The college is the result of a merger of two secondary Catholic schools, Cardinal Gilroy College for boys (named after
Norman Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney and operated by the
Christian Brothers) and Santa Maria College for girls (operated by the
Sisters of Mercy). Both colleges commenced in 1949. Changes in secondary education and the "abolition of the Scholarship year" led to the amalgamation of the two schools in 1973 on the Cardinal Gilroy College site in Chamberlain Street. ==Notable alumni==