The History of Mt Maria College... 

Although the previous colleges - Mt Maria College, Mitchelton and Mt Maria College, Enoggera - have shared the same namesake for a little over a decade, it was not always so. The history of both sites is long and rich.

Initially set up in 1930 by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, the site of Mt Maria, Mitchelton was made a home for girls. It became home to a diverse mixture of girls ranging from orphans to those declared as “uncontrollable” at home, and to others who were intellectually disabled. Help was largely received from volunteers until the State Government assisted with some much needed funding.

In the 1950s and 60s, a legend that still exists today began to grow, surrounding the supernatural presence of ‘Theresa’ the convent ghost. By this time, there were up to 60 girls in residence, some as young as 12 years of age.

By the early 1970s changing government and societal attitudes as well as financial problems saw the eventual closure of the Convent as a home. However, the laundry managed by the sisters remained on the site for another eight years.

In 1970, Marcellin College was established at Enoggera as a Marist School for Boys in Years 5,6,7. Over the following six years, enrolment numbers grew and the first Year 12 class at Enoggera graduated in 1976. Two years later due to the rapid growth of Marcellin College and nearby girls’ college, St Benedict’s at Wilston, Brisbane Catholic Education purchased the Mt Maria site at Mitchelton. A concept that was considered quite revolutionary at the time and having few examples existing in New South Wales, Tasmania, Canberra and Frawley College at Scarborough, the site was intended to provide a campus for senior students.

Named Mt Maria Senior College in 1978, the Mitchelton site for coeducational senior secondary schooling was administered by the Marist Brothers until 1993 when the first lay principal was appointed.

Over the years, Marcellin College phased out its’ primary schooling and was at one point a school for Year 8-10 boys, before female junior secondary students joined the college from St Benedict’s. This amalgamation of the two schools led to the renaming of the Enoggera site to Mt Maria Junior Secondary College, later shortened to Mt Maria College so as not to be mistaken as a primary school campus.

In 2005, extensive planning was carried out in preparation of amalgamating both Mt Maria – Mitchelton (Senior College) and Mt Maria – Enoggera (Junior College) in January 2006.

The two colleges are now one combined Catholic coeducational school, using both campuses and allowing for greater strength in both educational and pastoral aspects for students. The new Mt Maria College is united under one principal, administered by Brisbane Catholic Education.

The first year of the new “combined” college, saw a phenomenal amount of energy and excitement as the founding Principal, Mr Richard Stewart, and the College Administration team worked to unite the two distinct characters of Mitchelton and Enoggera, into a cohesive centre for quality Catholic coeducation.