Dumbbell drill on the front lawn of Nudgee College, 1898
The college was established in 1891, as the boarding campus for St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. Its location was selected by Brother Patrick Ambrose Treacy, founder of the Australian Province of the Christian Brothers, at the request of the Archbishop of Brisbane at the time, Robert Dunne. Brother D. F. Bodkin was appointed first Headmaster.
At the time of Nudgee College's Golden Jubilee in 1941, the late Archbishop Sir James Duhig described the college as being "the jewel in the crown of the Christian Brothers' Schools in Queensland".[7]
The main building was completed in 1891; the architect was Andrea Stombuco.[8] The façade of this building was used in the movie Phar Lap. The matching chapel was completed in 1916 and is used for weddings and funerals in addition to school celebrations. In 1993, after refurbishment, it won Royal Australian Institute of Architects Conservation Award[9] and Regional Commendation. A second school building was completed in 1919. All three buildings were completed in the Italian Renaissance style.
Building has continued at Boondall, and the campus now has sporting and academic facilities including technologically advanced classrooms throughout the school, an award-winning multi-level learning centre, science laboratories, a vocational education centre, a 400-seat auditorium, 13 playing fields for cricket, rugby and football, 12 tennis courts, indoor and outdoor basketball and volleyball courts, a multi-purpose gymnasium, an Olympic grade athletics track, a weights room, Olympic 50-metre and 25-metre heated swimming pools, a sound-proofed, digital recording studio, art workshops, and cattle yards.
Controversies
In July 1967, a 17-year-old student of the college, John Frances Treacy, was murdered outside the chapel by a 29-year-old man, John Martin Heywood. Heywood had befriended Treacy while in hospital in August 1966.[10] Heywood, who had a long criminal history, was convicted of the murder, and spent the remainder of his life in prison or in mental hospitals.[11]
In September 1996, Brother Stephen David McLaughlin, Nudgee College headmaster from 1988 to 1993, wrote an article in The Courier-Mail in which he claimed to have personally cared for more than 40 foster children in conjunction with Nudgee College and the Queensland Families Department.[12] Subsequently, in August 2022, the Queensland State Government Children's Department confirmed McLaughlin was given "caring responsibilities" for foster children in the 1990s despite having never been "formally assessed" as a foster carer. Children's Department Minister Leanne Linard said she had ordered a review of the arrangement involving foster children being placed at the Nudgee College.[13]
On 30 October 1997, McLaughlin delivered a speech at the Nudgee College annual speech night in which he defended the Christians Brothers against accusations of child sexual abuse claiming there is an "orchestrated campaign where few individuals are systematically targeting and attempting to destroy the hard-won reputations of brother after brother" and McLaughlin asked the Nudgee community to "fight for the Christian Brothers because we need you to support us in this time of real need." The entire speech was submitted to Parliament by Senator Herron on 11 November 1997.[14]
In August 2008, a 59-year-old man from Richmond, Victoria, accused a priest from the college of abusing him and four other students who have since committed suicide due to the abuse. The college was unable to locate any records of the man attending the school and denied any wrongdoing.[15]
On 30 April 2013, two students at St Joseph's Nudgee College, aged 16 and 17, were arrested on Tuesday on charges of possession and supply of steroids. Both were expelled.[16]
In July 2017, the school's Nth Degree magazine published a photo of McLaughlin attending a birthday celebration at the college that took place on 31 May 2017 despite being under police investigation for child sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy in 2015.[17] Subsequently, in July 2022, a spokesman for Nudgee College said due to separation between the college and the Christian Brothers, they were not aware of any discussions in 2017 related to claims made against McLaughlin.[18]
In March 2018 at the schools annual St Joseph's Feast Day Mass, current principal Peter Fullagar offered a public apology on behalf of the current St Joseph's Nudgee College community for abuse committed by religious and past staff at the school.[19]
In March 2022, after several failed police investigations related to child abuse allegations in the late 1990s and early 2000s including allegedly taking children to stay with him in motels, McLaughlin was found guilty on two counts of abusing a 12-year-old child he had been babysitting in 2015.[20]
In March 2022, The Courier Mail reported that Queensland police were looking into an alleged incident between a Nudgee student and a man believed to a bus driver after students shared details in TikTok videos. Nudgee Principal, Mr Peter Fullagar said "There is no proof of the identity of persons in the video. Nudgee College is working with the Child Protection Unit and relevant police authorities.”[21]
On 24 July 2022, ABC News Australia published a comprehensive report into McLaughlin and his relationship with Nudgee Old Boy and convicted child molester Dennis Norman Douglas.[22] The report described Queensland Police Task Force Argos attempts to convict McLaughlin over a 25-year period including allegations he took children for overnight stays at popular motels and lavished money on his alleged victims and their families.[23][24]
In October 2022, Nudgee College issued a statement to say it was conducting a review into the naming of one of its boarding houses after the school's former boarding master and deputy principal Brother Darcy Fidelis Murphy following the ABC News report into historical child sexual abuse allegations made against him.[25][26]
Battle of the Colours
In 1991, the following was printed in the Centennial Rugby Program, dubbed "The Battle of The Colours", for the 100th anniversary of the annual Nudgee vs Terrace rugby match:[27]
Before Nudgee existed, St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace wore the colours Nudgee wears today – blue and white. A popular story, especially at Nudgee, is that when Nudgee began and had to choose it colours, there was a great debate as to whether the original school, Terrace, or its "extension" school, Nudgee, should have the Blue and White. No amount of debate could solve the dispute so it was decided to rest the colour dispute on the first ever Nudgee-Terrace rugby match. Nudgee won and Terrace then chose colours diametrically opposed. The blue became red and the white became black.
—B. D. Honan in Nudgee College Centenary Rugby Programme, The Battle of the Colours, 1991.
The result of the Centennial Nudgee vs Terrace rugby match was a 15-all draw.[28][29]
Academic
Nudgee College's teaching and learning ethos aligns with Art Costa's Habits of Mind framework.[30]
In addition to a wide range of subject offerings, Nudgee offers students access to learning support, an enrichment and extension program and a vocational education and training program. The school is also a pioneer in the field of flipped learning.
Co-curricular
As a member school of the GPS Association, Nudgee students are able to take part in cricket, rowing, volleyball, debating, swimming, football, tennis, cross country (athletics), rugby, basketball, chess, and track and field (athletics). The school also offers students access to an extensive music program, Theatresports, a robotics and steam club, and a cattle club, Art Club.
The Season
In 2017, Nudgee College was featured in series one of Onion TV's production of The Season. The series followed the school's first XV as they progressed through the 2017 GPS season, which ultimately ended with a tied Premiership with The Southport School. The Season aired on Fox Sports 3 in Australia and Sky Sports in New Zealand. The episodes are now available to watch on the school's YouTube channel.
Nudgee International College
While Nudgee International College sat within the grounds of St Joseph's Nudgee College at Boondall, Nudgee International College was a completely separate entity and was not part of St Joseph's Nudgee College. In early 2012 it was announced that the Nudgee International College would close.[31] The site has ceased to function as a separate college since late 2012. The building and facilities were turned over to the St Joseph's Nudgee College and the site was repurposed by the school for planned redevelopment.
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations.(July 2021)
Academia, medicine and science
Dr Prof John Boldeman–nuclear scientist, best known for his work on the ANTARES Tandem Accelerator and the Australian synchrotron[32]
Ronald Edward McAuliffe OBE was an Australian politician and sports administrator in Queensland. He is best remembered for his years running the Queensland Rugby League, and his instrumental role in the formation of the State of Origin series.
St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace is an independent Catholic primary and secondary day school for boys, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Founded on 5 July 1875 by three Irish Christian Brothers, the college follows the Edmund Rice tradition, and caters for approximately 1,800
students from Years 5 to 12.
Marist College Ashgrove is an independent Roman Catholic day and boarding primary and secondary school for boys, located in the northern Brisbane suburb of Ashgrove, in Queensland, Australia. The college caters for students from Year 5 to Year 12.
St Laurence's College is an independent Catholic primary and secondary school for boys, located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1915. the school is a member of Edmund Rice Education Australia. As of 2021, the college had an enrolment of over 1913 students from Year 5 to Year 12. St Laurence's is affiliated with the Associated Independent Colleges sporting association.
Brothers Rugby Club is an Australian rugby union club based in Brisbane, Queensland. The name alludes to its beginnings as a rugby club founded by alumni of schools established by the Congregation of Christian Brothers.
Nudgee is a north-eastern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Nudgee had a population of 4,377 people.
Neal William Macrossan (1889–1955) was a lawyer, judge and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland.
St Edmund's College is an independent Catholic secondary day school for boys, located in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. The school was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1892 and is conducted in the tradition of Edmund Ignatius Rice.
Hugh Denis Macrossan was a politician and judge in Queensland, a State of Australia. He was elected as a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, and was later to become a judge and also the Chief Justice of Queensland. He was the son of a prominent Queensland politician, and he was elected as a member of parliament. He served as a judge from 1926, until his appointment as chief justice in 1940 and his death later that year. He was the shortest serving chief justice in Queensland history, serving only one month, and was one of only two chief justices to have a brother and nephew served as chief justice.
John Murtagh Macrossan was a distinguished barrister, chancellor and judge in Queensland, Australia. He was the 16th Chief Justice of Queensland and the third person from the Macrossan family to occupy that position. His grandfather John Murtagh Macrossan was Colonial Secretary for Queensland and his two uncles Hugh Denis Macrossan and Neal William Macrossan were also Chief Justice of Queensland.
John Arthur Fihelly was a public servant, politician and rugby union player in Queensland, Australia. He was the Treasurer of Queensland. He represented Australia as a professional rugby league footballer and a founder of the Queensland Rugby League.
Ian Brusasco AO, AM(4 October 1928 – 13 May 2021) was an Australian businessman who served as chairman and director for WorkCover Queensland, Queensland Investment Corporation, Gladstone Ports Corporation, Foodbank Qld, Port of Brisbane Corporation, Australian Soccer Federation, Queensland Soccer Federation, Oceania Football Confederation, Brisbane Strikers, Radio Station 4TAB, Radio Station 4KQ, and Labor Holdings. Brusasco also served as an alderman in the Brisbane City Council for 14 years.
Dr. John Clement "Clem" Windsor was a rugby union player who represented Australia and a surgeon.
Paul Edward McLean, MBE is an Australian former rugby union player. He played rugby for Queensland and Australia in the 1970s and 1980s, He is a former president of the Queensland Rugby Union, Australian Rugby Union, and an inductee into the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame. From 2009 to 2015 he was chief executive officer for Savills, overseeing the Australasian operations of the multinational real estate services provider.
Neil Francis MacGroarty was a solicitor and a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.
Sam Greene is an Australian rugby union player. He is a fly-half for Toyota Jido Shokki in the Japanese Top League. He previously played for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby and for Queensland Country in Australia's National Rugby Championship.
Kirwan Sanday is an Australian professional rugby union player of Fijian descent. He is associated with the Queensland Reds. Sanday's primary position on the field is prop. Throughout his career he played 118 caps for Queensland Reds.
Thomas Michael Barker is an Australian rugby union coach and former player.
↑ "AHISA Schools". Queensland. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
↑ Bryce, Loretta (28 May 2010). "'Old boys' do us proud". Fraser Coast Chronicle. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
1 2 "nword Rhodes Scholars"(doc). Rhodes Scholarship. University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2008.
↑ Willis, Richard; Apelgren, Janne (25 September 1979). "Golden boy image fits". The Age. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
↑ Johnston, W. Ross (1986), "Macrossan, Hugh Denis (1881–1940)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 5 March 2016, retrieved 31 January 2017
↑ Connolly, P.D., "Macrossan, Neal William (1889–1955)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 30 July 2012, retrieved 31 January 2017
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