St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School vs Wilderness School
St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School (Stonyfell) and Wilderness School (Medindie) are both independent schools in Adelaide. Both are a girls’ school. Both teach R-12. Only Wilderness School takes boarders. St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School has 873 students and Wilderness School has 856 (ACARA 2025).
Photos: St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School (school website) · Wilderness School: Photo: Michael Coghlan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr
See both schools’ full fees, ATAR results and cost to Year 12
Every year level’s fees from each school’s own schedule, the results each school publishes, and the total cost to Year 12, side by side.
Compare these schools in full →A$9.99 a year, cancel anytimeSecure payment by Stripe
Key numbers
Students, ICSEA, students per teacher and girls/boys: ACARA My School 2025 (students per teacher is total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff; it isn’t class size).
Fees and results
Side by side
| Fact | St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School | Wilderness School |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Stonyfell | Medindie |
| Region | Adelaide - Central and Hills | Adelaide - Central and Hills |
| Sector | Independent | Independent |
| Students | Girls | Girls |
| Year levels | R-12 | R-12 |
| Religion | Anglican | Non-denominational |
| Boarding | No | Yes |
| Senior years | SACE + IB Diploma | SACE (IB not found) |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Swimming pool, Gym, Oval, Early learning centre, Library, Science / STEM labs, Tennis courts, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton, Water polo | Gym, Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Library, Science / STEM labs, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton, Water polo |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families needing boarding: only Wilderness School takes boarders.
- Students wanting the IB Diploma: St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School lists it on its website; Wilderness School does not confirm it.
- Families choosing by faith: St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School is Anglican; Wilderness School is Non-denominational.
- Listed by St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School but not Wilderness School: Swimming pool, Oval, Tennis courts and Cricket.
- Listed by Wilderness School but not St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School: Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre and Boarding.
History
St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School
St Peter’s Girls was opened in 1894 by the Community of the Sisters of the Church, an Anglican order founded in London in 1870, whose sisters came to Adelaide in 1892 at Bishop Kennion’s invitation. It started with four pupils in Kermode Street, North Adelaide, where the Women’s and Children’s Hospital now stands.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Wilderness School
Wilderness began in 1884, when Margaret Hamilton Brown started a small school in her parents’ home, with her youngest sister Mamie among the first five pupils. A kindergarten based on Friedrich Froebel’s ideas followed, and in 1893 Margaret bought a building on Northcote Terrace for a school she later named “The Wilderness”.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School and Wilderness School?
Both are a girls’ school. Both teach R-12. Only Wilderness School takes boarders.
Is St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School or Wilderness School co-ed?
Both are a girls’ school.
Which is bigger, St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School or Wilderness School?
St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School is bigger: 873 students against 856 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School and Wilderness School have?
St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School has 11.4 students per teacher and Wilderness School has 11.1 (ACARA My School 2025: total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff).
Which is older, St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School or Wilderness School?
Wilderness School is older. St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School was founded in 1894 and Wilderness School in 1884.
Do St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School and Wilderness School take boarders?
Only Wilderness School takes boarders.
How do St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School and Wilderness School fees compare?
Each school publishes its own fee schedule. Members see both schedules year by year, the results each school reports and the total cost to Year 12. Always confirm current fees with the school.
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School profiles
Get the full picture: fees, ATAR results and cost to Year 12
Every year level’s fees from each school’s own schedule, the results each school publishes, and the total cost to Year 12, side by side.
Compare these schools in full →A$9.99 a year, cancel anytimeSecure payment by Stripe
Source and date
Enrolment, ICSEA, students per teacher and girls/boys: ACARA My School 2025. Other facts: each school’s website, checked 21 October 2026. Distance is a straight line between the schools’ map points, not travel distance. Check details with the schools before deciding. Methodology