St Margaret Mary's College

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St Margaret Mary's College is a girls school in the city of Townsville, Queensland Australia.

[edit] College History

In 1936, the first Sisters of the Good Samaritan arrived in Townsville to run the Saint Margaret Mary’s Primary school. Bishop McGuire had purchased ‘Woodlands’, in Hyde Park from the Cummins family so that it could be used as a convent, which the Sisters named Saint Philomena’s. In 1956 the present Church was opened.

Saint Margaret Mary’s College was officially opened on 22 February 1963 by the then Bishop of Townsville, Reverend H.E. Ryan.

The school consisted of four classrooms, one office, staffroom, tuckshop, cloakroom and a ‘modern’ science lecture room.

Fifty students were enrolled, although the school had capacity for 200 girls. The school was operated by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and the first Principal was Sr Mary de Lourdes. The parish priest at the time, Monsignor Vandeluer, was the driving force behind the establishment of the College. The first lay Principal was Mr Mike Byrne who was appointed in 1982.

Over the years the College has shaped its curriculum to reflect current educational trends and best practice. In 1997, Vocational, Education and Training (VET) subjects were introduced.

In the last few years Saint Margaret Mary's College has seen a number of major projects that include: the development of the gym, a textiles room, a new chapel and tuckshop as well as renovations to the kitchen, library, administration block and laboratories. In 2005 two new computer rooms and class rooms were built and refurbishment commenced to create four state of the art Science rooms and a Graphics room. These rooms are soon to be in full operation as the refurbishment is currently in its final stages. Plans for the future involve the building of a multi-purpose undercover sport facility and the redevelopment of the site of the Good Samaritan convent in Crowle Street.