Downlands College, officially named Downlands Sacred Heart College, is a private, Primary school, secondary, coeducational, day and boarding school at Harlaxton in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Founded by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1931, the college began as a boarding school for boys with a total enrolment of 68.
Downlands is Queensland's only Catholic, coeducational, day and boarding school years prep-12. The school offers boarding for both boys and girls and demand for co-educational boarding is high as it allows families and siblings to remain together. The school has an enrolment of approximately 290 boarders from regional Queensland, interstate and overseas, including indigenous students from communities such as Kowanyama and the Tiwi Islands. The school also provides casual boarding to its day students. Downlands College is one of the biggest boarding schools in Queensland.
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College badge
The Downlands College Badge consists of a horizontally-divided field in the College colours, royal blue and cardinal red. The upper of the shield carries a gold gryphon, and the lower half bears the Maltese Cross of the State of Queensland. The shield is surmounted by the heart crest with the letters SHC (Sacred Heart College) supported by a ram's horns and ears of wheat, to symbolise the college's setting in the Darling Downs. The college motto, Fortes in Fide, meaning Strong in Faith is emblazoned under the crest.
House system
Downlands, like many Australian schools, uses a house system in the college. Students are randomly assigned to one of four houses which compete against each other during swimming and athletics carnivals, as well as a drama festival.
The Downlands houses are:
Extra-curricular activities
Downlands College is known as the School of Choice, offering an extensive and varied curriculum and co-curricular offering.
Sport
Downlands has long been recognised as one of the strongest sporting schools in Queensland. Rugby union, football (soccer), netball, cricket, tennis, touch football, softball, Australian rules football, hockey, basketball, athletics and swimming are the main sports played at the college, with a large number of students taking part in organised sport throughout the year. Downlands is a member of the Catholic Secondary Schoolgirls' Sports Association (CaSSSA). The college's mascot is the Gryphon, who makes appearances at certain inter-school competitions.
Downlands also has a tradition of hosting the "O'Callaghan Cup". This is every year on 31 August, and has been a running tradition since 1950, when five friends first started it.
Arts
One of the newest facilities at Downlands is its large Performing Arts department, catering for all age groups. The College choirs and musical ensembles, as well as individual students, are regular participants in the Toowoomba Eisteddfod. Downlands runs a musical every two years with participation across all grades. Recent musicals include Legally Blonde (2024), The Addams Family (2022) Wicked (2020), Crazy For You (2018), Les Miserables (2016), High School Musical 2, Footloose (2008), The Wiz (2007), Disco Inferno (2006) and SherWoodstock (2005).
Heritage listing
The grounds of the school contain the heritage-listed Tyson Manor.
Notable alumni
Senator Gerard Rennick – Federal Senator for Queensland, 2019–
Mike Ahern AO – former Premier of Queensland
Sir Gerard Brennan – Chief Justice of Australia 1995–1998
Frank Brennan SJ, AO – Jesuit priest, human rights lawyer and academic
Sir Walter Campbell – judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland, Chancellor of the University of Queensland, and Governor of Queensland
Major General John Cantwell DSC, LOM, AO – Army officer, author and academic
Brendan Doggett - Australian Test Cricketer
Gene Fairbanks – rugby union
Greg Holmes – rugby union
Tim Horan – rugby union
Michael Katsidis – professional boxer
George Kneipp (1922–1993) – judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland, and Chancellor James Cook University
Vince Lester – politician
Ann Leahy – politician
Garrick Morgan – rugby union
Tony Nunan – CEO of Queensland Gas Company and Royal Dutch Shell in Australia
Mary O'Kane – Australian scientist
Mark O'Shea – one half of the country music duo O'Shea