The Marist tradition of education originated in France in the early 19th century with Jean-Claude Colin and Marcellin Champagnat. Jeanne Marie Chavoin was the foundress of the Marist Sisters.

The College was opened on the present site in 1928 by the Marist Sisters.
They ran and staffed the College with Sister Juliana Massey serving as the last religious Principal from 1960 - 1990. The Sisters continued as the Proprietors of the College until 2001, when they gifted the school to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland. Bishop Patrick Dunn is the current Proprietor of the College but the College is proud of its heritage and retains its strong links with the Marist Sisters. Although there are no religious Sisters currently on the staff, the values and traditions of the Marist Sisters continue to be of importance in the daily life of the school.

The College has undergone many changes during its 80 years of existence. When it originally opened it was a school with attached boarding facilities.
An extensive building programme over the past few years means that very little of the original building remains. A new gymnasium and classroom block was opened in late 2012.The College is well resourced, and has attractive and well-maintained facilities.