History

St Brendan’s College has a rich history; part of the fabric and development of Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast, Central Queensland.

In 1908, Bishop Duhig acquired the property "Coplands" in Yeppoon as a site for a boarding school with the dream of gathering “the sturdy station children, the sons of cattlemen and sheepmen from the great, grand heart of the West, to be familiarized with Catholic faith and practice, in proper surroundings.”

During the 1930's Rev. Br. I. Dowd travelled the Rockhampton Diocese to collect funds and support to construct the new College on the "Coplands" site. The Christian Brothers' community in Rockhampton supervised the clearing of the site and the construction of the first buildings. They were helped greatly by a group of old boys and supporters of the Christian Brothers.

The foundation stone of St Brendan's College, Mary's Mount, Yeppoon was blessed by Right Reverend Dr. Hayes D.D., Bishop of Rockhampton on October 8th, 1939.

In February 1940 Bishop Hayes officially opened St Brendan's College in the presence of the then Archbishop of Brisbane the Most Reverend Sir James Duhig who had purchased the site some thirty years before. School commenced with 42 boarders and 15 local students. Rev. Br. J.B. Gettons was appointed the first Headmaster of the College and guided its growth in the early years. Bishop Tynan was a most active benefactor of the College in these early years.

Throughout its history the College has met the educational needs of young men from throughout Central Queensland, particularly supporting rural families off the land and from small rural townships.  For many years there was also a deep connection to Papua New Guinea with many students attending St Brendan’s for their education.
In more recent times, the Central Queensland mining boom brought students from Central Highlands and the growth of the Capricorn Coast also saw a steady increase in the day student population.

Fulfilling its mission, the College also committed itself to the education of Indigenous youth, with a significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student population and this continues today.  Over many years the College has worked to develop the structures, support and culture within the community to be a model of reconciliation in action.

The faith life of the College has underpinned all of its endeavours. The liturgical life of the College has always been deeply respected and has provided the rich experience that has led to a strong commitment to reaching out to others in the community in a spirit of justice and solidarity.  In recent years the College has undertaken significant physical and structural change to improve the provision of its quality service, particularly with the introduction of Year 7 to secondary school.  The College is strongly committed to educating young men from throughout Central Queensland and beyond on its foundation campus, always looking to the future for opportunities to grow.