About St Anthony’s

Our History

St Anthony’s is located on the traditional lands of the Darumbal people. We respectfully acknowledge the Darumbal people, past, present and future, as the traditional owners of the land on which our school stands.

The school was first established in 1901 by the Sisters of Mercy. On the 20th January 1901, the school began operation in the new church at Koongal. The school was established to service the needs of the large number of families drawn to the area by the Canoona Gold Rush and the eventual establishment of Lakes Creek meat works. The Church was named after St Nicholas the patron saint of butchers.

On 14th July 1981 after 80 years at the Koongal site, the school was moved to the current site in Norman Gardens. The relocated school was open and blessed as St Anthony’s. From humble beginnings with an enrolment of 75 students, St Anthony’s has developed into a co-educational school with an enrolment over 500 students in 2022.

The first lay principal was appointed in 1988, after a Sister of Mercy held the position of principal from 1981 – 1985 and a Franciscan Sister was principal 1986 - 1987. The last full-time religious member of staff was in 1994

From the humble beginnings with an enrolment of 75 students, St Anthony’s has developed into a co-educational school with an enrolment of 550 students in 2015. A Sister of Mercy filled the position of principal until 1985. A Franciscan Sister was named principal in 1986 and 1987 and in 1988 the first lay principal was appointed. The last full-time religious member of staff was in 1994.

St Anthony’s School continues to play an essential educational and spiritual role in the lives of the families who make up our community. The school strives to be a community which values learning in all aspects of life and gives expression to the values and ideals of the Catholic faith. The responsibility for this commitment falls most heavily on the staff, who, through their personal commitment to teaching and learning and Christian ideals and values help create an environment where learning and formation in the Christian way of life is modelled and nurtured.

As a school community we are challenged to give witness to the following important ideals:

Promoting good teaching and learning;
Developing and promoting community;
Developing and maintaining a culture of faith, service and commitment to Catholic ideals and principles.

With St Anthony as our patron saint we are called to follow his example and to live out our school motto “By Word and by Deed”. This challenges the community to be people of practical faith, living the Gospel values.