St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School is an independent, Roman Catholic, co-educational, primary school, located in the Logan City town of Beenleigh, in Queensland, Australia.[1][2] It is administered by the Queensland Catholic Education Commission, with an enrolment of 448 students and a teaching staff of 32, as of 2023.[2] The school serves students from Prep to Year 6.[1][2]
| St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Motto | Courage, Faith and Love |
| Established | 1953 |
| Principal | Kevin Billion |
| Grades | Prep - Year 6 |
| Enrollment | 448 (2023) |
| Website | https://www.stjosephsbeenleigh.qld.edu.au/ |
History
editThe school was announced in May 1951, under the name St Joseph's Convent and was to be an all-boys school.[3] The permit was granted in June 1951,[4] and the foundation stone was laid on 16 March 1952.[5] It opened on 25 October 1953,[6] to honour those who served in the Siege of Tobruk during World War II.[7] It had 97 foundation students.[8] The school was blessed by Archbishop Duhig, with Leslie Morshead and 55 members of the Rats of Tobruk Association attending.[9]
In 1955, the only replica of the Australian memorial in Tobruk was unveiled at the school.[10]
1998 saw the school celebrate its past by inviting the project team for the Rats of Tobruk to plant rose bushes in remembrance.[11] A rose garden featuring a memorial with 18 rosebushes was created.[11]
On 21 October 2006 the school was deliberately set ablaze,[12] and was severely damaged.[13] The cost of the repairs was more than $500,000; being the second incident in the last 10 years (since 1996), the first fire caused roughly $60,000 in damage.[12] A number of surviving soldiers from Tobruk were involved in the school's rebuilding efforts, assisting with the RSL sponsored fundraiser for the school.[7]
The 60th anniversary was celebrated on 25 October 2013, with a Thanksgiving Mass and a 1950s dinner dance being held as the main events.[8]
The students wore yellow clothing on 1 August 2014 to support the Wear Yellow for Allison Day movement to remember Allison Baden-Clay, after an 11-year-old suggested the idea to the school council.[14]
In January 2024, the school's playground was replaced.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School (Beenleigh) | Department of Education". Schools Directory. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "ACARA Data Access Program - School Profile 2023". Australian Curriculum Assessment And Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Tobruk Memorial for Beenleigh". The South Coast Express. 18 May 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Permit Granted - Beenleigh Boys' School". The Beaudesert Times. 8 June 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Beenleigh Boys' School - Foundation Stone Laid". The Beaudesert Times. 21 March 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland schools". Queensland Department of Education. 14 April 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b "St Joseph`s Tobruk Memorial School". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b Ng, Emilie (3 November 2013). "Tobruk memorial school turns 60". The Catholic Leader. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Convent School Tobruk Memorial". Trove. The Catholic Weekly. 3 December 1953. p. 9. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Replica of Tobruk Memorial for Beenleigh School". The Beaudesert Times. 27 May 1955. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Rats of Tobruk - still serving our country - World reunion". Vetaffairs. November 1998. p. 10. ISSN 0819-8934. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Blaze tests school spirit". The Catholic Leader. 29 October 2006. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Beenleigh | Queensland Places". The University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 5 May 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ Feeney, Katherine (28 July 2014). "Wear yellow and be kind on Friday for Allison Baden Clay's legacy, friends urge". 9News. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Pipes, planks, and tyres replace swings and slides at St Joseph's". The Catholic Leader. 25 January 2024. Archived from the original on 21 May 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.