We celebrated the day with a special online assembly. Joining us were some honorary guests who were the inspiration behind the establishment of our beautiful school. Our school community was presented with a special 40th-anniversary commemorative prayer composed by Fr John Fladder, a recount of the beginnings by the PARED Chair, Mr Gary Doherty, and a beautiful video of the past 40 years produced by our Year 12 Students. Staff and students enjoyed an extended morning tea indulging in some quality baked rust and navy iced doughnuts!

Though much has changed since the early days, so much hasn’t. The school opened its doors on 10 February 1982 at Fox Valley Rd Wahroonga with 16 students, 12 families and 2 teachers. Today Tangara’s community is made up of about 800 students, over 600 families and more than 90 staff members. Though we have grown, our Catholic ethos, our unique mentoring system, based on a genuine partnership between home and school, and a desire to help every child to achieve their personal best, and to help them develop into young women of character, remains at the heart of Tangara’s mission. We give thanks to God for the gifts and blessings we have enjoyed over the past 40 years, and we look forward to continuing the work started by our inspirational founders in the next 40 years. 

The 40th Anniversary celebrations also saw distinguished guests join us on campus, including Chairman of the Board Mr Gary Doherty and Mrs Colleen Doherty (both founding parents), one of the first Tangara teachers Ms Anne-Marie Irwin, founding parent Mrs Elizabeth McKeown and a student from our first graduating class (and current Tangara teacher) Mrs Mia Dineen. This beautiful cake was also part of the celebrations - you'll recognise it from our school uniform!