Foundation Plaque OLM Townsville

Townsville 100 Year Celebration

Christian Brothers from around Australia gathered in Townsville in early September to celebrate the centenary of the arrival of the teaching order in the northern city in 1911. Fr William Mason Walsh had encouraged Bishop Duhig to acquire the disused Robert Logan Jack mining museum on Stanton Hill in 1910. Three pioneer Brothers travelled to Townsville to establish the fledgling foundation on the site which became known as Our Lady's Mount catering for 150 boys in a secondary day-school.

Celebrations began with a Civic Reception at the Townsville City Council Chambers where Deputy Mayor, David Crisafulli, and Townsville Catholic Education Office Assistant Director Ernie Christie, both past students of the Christian Brothers, paid tribute to the dedication and inspiration of the Brothers and their co-workers over the years in the city and district. They also thanked the Brothers present on behalf of the people of Townsville.

On Saturday morning the visitors were taken on a guided tour of the various sites in Townsville associated with the Christian Brothers over the years. This began with a pilgrimage to Stanton Hill, no longer a school site but re-developed as town houses. A plaque marks the spot where Our Lady's Mount once stood. The group gathered for a photograph next to the plaque to commemorate a foundation some of them had taught in many years previous.

The Brothers crossed the road to visit the residence, now privately owned, where they lived before the community moved out to Cranbrook in Townsville's western suburbs in 1969. The house has been fully restored and the many smaller rooms partitioned off for Brother's living quarters have been removed. The front verandah provided stunning views of Cleveland Bay and cool breezes on a hot summer afternoon after a hard day in school in the tropic heat.

The group also visited the Flexible Learning Centre at St Mary's in the inner Townsville suburb of West End. The Flexible Learning Centre provides, as the name implies, a less structured pathway of alternative education for those students who may find traditional schooling less suited to their particular needs and aptitudes. Brother Phil Joyner who works there conducted the tour of this site.

Because of Townsville's growth in the 1950's, Bishop Hugh Ryan invited the Christian Brothers to open another school to be named St John Fisher's. It was to cater for boys in Years 5 to 8 and was opened in 1952. It would later evolve into Marian Catholic School on the same site. The visitors also wandered about here recalling, especially those Brothers who taught there, how the site had developed over the years since then.

This tour was rounded off by a visit to the Townsville cemetery where three Brothers lie buried.

In 1961 the Old Boys Association of Our Lady's Mount spearheaded by Bill Griffin, Harry Crean and Rupert Coglan had, with a good deal of vision and foresight, acquired land at Aitkenvale for a proposed new school when Our Lady's Mount closed on Stanton Hill. Subsequently the move was made in 1969 and Ignatius Park College was to grow into the outstanding enterprise it is today from very humble beginnings. Eventually the Holy Spirit parish and church would grow up around it. The visiting Brothers attended the vigil Mass at Holy Spirit Church, Cranbrook on the Saturday evening presided over by Fr Alan Sheldrick, a former student of the Brothers.

On Sunday morning an 'At home' was staged at the Brothers' residence, Ignatius Park, where many former colleagues and friends renewed acquaintances with the visiting Brothers. That evening Ignatius Park Principal, Mr Michael Conn, hosted a dinner for the Brothers catered for by the Hospitality students of the College

The College Anniversary Mass on Monday morning also served to honour the centenary of the arrival of the Brothers in Townsville. Diocesan Bishop, Michael Putney himself a former student of Our Lady's Mount, officiated in the Edmund Rice Assembly Hall and joined the Brothers for morning tea.

The following Brothers attended the four-day event: Ted Magee (Cluster Leader), Neil Langan, Jon Hansen, Phil Joyner and Vince Connors (local community), Brian Kelly and Peter Cronin (Rasmussen community) and visitors - Ray O'Donoghue, Mick O'Carrigan (pictured with Bishop Michael Putney), Brian Cumming, Tony White, Lou Walker, Don Beatson, Frank Pottinger, Nev Thornton, Steve Grundy and Paul Conn.