School History

1914

Bishop Joseph Shiel visits Ingham and decides to appoint a parish priest to the town. He also recognises the need for a convent school and, on 15 November, a foundation stone is blessed and laid for Our Lady of Lourdes Convent. The convent is originally a single-storey brick building designed by prominent regional architects, CD Lynch and Walter Hunt. It is built by the former mayor of Townsville, J Thompson.

1915

Four Sisters of Mercy arrive to establish Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in Ingham. A primary school is opened the same year, with classes being taught in the old presbytery at St Patrick’s Church. By the end of the year the sisters have also taken in boarders at the convent.

1926

Our Lady of Lourdes Convent is extended with the addition of a junior and senior dormitory to the side of the building.

1927

A severe flood strikes Ingham. The sisters offer refuge in the convent to people forced out of their homes by the rising waters.

1933

A second building was acquired for Our Lady of Lourdes Convent School in Ingham. The building was purchased from the Alligator Creek Meatworks and placed on high piles. It was officially blessed and opened by Bishop Terence McGuire on 15 January and became known as the “Big School.” In addition to being classrooms, the upper section of this building served as a dance hall for the Ingham district during the Second World War.

1937

Extensions are made to the old presbytery garage to include a woodworking room for the Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School. A Domestic Science room is also added underneath the presbytery.

1947

Our Lady of Lourdes School obtains an adjacent property to provide an additional play area for the students. The original house on the property is also used as a temporary convent while work is carried out on the original convent building. On 26 October Bishop Ryan blesses these renovations. He also places a crucifix in position in the school’s main room.

1949

The Sisters of Mercy establish Santa Maria Secondary School within the Lourdes Convent School and the Christian Brothers arrive to open Cardinal Gilroy College. Additional Sisters of Mercy are appointed to the convent to help manage the increased workload, and the convent is enlarged by adding a top story and renovating the downstairs rooms. As a result of the changes, Years 5, 6 and 7 boys now leave Lourdes Primary School to attend Cardinal Gilroy College.

1950

On 18 June, Bishop Hugh Ryan blesses and officially opens recent additions and renovations to the Convent of Our Lady of Lourdes.

1955

On 07 December, Fr Kevin Martell blesses a new shrine in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes which is erected on the convent grounds.

1964

The Sisters of Mercy celebrate 50 years in the Ingham district. Our Lady of Lourdes Convent now houses 10 sisters and 20 boarders and the sisters teaching 420 students between three schools under their care.

1965

On 19 March the inaugural Meeting of the Parents and Friends Association for the Ingham convent schools is held at Our Lady of Lourdes Convent School.

1966

Work begins on an ambitious, three-stage development plan at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School. On 20 May, the first sod is turned for the construction on a recently obtained piece of land adjacent to the school.

1967

A new building is opened at Lourdes Convent School in Ingham completing stage one of the three stage development program. Years 1, 2 and 3 are moved from the infant school to the new building at the start of the school year. The building accommodates six new classrooms on the top floor, while the ground floor houses a tuckshop, office book room, staff room, toilet facilities and a large undercover area.

1973

In July the original presbytery built in 1906, which had served as the original school building from 1915 to 1933 is established to be beyond repair. With great sadness, the building is pulled down.

1975

On 17 July work begins on a new wing for the Lourdes Convent School in Ingham. This marks the start of stage two of the three stage development plan that began in 1966.

1976

On 21 February, the new wing for the Lourdes Convent School in Ingham is officially opened by Fr Michael Mullins in the absence of Bishop Leonard Faulkner. It includes a new library and two new classrooms.

1977

Ingham is subjected to another major flood. Waters inundate one classroom with more than six inches of water.

1980

Work begins on the final stage of Our Lady of Lourdes 15-year development plan. At the end of the year, Archbishop Francis Rush visits the Townsville Diocese and, on 8 December, he travels to Ingham and blesses the new wing at Our Lady of Lourdes. This represents the conclusion of a development plan that began in 1966.

1981

On 9 December, the old “Big School” building is sadly demolished because it is now beyond repair.

1983

A new administration area is built under the library. It included offices for the principal, deputy principal and secretary, as well as a sick bay. The new facilities are blessed and officially opened on 21 July.

1985

The Jackson Family house across the road from Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in Ingham is acquired as a new convent building. 

1986

The Sisters of Mercy move into their new convent. An open house is held for the public to view the new convent on 8 November. The old convent is renovated and becomes a parish centre in the following year. 

1986

The Sisters of Mercy move into their new convent. An open house is held for the public to view the new convent on 8 November. The old convent is renovated and becomes a parish centre in the following year.

1987

Gilroy College and Santa Maria High School unite to form Gilroy Santa Maria College, a co-educational high school. For the first time since 1949, Year 5 boys remain at Lourdes instead of having to transfer to Gilroy College. Over the following two years, Year 6 and 7 boys progressively join Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School.

1989

Renovations are undertaken at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School with many developments around the campus. Two blocks of three classrooms being converted into eight classrooms. The staff room is also extended and a special learning room is added. The additions are officially opened on 12 November.

1993

On 27 June the school community celebrates the 40-year anniversary of the ordination of Fr Tam Ferlazzo – an important patron of the school – to the priesthood. A Mass is held to mark the occasion, followed by a barbecue at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School.

1997

On 7 November two new classroom are opened on the lower level of Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Ingham.

1999

An undercover area is added to the entrance of Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School.

2000

A bus shelter was constructed at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Ingham. Paul Di Bella, a past student of Our Lady of Lourdes and Gilroy Santa Maria College competes at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in athletics. He also competes at the Athens games in 2004, and wins bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

2001

The second presbytery, which opened in 1935, is moved to provide more room for the playground.

2001

The second presbytery, which opened in 1935, is moved to provide more room for the playground.

2003

A new administration block is built at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School and named after long serving principal, Sr. Nina Barra. Bishop Michael Putney blesses and officially opens the building on 15 October.

2004

Our Lady of Lourdes School welcomes Luke Brown as its first lay principal. He announces a new building program involving the construction of air conditioned learning centres, toilets and an outdoor area in preparation for the Preparatory Year trial in 2005.

2005

Our Lady of Lourdes becomes the second Catholic school in the Townsville Diocese to trial the preparatory year of schooling. The government formally introduced Prep across Queensland in 2007. On 30 August, Bishop Michael Putney officially blesses and opens the newly completed Prep classrooms at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School.

2006

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School welcomes Laurence Hosking as principal.

2009

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School welcomes Timothy Ham as principal.

2010

At the Townsville and District Primary Italian Speaking Competition a student from Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School wins the champion speaker award, the Maria Di Marzio Memorial Shield.

 

2011

A multi-purpose hall is constructed at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School. It is named in honour of Flavia Menegon, the school’s finance secretary, who had given more than thirty years of service to the school community. The hall includes netball, tennis and basketball courts, a fully functional stage and change rooms, and seats up to 500 people.

2014

On 14 November, Fr Damian McGrath leads a celebration to commemorate the laying of the foundation stone for Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in Ingham 100 years ago. A special plaque is unveiled by Sister Nina Barra and the Parish Council Chairperson, Margaret Girgenti.

2015

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School welcomes back Timothy Ham as principal after his secondment to Mount Isa.

On 21 March Ingham’s Catholic parishes, together with Gilroy Santa Maria College, Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School and St. Peter’s Catholic School celebrate the centenary of the Sisters of Mercy arriving in the region. The celebrations include a Mass at St Patrick’s Church, a blessing of the Mercy Hall, dinner at the Royal Hotel and a reunion of about 20 Sisters of Mercy. 

On 6 June, Our Lady of Lourdes School begins its centenary celebrations with speeches, a past student roll call, a cake cutting, a time capsule presentation, the blessing of the restored statue of Our Lady of Lourdes and a historical photo display. To commemorate the occasion the Centenary Garden is blessed and opened. These events are followed by a school fete, culminating with a magnificent fireworks display. On 7 June, a Mass is held and followed by a dinner in the Menegon Centre.

2017

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School welcomes Paula Martin as principal.