Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) was established in October 2007. It is the governing body of the schools previously administered by the Christian Brothers.  It is the outcome of one of two project groups, the National Planning Committee for Schools Governance (schools) and Shaping our Future Committee Oceania (Brothers’ communities).

As a result of the work of these two groups, the Christian Brothers decided to amalgamate separate Christian Brothers provinces in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to form one Oceania Province for the Brothers focused on the social justice mission of the Christian Brothers.

Separately, Edmund Rice Education Australia was established with the intention of independently governing the implementation of the educational mission of the Christian Brothers in Catholic Education while empowering lay people to become increasingly involved in the leadership of the future educational work of the Brothers.

The opportunity for Edmund Rice Education Australia is to reinforce the distinctive values of Edmund Rice Education in Catholic Education through a national and unified network of schools and educational entities throughout Australia. All schools and educational entities in the Edmund Rice tradition across Australia are unified by a Charter which comprises touchstones giving ideals authentically linked with the Charism of Blessed Edmund Rice and which underpin the ministry in the schools and educational endeavors in Church mission. The touchstones of the Charter are: Inclusive Community, Liberating Education, Justice and Solidarity and Gospel Spirituality.

In 2023, the Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) announced a new incorporated governance structure – to be called EREA Ltd — which heralds a transformation of the organisation for a new era.

EREA Ltd has been created in response to a renewed commitment to governance that continues to place the 40,000 students of our diverse learning communities at the heart of all we do with clear lines of accountability and transparency.

EREA Ltd will be a company limited by guarantee with five subsidiaries. St Gabriel’s is now governed by EREA Flexible Schools Ltd.

EREA Flexible Schools Ltd. will oversee 21 flexible learning centres across metropolitan, regional, and rural Australia.

Child Safeguarding

We have zero tolerance of child abuse and all allegations and safety concerns are treated very seriously in line with our robust policies and procedures. EREA and its schools have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously.

Please click here for EREA's Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

For further information about EREA please go to the website www.erea.edu.au