St Joseph's College, Nudgee

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St. Joseph's Nudgee College is located in the suburb of Boondall in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The school is a private boys' school, with it's brother school St. Joseph's Gregory Terrace located in Spring Hill.

History

St. Joseph's Nudgee College, under the patronage of St. Joseph, was established in 1891 as a Boarding College for [[Roman Catholic|Catholic] boys in Queensland. The present site of the College was selected by Reverend Brother Patrick Ambrose Treacy, the founder of the Australian Province of the Christian Brothers. The Archbishop of Brisbane at the time, Most Reverend Robert Dunne D.D., had requested that the educational facilities of a Residential College be made available for Catholic boys, especially those from country districts. Rev. Br. D.F. Bodkin was appointed first Headmaster.

From its inauguration, the buildings of Nudgee College were conceived on a grand scale. Since the main building, with its impressive façade, was completed in 1891, considerable extensions and additions have been made, while preserving the architectural unity of the original plan. The Renaissance Style used throughout is both dignified and functional. The beautifully designed chapel was completed in 1916, the school building in 1919. In 1938 a Junior College was opened at Indooroopilly. The opening of this fine building on a prominent site on the banks of the Brisbane River made possible considerable expansion at the Senior School.

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Aerial Photo of St. Joseph's Nudgee College

Between 1948 and 1952 new toilet blocks and bathrooms were erected and the playing fields enlarged. In 1954 new dormitories were constructed, the Dining Hall was enlarged and the kitchen modernised. In 1967 new Senior Dormitories were constructed providing single rooms for each boy. In 1989 the refurbishment of the original classroom block was undertaken and in 1990 the McKennariey Centre was completed. In 1995 a new Residential Block, the O'Neill Residence, was completed and the the Year 5, 6 and 7 boarders returned to Nudgee. These boys attend St. Patrick's in Shorncliffe for tuition. In 1996 the English Village was expanded with the addition of five new classrooms and the Nudgee Information Technology Centre (NITEC) was opened providing first class Library and Technology facilities.

In 1997 the original dormitories were completely refurbished offering junior boarders the very latest in residential style accommodation, each boy occupying his own room. The Purton Science Block undertook a major transformation with the addition of state of the art Science labs and Art workshops. The 50m Pool also undertook a major overhaul with the fitting of Solar Heating and wet decks.

In 1998 the new International School was completed along with the International Standard Synthetic Athletics Track. Then in 2000-2001 extensions to the McKennariey Centre were undertaken, including a new state of the art gymnasium, classrooms, coffee shop and retail clothing areas. The commencement of the 2002 Academic Year witnessed a complete refurbishment of the Hodda Residence for Year 12 boarders.

Prominent Nudgee Old Boys

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Elton Flatley

Nudgee College is proud of its academic record over the past century and lists among its Old Boys many who have distinguished themselves in Church, State, Academia, Sport, Rural and Industrial pursuits. Over the years many Old Boys have been prominent as Members of Parliament, both State and Federal. Eight Old Boys have been Rhodes Scholars and scores of them have won University Scholarships over the years.

The Australian Wallabies have been manned by many Nudgee Old Boys, more recently centre Elton Flatley, fullback Drew Mitchell, Rocky Elsom and Hugh McMeniman. Nudgee has also produced two AFL players who are members of the Brisbane Lions, Jason Akermanis and Jamie Charman.

Source

• St. Joseph's Nudgee College website