Downlands College

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Downlands College
Motto: Fortes in Fide
Established	1931
Type	Secondary Co-ed
Headmaster	Fr John Mulrooney
Grades	8-12
Location	Toowoomba, Queensland Australia
Colours	Blue and Red
Website	www.downlands.qld.edu.au

Downlands College is a Secondary education college on the Darling Downs, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.

Downlands College was opened by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, an Order of religious Priests and Brothers founded by Father Jules Chevalier at Issoudun, France, in 1854. Jules Chevalier had a vision of a new world emerging and he wanted to make known the Gospel message of God's love and care for all men and women and to evoke a response in every human heart. He especially valued love, concern, compassion, understanding, respect and acceptance of every individual. His vision was based on the words of Jesus:

"I give you a new commandment, love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples." [Jn 13:34 ff]

Downlands College opened in 1931 and is run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, with a committed group of teachers and support staff. It began as a boarding school for boys with a total enrolment of 68. Today, it is fully co-educational and enrols boys and girls as day students or boarders, from all parts of Queensland and beyond.

The College motto is Fortes in Fide, meaning Strong in Faith.

The College Badge

The Downlands Badge consists of a horizontally-divided field in College colours: royal blue and cardinal red. The upper of the shield carries a gold gryphon, and the lower half bears the Maltese Cross of the State of Queensland. The shield is surmounted by the heart crest with the letters SHC (Sacred Heart College) supported by rams' horns and ears of wheat, to symbolise the College's setting in the Darling Downs.

The gryphon emblem (half eagle, half lion) embraces the strength of the bird and animal kingdom and, together with the Cross, proclaims in simple design, the motto of Sacred Heart Colleges: "Fortes in Fide" Strong in Faith.

The Priests and Brothers of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are known as MSCs (from the Latin, Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis).

[edit] Headmasters

Years
1931-
-1991	Fr Roy O'Neil
1992-1999	Doug McIntyre
2000-2005	Fr Denis Uhr
2006 -	Fr John Mulrooney

[edit] Prominent Former Students

Rugby Union

Brett Johnstone
Greg Holmes
Tim Horan (1983-1987)
Garrick Morgan
Brett Robinson
Gene Fairbanks

Rugby league

Peter Ryan

Boxing

Michael Katsidis (1994-1998)

Netball

Belinda Dever ()

Law

Sir Gerard Brennan () Chief Justice of Australia
Sir Walter Campbell () Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland and Governor of Queensland (1985-92)

Religion