{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2008}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox school | name = Downlands Sacred Heart College | logo = Downlands Logo Thumbnail.tif | logo_size = 100px | image = Downlands College entrance.jpg | caption = Ruthven Street entrance, 2014 | motto = {{langx|la|Fortes in Fide}} | motto_translation = Strong in Faith | city = [[Toowoomba]] | state = [[Queensland]] | country = [[Australia]] | coordinates = {{Coord|27|32|07|S|151|57|27|E|display=inline,title}} | type = [[Private school|Private]], [[Secondary school|secondary]], [[Day school|day]] & [[Boarding school|boarding]] | denomination = [[Catholic school|Catholic]] | established = 1931 | founder = Jules Chevalier (founder of the MSC) | principal = Stephen Koch | grades = P–12 | gender = [[Coeducation]]al | enrolment = ~1400 | colours = Royal blue, gold, and cardinal red {{color box|#002366}}{{color box|#C41E3A}}{{color box|#FCB827}} | affiliations = {{bulleted list|[[Catholic Secondary Schoolgirls' Sports Association]]|[[Missionaries of the Sacred Heart]]}} | website = [http://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/ www.downlands.qld.edu.au] }}
'''Downlands College''', officially named '''Downlands Sacred Heart College''', is a [[Private school|private]], [[Primary school]], [[Secondary school|secondary]], [[coeducation]]al, [[Day school|day]] and [[Boarding school|boarding]] school at [[Harlaxton, Queensland|Harlaxton]] in [[Toowoomba]], [[Queensland]], Australia. Founded by the [[Missionaries of the Sacred Heart]] in 1931,<ref name=firstParty>{{cite web|title=Downlands College Toowoomba – Welcome|url=http://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/|access-date=19 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911204647/http://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/|archive-date=11 September 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 [[Australian Aborigines|indigenous]] students from communities such as [[Kowanyama, Queensland|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.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
==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 [[Griffin|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''<ref name=firstParty/> is emblazoned under the crest.
==House system== Downlands, like many [[Education in Australia|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 gala|swimming]] and [[Sports day|athletics carnivals]], as well as a drama festival.
The Downlands houses are: {| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Day/boarding !! Colour |- | Vandel || Day/Boarding || {{color box|#33FF42}} |- | Piperon || Day/Boarding || {{color box|#D11DCE}} |- | Treand || Day/Boarding || {{color box|#FA0B0B}} |- | Jouet || Day/Boarding || {{color box|#240BFA}} |}
==Extra-curricular activities== Downlands College is known as the School of Choice,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Independent Coeducational School Toowoomba {{!}} Downlands College|url=https://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/|access-date=2020-10-16|website=www.downlands.qld.edu.au|language=en}}</ref> 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.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} [[Rugby union]], [[Association football|football]] (soccer), [[netball]], [[cricket]], [[tennis]], [[Touch rugby|touch football]], [[softball]], [[Australian rules football]], [[field hockey|hockey]], [[basketball]], [[sport of athletics|athletics]] and [[Swimming (sport)|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".<ref>{{Cite web|title=O'Callaghan Cup: Downlands Grammar Day |website=Downlands College|url=https://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/o-callaghan-cup|access-date=2020-10-16 |language=en}}</ref> 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 [[choir]]s and [[musical ensemble]]s, as well as individual students, are regular participants in the Toowoomba [[Eisteddfod#Australia|Eisteddfod]]. Downlands runs a [[musical theatre|musical]] every two years with participation across all grades. Recent musicals include [[Legally Blonde (musical)|Legally Blonde]] (2024), [[The Addams Family (musical)|The Addams Family]] (2022) [[Wicked (musical)|Wicked]] (2020), [[Crazy for You (musical)|Crazy For You]] (2018), [[Les Miserables]] (2016), [[High School Musical 2]], [[Footloose (musical)|Footloose]] (2008), [[The Wiz]] (2007), [[Disco Inferno (musical)|Disco Inferno]] (2006) and [[SherWoodstock]] (2005).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arts Choice|url=https://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/downlands-choice/arts|access-date=2020-10-16|website=www.downlands.qld.edu.au}}</ref>
==Heritage listing== [[File:Tyson Manor.jpg|thumb|right|[[Tyson Manor]], 2014]] The grounds of the school contain the [[Queensland Heritage Register|heritage-listed]] [[Tyson Manor]].
==Principals== {| class="wikitable" |- !Years !Principal |- |1931–1935 |R Hyland MSC |- |1935–1938 |H Asprey MSC |- |1938–1945 |J Doyle MSC |- |1945–1949 |R Campbell MSC |- |1949–1956 |V Dwyer MSC |- |1956–1962 |T Kelly MSC |- |1962–1969 |J Mooney MSC |- |1969–1974 |Harold Baker MSC |- |1975–1981 |Val Patterson MSC |- |1981–1986 |James Littleton MSC |- |1987–1990 |Roy O'Neill MSC |- |1991–1999 |D McIntyre |- |2000–2005 |Denis Uhr MSC |- |2006–2010 |John Mulrooney MSC |- |2011–2018 |Stephen McIllhatton |- |2019–present |Stephen Koch |}
==Notable alumni== {{alumni|date=February 2020}} *[[Gerard Rennick|Senator Gerard Rennick]] – Federal Senator for Queensland, 2019– *[[Mike Ahern (Australian politician)|Mike Ahern]] AO – former [[Premier of Queensland]] *Sir [[Gerard Brennan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1156&context=nle&sei-redir=1#search=%22Gerard%20Brennan%20Downlands%20College%22|title=Who's Who in the Legal Zoo: Sir Gerard Brennan AC, KBE – Former Chief Justice of the High Court|access-date=12 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930130549/http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1156&context=nle&sei-redir=1#search=%22Gerard%20Brennan%20Downlands%20College%22|archive-date=30 September 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> – Chief Justice of Australia 1995–1998 * [[Frank Brennan (priest)|Frank Brennan]] SJ, AO – Jesuit priest, human rights lawyer and academic * Sir [[Walter Campbell (judge)|Walter Campbell]]<ref>Angus Innes, "Sir Walter Campbell Pt. 2", Shoulder to Shoulder: The Journal of the Society of St. Andrew of Scotland (QLD), (Brisbane: Society of St. Andrew of Scotland, June 2000).</ref> – judge of the [[Supreme Court of Queensland]], Chancellor of the [[University of Queensland]], and [[Governor of Queensland]] * [[Major General]] [[John Cantwell (general)|John Cantwell]] DSC, LOM, AO – Army officer, author and academic * [[Brendan Doggett]] - Australian Test Cricketer * [[Gene Fairbanks]] – rugby union * [[Greg Holmes (rugby union)|Greg Holmes]] – rugby union * [[Tim Horan]]<ref name="paststudents">{{cite web|url=http://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/default.asp?contentID=203|title=News of Past Students|publisher=Downlands Past Students Union|access-date=12 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822134334/http://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/default.asp?contentID=203|archive-date=22 August 2011}}</ref> – rugby union * [[Michael Katsidis]] – [[professional boxer]] * [[George Kneipp]] (1922–1993) – judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland, and Chancellor James Cook University * [[Vince Lester]]<ref name="paststudents" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2009/11/14/students-hand-loss-to-old-boys/|title=Students hand loss to Old Boys|work=Toowoomba Chronicle|access-date=12 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929060246/http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2009/11/14/students-hand-loss-to-old-boys/|archive-date=29 September 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> – 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 (band)|O'Shea]] * [[Will Power]] – international [[motorsports]] driver<ref name="paststudents" /> * Dr Dan Pronk – [[Special Air Service Regiment]] Doctor and Author * [[Peter Ryan (rugby league)|Peter Ryan]] – rugby union and rugby league * [[Brett Robinson (rugby union)|Brett Robinson]] – rugby union * [[Josh Smith (footballer, born 1994)|Josh Smith]] – Australian rules football * [[Dominic Tabuna]] – Nauruan politician * [[Tom Veivers]] – cricketer and politician * [[Dennis Manteit]] – Rugby League
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.downlands.qld.edu.au/ School website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20180604212127/http://www.misacor.org/ Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Webpage]
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[[Category:Schools in Toowoomba]] [[Category:Catholic primary schools in Queensland]] [[Category:Catholic secondary schools in Queensland]] [[Category:Boarding schools in Queensland]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1931]] [[Category:Missionaries of the Sacred Heart]] [[Category:1931 establishments in Australia]]