the light.
The lettering forms a lacework of interconnected forms, a reminder that we live in a community of mutual dependence.
The College colours are symbolic also:
- Red is suggestive of the atonement and is thus appropriately surrounding the whole.
- White is the colour of purity and holiness which is the goal of Christian living.
- Blue is the colour of sovereignty and is a reminder that we are all, parents, teachers and students, subjects of Christ's royal authority.
