The former Catholic girls' boarding school at Teschemakers will celebrate its centenary in March 2012, even though it was closed by the Dominican Sisters in 1977.
Since it closed it has had a chequered fortune, including a major fire in June 2003 which severely damaged the original homestead its then-owner, Japanese businessman Hirotomo Ochi, was restoring.
Now owned by a North Otago couple, John and Joy Murdoch, it will be the venue for most of the centennial celebrations.
The celebrations are being organised by a committee, with its president, Edna Cogger, expecting several hundred former pupils over the course of the event from March 23 to 25.
Registrations have just opened, but details of the celebrations are being spread by the college's old girls' groups.
Organisers have also been in contact with pupils from various classes, asking them to notify classmates.
The school was originally established in the homestead and on land donated to the Dominican Sisters by the McCarthy family in 1911.
Mrs Cogger said the first five pupils started at the school in February 1912, travelling from the convent in Oamaru.
Although the school closed in 1977, she believed there were still "hundreds of pupils around", but could not estimate how many would attend the centenary.
In 2004, a reunion was attended by 230 former pupils. The school had also had 75th, 50th and 25th anniversary celebrations.
The centenary programme starts on Friday, March 23, with each class having a reunion.
On Saturday, ex-pupils will gather at Teschemakers at 10.30am for morning tea, with guided tours provided. After lunch at 2.30pm, they will visit the Forrester Gallery and North Otago Museum, which are both planning exhibitions for the centenary.
A Mass at St Patrick's Basilica at 5pm will be followed by a dinner at the Homestead.
On Sunday, photographs will be taken at Teschemakers from 10am, with pupils sharing memorabilia. After lunch at 12.30pm, there will be a farewell liturgy in the chapel.
