About St Mary's College
At St Mary's College, it is our mission to empower students to be men of faith, integrity, action and excellence.
St Mary's College is proudly a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition for boys in Years 5 to 12.
We provide boys the opportunity to achieve excellence in all areas of their holistic education guided by our Four Touchstones: Gospel Spirituality, Inclusive Community, Justice and Solidarity and Liberating Education.
At St Mary’s College, we focus on, and are specialists in, boys education, providing various relevant and modern learning experiences, as well as extra-curricular activities.
Established in Toowoomba in 1899, St Mary’s College has played an integral part in educating young men in regional Queensland for over 125 years.
Grounds & Facilities
The College features modern classrooms complete with air conditioning, data projectors, speaker systems, Apple TVs, specialised teaching and learning areas, a chapel, a multipurpose indoor complex, multiple modern computer rooms, a rugby league field and a soccer field, tennis courts, basketball courts, a gymnasium with a well-equipped weights room, a pool, state-of-the-art cultural centre and specialised music facilities.
Photo of the Brothers’ House with flowers
The History of St Mary's College
St Mary’s College began as St Mary’s Christian Brothers College, established by the Christian Brothers following an invitation from Toowoomba parish priest Father Denis Fouhy. The foundation stone was laid on 26 February 1899, and classes began on West Street on 2 October with 120 boys. Its first headmaster was Brother John Hurley, and its first student was William McGoldrick, who won a footrace from Our Lady of Lourdes Church to the new school. Enrolments grew to 210 by 1903, and in 1915 the College was placed first in Queensland in the Christian Brothers’ examinations.
As the College community grew, the school added buildings and facilities, including a swimming pool and tennis courts in 1930. Its development formed part of the wider growth of Catholic education in Toowoomba, with other schools opening over the following decades. St Mary’s continued to expand its own classrooms, library, science and sporting facilities, and in 2021 the Edmund Rice Cultural Centre was officially opened and blessed. In 2024, the College marked 125 years of educating young men in Toowoomba and the surrounding region.
The Story of Edmund Rice
Edmund Rice, the founder of the Christian Brothers was born in Ireland in 1762. As a young man, Edmund came to the bustling city port of Waterford. Following the tragic death of his wife, he became more aware of the disadvantaged people around him and in 1802, he set up a free school for boys living in poverty. Edmund was given the grace to respond to the call of Jesus by identifying with Christ in the poor. His example evoked a deep awareness of God’s loving presence in all. He invited his followers to share the Gospel insight to reach out to the needy.
The education that Edmund Rice pioneered was an initiative within the ‘evangelising mission of the Church’. It was distinguished by the following characteristics and their expressions:
Presence leading to a respectful sense of the sacred
- A profound belief in the equal dignity of persons
- Nurturing a culture of faith
- A scholarly approach to education of the spirit
Compassion nurturing authentic community
- Honouring of a caring family spirit
- Solidarity with the marginalised, the poor and the neglected
Liberation underpinning the provision of education
- Relevant, quality and critical education
- An interdependent system of education focusing on mission authenticity
This leads into the Four Touchstones of Edmund Rice Education:
- Liberating Education
- Gospel Spirituality
- Inclusive Community
- Justice and Solidarity
The College Crest
The crest is a variation of the original Christian Brothers’ crest.
The star is a reminder that “Those who have taught many people to do what is right will shine like stars for all eternity.” [Daniel: 12.3] As the star shines in darkness, it is regarded as the symbol of enlightenment and instruction.
Our faith is in Christ and so the star is set upon the cross, source of our inspiration and instrument of our salvation. The cross with the circle, symbol of eternity, is a Celtic cross and denotes the Irish origin of the Christian Brothers.
The open book at the top is a symbol of the aim of the school: an education of the whole person. The top motto, “Facere et Docere”, is the motto of the Brothers: “To do (to show by example) and to teach”. Christ said, “He that shall do and teach shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven”. [Matt: 5.19]
St Mary’s College motto, “Conanti Corona”, translates to “those who strive can achieve the crown”. Encouraging students to strive with both hands to achieve excellence.
This explanation has been provided by Br. John Hogan
