Ambrose Treacy College
Ambrose Treacy College is an independent Catholic primary, secondary, and high school for boys, located in Indooroopilly, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1938 as Nudgee Junior College, the school was initially a boarding college, but became a day school in 1995. The school is a member of Edmund Rice Education Australia association.
History
History of the former Nudgee Junior College
During the Second World War, the school, was occupied and converted into the 172nd Station Hospital from 1941 to 1943 and behind the main building the Section D – the Far Eastern Liaison Office or Military Propaganda Section of Allied Intelligence Bureau was established. During these 2 years of military occupation, "the 5 Christian Brothers and 100 boys of the college lived and carried out their school duties in a hotel, 2 houses and a hut at Mount Tamborine". The school's motorboat was destroyed during this period as a result of a party, as it was set alight by US personnel. Areas created during this occupation, e.g., a morgue, have been converted into rooms for school use with the morgue in question being transformed into an IT consultancy office for staff and students. This office was destroyed by the 2022 floods, but has since been restored to working condition.History of Ambrose Treacy College
The school was established on 28 January 2015 as Ambrose Treacy College replacing the former Nudgee Junior College. Treacy's legacy, along with the Christian brothers that accompanied him, has since become an integral part of the school's culture along with its Irish heritage leading to the 4 provinces of Ireland becoming the school's house system. Homerooms in the senior school are each named after provinces in Ireland with Leinster house having Leinster provinces, Ulster with Ulster provinces, etc. The school's Christian message has also influenced the school and each year the school grades embark on student retreats.During the 2022 Brisbane flood, the school was inundated with water and the year 4 classrooms were once again flooded and severely damaged. The site also lost power. Multiple portable rooms have been set up on site to account for these damages, and before power was restored, a large portable generator on site supplied the school with power.
School structure
The school teaches boys from years 4 to 12 and follows the Edmund Rice Tradition. The school is split up into three categories: years 4 to 6 are in the Junior School, years 7 to 9 are in the Middle School and Years 10 to 12 are in the Senior School. The current principal is Chris Ryan. The former principal of Ambrose Treacy College is Michael Senior, Senior retired from his post as principal in November 2019 after the departure of the school's first graduating class.Student leadership
For each of the four houses, a House captain and two vice captains are elected via a vote by year 12 students. Furthermore, the school maintains a student leadership team of a School Captain and two vice captains, 1 house captain and two vice house captains in the four houses Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht which is voted in by year 12 students which in practice acts as the highest student body. Additionally, there are three music captains who are chosen by Music staff.Buildings
The Edmund Rice building was built in 1938 to provide additional boarding accommodation for St Joseph's College at Nudgee. It was officially opened and blessed on 10 July 1938 by the then Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, James Duhig. In 1994, all of the boarding was relocated to the Nudgee site and the Indooroopilly site became a day school for junior students. It is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register as it is an excellent example of Interwar Functionalist architecture with its simple geometric volumes, asymmetrical massing and distinctive Modernist windows. Since 2013, the number of buildings have increased with multiple blocks of classrooms and facilities being built, catering to the middle and senior school primarily. Libraries and sports facilities have also been added.These other buildings include the Nudgee Junior Hall, Mount Sion, Conn, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Westcourt and Waterford which are all references to the different places that Edumund Rice had a significant role in his history.
House system
As an acknowledgement of its Irish Heritage the four Houses of Ambrose Treacy College are named after the four provinces of Ireland: Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. Each house is directly represented by a mascot and crest. Connacht, inspired by the values of Saint Brendan, Leinster, symbolised by the leadership of the Giant, Fionmac Cumhaill, Munster represented by the image of the High King Brian Boru and Ulster by the rebel Cú Chulainn.This system allows for an interactive teaching of Ireland's rich history, whilst involving all boys from grades 4 to 12 in regular inter-house and house championship competitions. These competitions take many forms, from sports carnivals to chess tournaments. The Houses also regularly compete internally against each other in individual and team sports such as through inter house challenges.School culture
Students of the college are encouraged to follow a group of values known at the school as the Pillars. These are Service, Learning, and Leadership.The School has a mascot called "Eamonn".