Establishment of Wesley College, Melbourne

Background. The origins of Wesley College stem from a decision by the colonial government of Victoria after the gold rush to grant land and funds to four religious groups, including the Wesleyan Methodist Church, for establishing colleges in Melbourne. Major benefactor Walter Powell encouraged other Wesleyan Methodists to bridge the funding gap between the government grant and the amount required to build the school.

Establishment. The foundation stone for the St Kilda Road campus was laid on 4 January 1865. The school's official opening date of 11 January 1866 is recorded in a passage noting that Draper drowned at sea on that day. The college was established in 1866, when the colours purple and gold were first chosen; the motto Sapere Aude appeared in the first College Prospectus of 1866, a document date distinct from the establishment itself.

Leadership. James Corrigan was the first of seven Headmasters in Wesley's first 35 years. Lawrence Adamson is generally regarded as the single most important figure in the school's history, with a recent history defining his contribution as giving Wesley "prosperity, direction and reputation". Adamson was considered less effective in his last decade as headmaster, and the centenary history provided the first overt criticism of him.