Mt Maria College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mt Maria College, Mitchelton |
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The Rose Pelletier building at Mt Maria College, Mitchelton
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54 Prospect Road, Mitchelton, Queensland
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| Information | |
| Type | Independent co-educational secondary day school |
| Motto | Strong Mind – Compassionate Heart |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Association of Marist Schools of Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1978 |
| Years | 7–12 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Affiliations | Brisbane Catholic Education |
Mt Maria College is a Catholic school located in Mitchelton, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is an independent school, meaning it is not run by the government. The college is for both boys and girls (co-educational) and teaches students from Year 7 to Year 12. It is part of Brisbane Catholic Education. The school's motto is "Strong Mind – Compassionate Heart."
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School History
For many years, there were two separate schools: Mt Maria Junior Secondary College and Mt Maria Senior College. In 2006, these two schools joined together to become one school, which is now known as Mt Maria College.
Early Beginnings of the Mitchelton Campus
The land where Mt Maria College Mitchelton campus is today was once a place called the Good Shepherd Home. It was started in 1930 by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. This home helped children who needed special care or a safe place to live. The Good Shepherd Home closed in late 1974. This happened because community expectations changed, and the home also faced financial difficulties.
Marcellin College and the Enoggera Campus
In 1970, the Marist Brothers started a boys' school on the site that became the Mt Maria College Enoggera campus. This school was first for boys in Years 5 to 7 and was called Marcellin College. The first group of Year 12 students graduated from Marcellin College in 1976.
Mt Maria Senior Secondary College Opens
In 1978, Brisbane Catholic Education bought the Mitchelton campus. Their plan was to create a co-educational school for older students (Years 11 and 12). This new school, Mt Maria Senior Secondary College, would welcome students from Marcellin College and St Benedict's Catholic Girls School. Both Marcellin and St Benedict's stopped teaching Years 11 and 12 in 1977. Brother Terrence Heinrich, who used to be the principal at Marcellin, became the first principal of Mt Maria Senior Secondary College. Brother Robert O'Connor took over in 1981, followed by Brother Anthony in 1985.
Changes and Amalgamation
By the late 1980s, Catholic primary schools were teaching boys up to Year 7. This meant Marcellin College no longer needed to offer primary school education. When St Benedict's Catholic Girls School closed in 1991, the girls' school moved to the Marcellin campus in Enoggera. It then became Mt Maria Junior Secondary College.
The two schools, Mt Maria Junior Secondary College and Mt Maria Senior College, operated separately until January 2006. At that time, they officially joined together. They were renamed Mt Maria College, and a new school uniform and logo were introduced.
Heritage Listing
The building that was once the Home of the Good Shepherd (and is now called the Rose Pelletier Building) is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register. This means it is an important historical site in Brisbane.
