St Columba's Catholic College

Last updated

St Columba's Catholic College
St Columba's Catholic College - The Quadrangle.jpg
Looking towards the main building (former Seminary) from the quadrangle.
Location

Australia
Coordinates 33°40′24″S150°35′19″E / 33.67333°S 150.58861°E / -33.67333; 150.58861
Information
Former nameSt Columba's High School
Type Independent co-educational secondary day school
Denomination Roman Catholic
Established
  • 1909–1977 (Seminary)
  • 1979;46 years ago (1979)
    (as Catholic High School)
PrincipalPhillip Scollard
Slogan"Act justly" (Short) Act Justly, Love Tenderly & Walk Humbly with Our God (Full)
Website www.stcolumbasspringwood.catholic.edu.au
St Columba's Catholic College

St Columba's Catholic College, formerly St Columba's High School, is an independent Roman Catholic co-educational secondary day school, located in the Blue Mountains region, on the border of Winmalee and Springwood, in New South Wales, Australia.

Contents

Established in 1979, the school is set in the grounds of the St Columba's property, which has extensive bushland surrounding the school. The property is a listed site on the Blue Mountains City Council local government heritage register. [1]

Campus

Originally built as a Seminary in 1909, it was closed in 1977 and reopened as a high school in 1979. [2] The monastic influence is seen in the neogothic sandstone architecture and the grounds with scattered grottos and shrines overlooking the Blue Mountains World Heritage National Park of Australia NSW.

The St Columba's property is one of the largest landholdings in the Blue Mountains Local Government Area. Much of the property consists of natural bushland and is habitat for some threatened and endangered species.[ citation needed ]

Symbolism

Telescope

A feature of note is a radio telescope dish salvaged from the Paul Wild Observatory at Culgoora, west of Narrabri in 1997. This is one of a heliograph array of 96 13.7-m dishes that circled the present location of the Compact Array. The heliograph array imaged the Sun at 80 and 160 MHz with several discoveries to its credit before decommission. [3] The telescope, as of late 2023, has been dismantled and removed from the grounds.

Principals

The following individuals have served as Principal:

OrderOfficeholderTerm beginTerm endTime in officeNotes
1Anne Henson197919855–6 yearsHas a sporting house group named after her
2Jim McCartan198619925–6 years
3Geoff Hicks199219985–6 years
4Alan Moran199820012–3 yearsHas a room named after him
5Anne Wenham200120053–4 years
6Delma Horan200520137–8 years
7Paul Ryan2014202110–11 yearsServed as principal during the 2013 Bushfires.
8Phillip Scollard202220254 years

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. "Wl001: St Columba's College (Buildings; Grounds; Gates; Elmhurst)". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage . Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  2. Our Story St Columba's High School Retrieved 5 February 2007
  3. Compact Array and Mopra report Australian Telescope National Facility Retrieved 5 February 2007