Buildings of St Joseph's College, Nudgee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Buildings of St Joseph's College, Nudgee
Main Building, 2009
Location	2199 Sandgate Road, Boondall, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1870s - 1890s (late 19th century)
Built	1891 - c. 1960
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: St Joseph's Nudgee College, Nudgee College
Type	state heritage (landscape, built)
Designated	6 November 2006
Reference no.	601771
Significant period	1890s-c. 1960 (fabric) 1890s- (historical, social)
Significant components	lawn/s, grandstand, service wing, fence/wall - perimeter, tower - observation/lookout, tower - stair, chapel, dormitory, verandahs - arcaded, furniture/fittings, statue, trees/plantings, garden/grounds, wall/s - retaining, gate - entrance, carriage way/drive, dome, clock, sports field/oval/playing field, classroom/classroom block/teaching area, courtyard, memorial - honour board/ roll of honour, memorial - plaque
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The Buildings of St Joseph's College, Nudgee are a group of school buildings with a rich history. They are located at 2199 Sandgate Road in Boondall, Australia. The school is also known as Nudgee College. These buildings were constructed between 1891 and around 1960. They were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 6 November 2006 because of their importance.

A Look Back: The History of Nudgee College

St. Joseph's Nudgee College opened in 1891. It was built to help Roman Catholic boys from country areas get an education. This was the first boarding school built specifically for the Christian Brothers in Queensland. They were the first Catholic group to offer high school education for boys in the state.

Nudgee College helped many Catholic families in Queensland improve their lives. Over the years, it grew into a large school complex. Many of its main buildings were designed by famous Queensland architects. These buildings show how Catholic school architecture changed over time. Today, Nudgee College is still a boys-only school and is owned by the Christian Brothers.

The original Main Building is the oldest part of the school. Newer buildings were added around it as the school grew. The school always tried to keep fees low, so finding money for new buildings was often a challenge.

Why a Catholic School?

In 1891, about a quarter of Queensland's population was Roman Catholic. However, the Queensland Government's rules made it hard for Catholic schools. Government funding went to "Grammar Schools" but not to religious schools. Later, government help for religious primary schools also stopped. The Catholic Church wanted all its children to get a Catholic education. So, they started building many more local schools.

The Christian Brothers are a teaching group started in Ireland. Bishop James O'Quinn invited them to Queensland to help with Catholic high school education. The Brothers first came to Australia in 1868. In 1875, they opened a school in Brisbane. This school, St Joseph's College on Gregory Terrace, first taught day students.

Boarding School Needs

Bishop O'Quinn and later Archbishop Robert Dunne wanted the Brothers to take in more boarding students. In Ireland, boarding schools were mostly for rich families. But in Queensland, the state was huge, and many Catholic families lived far from cities. Boarding schools were a good idea for these rural boys. It was important to have Catholic boarding schools that weren't too expensive.

Even with a new dormitory at the Gregory Terrace school in 1888, there wasn't enough space. So, Brother Treacy decided to open a second school just for boarders. The Brothers owned land at Nudgee, about 9 miles (14 km) from Brisbane. This area was rural and quiet, away from city distractions. In 1890, Brother Treacy bought more land, including "Nudgee Mound." This became the site of the Main Building at St Joseph's College.

The First Main Building (1890)

Advertisement for St Joseph's College at Nudgee and Gregory Terrace, 1891

The oldest part of the school is the southern half of the Main Building. Construction began in 1890, and the first students arrived in February 1891.

Andrea Stombuco and his son Giovanni were the architects. Andrea Stombuco was a famous Italian sculptor and architect who designed many Catholic churches and buildings in Queensland.

At first, only the tower and a part of the South Wing were built. The ground floor had a classroom, and the upper floors had a chapel and dormitories. The front grounds were designed early on. By 1897, there was a heart-shaped lawn, a driveway, a statue of St Joseph, and a picket fence along Sandgate Road.

The school welcomed its first 41 junior boarders from Gregory Terrace in February 1891. Brother Dominic Fursey Bodkin was the first principal. Archbishop Dunne officially opened the College on May 8, 1891.

Growing Pains and New Buildings

In 1892, all remaining Gregory Terrace boarders moved to Nudgee. Student numbers quickly grew. To make space, a two-story dormitory building was built behind the Main Building in 1900. This allowed an upper dormitory in the South Wing to become a chapel. By 1903, Nudgee was called "the largest boarding institution of its kind in the Commonwealth."

The northern half of the Main Building was finished in 1904. This completed the original design. An arcade was added to the front, and the tower was made taller with a dome. James Percy Cowlishaw was the architect for this work. This new section had senior classrooms, a students' hall (now Ryan Hall), a library, and more dormitories. Queensland Governor Sir Herbert Chermside officially opened it on June 24, 1904.

By 1913, there were 209 students, and the school was very crowded. A fundraising campaign began in 1911. The money raised helped build a new chapel, new kitchen areas, and an infirmary (sick bay).

The Chapel (1914-1916)

Archbishop James Duhig laid the foundation stone for a new chapel on October 5, 1913. Construction started in late 1914, and the building was opened on March 25, 1916.

Thomas Ramsay Hall, a well-known Catholic architect, designed the new chapel. He also helped design the Brisbane City Hall. Hall designed the chapel in the Renaissance revival style, to match the Main Building. Inside, it was bright and airy, with white walls and light wood.

More Additions (1917-1919)

In 1917, St Joseph's College received a large gift of money from Archbishop Dunne. This helped pay for more buildings because the school was still very crowded. The 1900 dormitory block was extended to include music rooms, teacher rooms, a dentist's room, and new toilets. The Dunne Memorial Block (now Duhig Building) was a large two-story building with 8 classrooms. TR Hall was again the architect. It was finished in 1919.

A large freestanding clock, known as "Big Ben," became a school icon. It was bought by the College in 1917 and placed on a lawn east of the Quadrangle.

In 1930, a strong front wall with impressive entrance gates was built. This was paid for by Brisbane businessman TC Beirne. In 1937, the Main Building was connected to the 1900 dormitory block by new three-story extensions. These extensions mainly provided locker rooms, bathrooms, and an expanded kitchen.

Later Expansions (1950s-1980s)

By the late 1950s, the school was crowded again. More boys were staying on for senior high school. Architect Frank Cullen designed extensions to the Main Building, adding dormitories and Brothers' rooms. Three new classrooms were also built.

The largest new building was the Senior Secondary School, built in the mid-1960s. This was due to more students attending high school after World War II. The new Senior School was designed by Cullen, Fagg, Hargraves and Mooney. It was the first major building at Nudgee to look different from the older Italianate style.

In the mid-1970s, the Dunne Memorial Block was connected to the North Wing by the new Junior Sciences Block (now Gallagher Building). The wooden verandahs on the 1900 South Wing were replaced with concrete, and the South Wing was extended for a new infirmary.

The Main Building got its current look in the mid-1980s. An administration block was built in 1986. The Dunne Memorial Block was changed from two to three stories in 1988-89, keeping its original look. A Year 11 dormitory was added to the Senior School in 1986.

Other Important Buildings

Many smaller buildings were added over time. The largest and most important include the Library, Tierney Hall, the McKennariey Centre, and the Parents and Friends Multipurpose Hall.

Tierney Hall was built in 1975 as a gymnasium and large hall. The Library, named after Monsignor Vincent Cleary, was also built around this time. The McKennariey Centre, opened in 1990, has indoor sports facilities. It was named after Brother Leonard Bede McKennariey, a Christian Brother who taught at Nudgee for many years. The Parents and Friends Multipurpose Hall and the Junior Residence opened in 1995.

Sports at Nudgee

Sport has always been a big part of Nudgee College. By 1896, the main sports field was about ten acres. One of the first sports areas was in the northwest corner, near the chapel.

In 1927, the Main Oval was leveled, a grandstand was built, and new cricket pitches were added. This oval was renamed Ross Oval in 1978, after John (Jack) Ross, a beloved sportsman and teacher.

Wilkes Oval, the second main sports field, was developed between 1934 and 1935. This was part of a government program to help people find work during the economic depression. A 25-meter swimming pool was also built under this program in 1935. The current 50-meter McKennariey pool opened in 1982.

The school's first tennis courts were built in 1907. They were moved and rebuilt several times, with the current courts built in 1991.

What the College Looks Like Today

The Setting

St Joseph's Nudgee College sits on the highest part of a large 148-hectare site. It has many school and residential buildings built from the 1890s until now. The school is in Boondall, a residential area. The grounds also have wetlands, farms, playing fields, and other sports facilities. Even with all the development around it, parts of the school still feel like the old rural setting.

The main school buildings are on the highest ground. This area is bordered by Sandgate Road and Northumbria Road. Ross Oval, a sports field, is in a very noticeable spot near the intersection. Large trees, including camphor laurels, line the roads, making the school look like an established garden. The oldest buildings, like the Main Building and the Chapel, are south of Ross Oval. They are big stone buildings in an impressive Italianate style. These buildings are easy to see from the surrounding streets.

The Main Building (Cotter and O'Brien Residences)

The Main Building faces Sandgate Road. It is a large, three-story building made of stone with a smooth finish. It is connected to the Chapel by a covered walkway called a colonnade. Because of its size, location, and impressive Renaissance Revival style, the Main Building is the most important building at the school.

The main entrance to the school is the TC Beirne Memorial Gate. It has stone pillars with crosses and wrought iron gates. It leads to a circular driveway around a lawn. A stone statue of St Joseph stands on the lawn.

The Main Building was designed to be symmetrical, shaped like a "U" around an east-facing courtyard. It was built in stages and has had several additions. It has a painted hipped corrugated iron roof with stone chimneys. Most of the windows are large timber double-hung windows.

The Front (Western) Side

The front of the building has five sections. The middle and end sections stick out. The most striking part is the two-story stone arcade with round arches. This arcade adds to the Renaissance style, connects the Main Building to the chapel, and protects it from the afternoon sun. The roof of the arcade forms a terrace on the upper level.

The main entrance and the stair tower are in the center of the building. The entrance is highlighted by a projecting section and decorative pediments. The tower is at the back of the building, but its ornamental belvedere (a small, open lookout) can be seen from Sandgate Road. The belvedere has a dome and columns. It now holds a marble statue.

The northern side of the Main Building faces a small courtyard that looks over Ross Oval. It has rows of double-hung timber windows with arched tops and decorative plaster designs.

The Back (Rear) Sides

The back of the Main Building faces the eastern courtyard. It has heavy three-story concrete verandahs that replaced the original narrower timber ones. These concrete verandahs look different from the original building and block light.

A two-story stone building from 1900, originally dormitories and now finance offices, is next to the southern wing. It's connected by a two-story concrete verandah. An extension at the end of the 1900 block is the infirmary.

The 1960s extension at the southern end of the Main Building is the same height and uses the same materials as the original building, but it has fewer decorations. The ground floor of this extension has kitchen and dining areas.

Inside the Main Building

The front entry porch under the arcade is a few steps higher than the ground. Inside, timber doors with decorative glass open into an entry vestibule. This area has colorful tiled floors and decorative moldings. Leadlight doors lead to a corridor and a grand marble and timber staircase.

The staircase is in the tower that goes up to the belvedere. It has ornamental balusters and marble steps on the lower floors. Higher up, the steps are timber.

The upper floors have rows of rooms along a central corridor. Some larger rooms, like a former library, take up the full width of the building. Most interior walls are stone with a plaster finish. Some larger rooms have pressed metal ceilings. The first floor of the arcade connects to the chapel's choir loft.

The Chapel

The Chapel is next to Ross Oval and the Main Building. It is a stone building with a smooth finish and a tiled gable roof. It's the closest of the older buildings to Sandgate Road. The Chapel was designed in an Italianate style to match the Main Building and is connected by the two-story arcade.

The Chapel is mostly rectangular. It has three sections that stick out at the western end. The main feature on the Sandgate Road side is a tall, semi-circular apse (a rounded end) with a zinc roof and decorated walls.

The Chapel has one large, tall space inside, but its outside walls look like two levels. The lower level has blind arches (arches that are filled in) and pilasters (flat columns). The upper level has tall, narrow, round-arched windows separated by pilasters with Corinthian capitals. An ornate cupola (a small dome-like structure) with a metal cross is on the roof.

The main entrance to the Chapel is from the arcade. Inside the arcade are several memorial plaques, including a marble WW1 honor tablet and a brass WW2 honor board.

The entry vestibule is a single-story space under the choir mezzanine. Small rooms, including a vestry, open off the vestibule. An arch with red marble Ionic columns leads into the main part of the chapel. The chapel is a simple, tall space with a central aisle leading to the high altar.

The tall walls and ceiling are decorated with classical designs in plaster. High leadlight windows let light into the space. The choir mezzanine is a curved balcony at the eastern end, accessed from the upper level of the arcade.

At the western end, a large arch frames the high altar. The domed, semi-circular niche holding the marble high altar is painted blue.

The Former Dunne (Duhig) Building

The Former Dunne building is a rectangular stone building with a tiled gable roof. It has an undercroft (a basement-like area) and three stories of classrooms above. It faces Northumbria Road across Ross Oval. This building also uses the same architectural style as the Main Building and Chapel. It has an arched arcade and a semi-octagonal stair tower on its main (northern) side.

The stone walls of the arcade have simple plaster designs. The base of the building has a banded pattern with arches opening to the undercroft. The center section of the building has pilasters and narrow stained glass windows. A large pediment with a cross is on top of the central section. The stair tower has an ornate zinc roof with small arched dormer windows and decorative stained glass windows. Wide stone stairs lead down to Ross Oval.

The southern side of the building is much plainer and overlooks the Former Quadrangle (Edmund Rice Mall). The original timber windows have been replaced. The eastern side has arched openings and two-story pilasters. The western side is hidden by the Gallagher building.

The undercroft can be entered from the Quadrangle or a terrace overlooking Ross Oval. Toilets and service rooms are at the ends. The main stair has been changed but the lower parts are still original.

The upper floors have classrooms accessed from a concrete verandah. The inside of this building has been largely rebuilt.

The Former Quadrangle (Edmund Rice Mall) and Big Ben

The original courtyard behind the Main Building has been enclosed and extended by newer buildings. It is now surrounded by the Dunne (Duhig) Building, the Gallagher Building, the Main Building, the South Wing, the Infirmary, and the Administration Building. This area, called the Edmund Rice Mall, is a busy central outdoor space. It has an irregular shape, different buildings, mixed plants, brick paving, and bitumen play areas, giving it a relaxed feel.

At the eastern end of the mall is "Big Ben," a freestanding metal clock on a pillar. It has a round face and a fluted column with a Corinthian-style top. Big Ben is on the lawn in front of the Administration Building.

Ross Oval

Ross Oval is the main sports field at the College. It's in a very noticeable spot near Sandgate Road and Northumbria Road. It's a grass football field and forms the setting for the Chapel and Duhig Buildings, which are on a raised area above the oval. Stone stairs lead up to the buildings. There's a row of palm trees along the top of the raised area.

The oval is surrounded by a low timber picket fence. A small grandstand with timber seating and a corrugated iron roof is on the northern side.

Wilkes Oval

Wilkes Oval is the second most important sports field, located east of Ross Oval. It was named Wilkes Oval in 1982. It was developed between 1934 and 1935 as part of a government program to create jobs. The ground was leveled, and retaining walls were built. Wilkes Oval is overlooked by the Dunne Building and the Administration Building. It's used for soccer and is surrounded by mature trees.

Former Senior School (Hodda Building)

The former Senior School is a brick and concrete building, mostly three stories tall. It's located southeast of the Main Building on a sloping site. It was originally three connected blocks in a zigzag shape around two courtyards. It was known for its clear layout and simple design. Major changes and additions have altered its original look.

The original parts of the building have cream brick walls, aluminum windows, and flat roofs. The inside has also been changed a lot. However, the entrance areas and staircases still look original. The stairs have polished concrete steps and wide timber handrails. Some dormitory rooms still have their original "roomettes," which are small individual spaces for sleeping and studying.

Other College Areas

The college grounds also have other buildings like a library, several halls, and staff facilities. Besides Ross and Wilkes ovals, there are other sports fields ("the Flats"), tennis and basketball courts, a golf course, a swimming pool, a rifle range, and an athletics field.

Why Nudgee College is Important (Heritage Listing)

The buildings of St Joseph's Nudgee College were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on November 6, 2006. This means they are important for several reasons:

• It shows how Queensland's history developed.

St Joseph's Nudgee College, opened in 1891, is Queensland's oldest Catholic boys' boarding school built for that purpose. It shows how residential education grew in the state. The school's start in the late 1800s also shows how many Catholic people lived in rural areas back then. Nudgee College helped many Catholic families improve their social, cultural, economic, and political standing in Queensland during the 1900s. The school's impressive Italianate style buildings were a way for the Catholic Church to show its goals in a society mostly led by Anglicans and Protestants.

• It shows the main features of a certain type of cultural place.

St Joseph's Nudgee College has grown continuously on a large site and still has most of its original main buildings. The impressive fronts of the buildings, the important chapel, the many different classrooms and residential buildings, and key outdoor areas like the former Quadrangle and Ross and Wilkes ovals, all show what a large religious boarding school in Queensland is like. The school is a great example of how Catholic school architecture changed in Queensland over nearly 100 years. The oldest parts of the school were designed by famous Queensland architects like Andrea Stombuco, James Percy Cowlishaw, and Thomas Ramsay Hall. Yet, the buildings still look very similar in style and materials.

• It has great aesthetic (beautiful) value.

Located on "Nudgee Mound," the highest and most visible part of the site, the older buildings of the College are a landmark in Brisbane's northeastern suburbs. Their sweeping designs and consistent Renaissance revival style, set among large grounds and established trees, are valued for their beauty and how they add to the historical feel of the area. Ross Oval has been used for sports since the school began. It became the main sports ground after it was leveled and the grandstand was built in 1927. The oval is a key part of the main building complex and adds to its beautiful look.

• It is strongly connected to a particular community or group.

St Joseph's Nudgee College has a special connection for generations of Catholic families who have sent their sons there since 1891. The college is seen as the top Catholic boys' boarding school in Queensland and plays a special role in Catholic education in the state.

• It is specially connected to important people or groups in Queensland's history.

The College has a strong connection with the Christian Brothers, who founded the College in the late 1880s and are still involved with the school today. Important Catholic church leaders in Queensland, including Brisbane archbishops, have had a special connection with the College's development. The Dunne Memorial Block (now Duhig Building) was built with money left by Robert Dunne, Brisbane's first Archbishop. Brisbane Archbishop Bathersby also went to the College.

Images for kids

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  Main Building, 2009

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  Advertisement for St Joseph's College at Nudgee and Gregory Terrace, 1891