History of Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns

Parishes and schools in the Diocese of Cairns were built from the strong traditions of founding Religious Orders. From the late 1800s, faith-filled, pioneering religious and lay people persevered to establish educational and parish settings to share their hopes for seeking truth and to provide equitable access to education.

Our staff today continue the work of the religious founders, inspired by their mission.

A brief history of Catholic Education in Far North Queensland

In 1869, Bishop Quinn (of Brisbane) began lobbying Rome to send priests to Far North Queensland to evangelise and support the First Nations Peoples in the region. 

Town centres in Georgetown and Cooktown were established as gold was discovered in 1871 and 1873 respectively. Father PJ McGuinness arrived in 1872, and by 1873 he became the first priest in Cooktown.

The port of Cairns was built to service the Hodgkinson Goldfields in 1876. At this time, Fr MacGuinness was replaced by Fr McDonough. He was the only priest in Far North Queensland.

In 1877, three priests from Rome arrived to minister to the First Nations Peoples in Cooktown. They were to work under the supervision of Fr Lecaille, who was situated in Geraldtown. However, due to a miscommunication and the barrier of distance, Fr. Lecaille never arrived. 

One year later, the three priests returned to Rome (it is possible that the Irish population hastened this), and were replaced by Fr J Cani from Brisbane until 1881. 

Monsignor P Fortini was appointed from Rome as Church leader in Far North Queensland in 1882. He was reputedly antagonistic and was challenged over finances by the local Irish population in Herberton. This resulted in an Australian first of an entire town being excommunicated!

Two years later, Mons P Fortini was recalled to Rome, and some Irish Augustinian priests led by Fr John Hutchinson came to Far North Queensland. The Augustinians were a teaching order, strong on education, and pushed for schooling in the area.

By the 1880s, with populations of First Nations peoples in decline, outreach to these groups gradually came to an end. In 1887, the first school in Cooktown, St Mary’s, was established by Irish Sisters of Mercy. Today, the original convent is now the James Cook Museum.

St Monica’s, the first school in Cairns, was opened in 1890. It too was established by the Sisters of Mercy.

As the gold rush declined and tin mining boomed in Herberton, the Sisters of Mercy moved from Cooktown to Herberton. Mount St Bernard College, one of the few registered secondary schools in Queensland at the time, was opened as a day and boarding school for girls in 1921.

Schools continued to open in rural areas throughout Far North Queensland as a result of industry – especially sugar, tobacco and timber, population growth due to post war migration, and the need to service remote areas with boarding schools.

We gratefully acknowledge the efforts of the following religious orders, who founded and continue to provide spiritual support to many of the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cairns:

Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Good Samaritan Sisters:

Sisters of Mercy:

Marist Brothers:

Augustinian’s:

Missionary of Franciscan Sisters:

Sisters of St Joseph:

Our more recently established schools and colleges continue to flourish from the wisdom of their patron saints and affiliates:

Scroll to Top