Read: St Rita’s College Clayfield: Where and How It All Began

The milestone is a significant one for Clayfield and the broader Brisbane community. The college has grown from a modest beginning with 16 students on a hilltop property into a school of more than 1,200 girls from Years 5 to 12, shaped at every step by the Presentation tradition and the values of its founders. Principal Maree Trims describes 2026 as a year to pause and take stock of what that century has built.

“2026 is an opportunity to reflect on our rich history, to honour those who have come before us, and to give thanks for the enduring legacy they have left,” Trims said.

How It All Started on a Clayfield Hill

The story of St Rita’s begins in September 1926, when two Presentation Sisters, Sister Alice Kennedy and Mother M Patrick Madde, purchased Stanley Hall along with four surrounding acres of land in Clayfield. It was an act of vision and practicality in equal measure. The property sat on a hill, and what grew from it was a school that would educate generations of Brisbane women across every decade that followed.

From that original enrolment of 16 students, the college ran as a co-educational kindergarten through to Year 3, with girls-only classes from Year 4 through to senior level. Boarders were also accepted across all year levels in those early years. The college follows in the tradition of Venerable Nano Nagle, founder of the Presentation Sisters, whose commitment to education as a force for social change still shapes how St Rita’s approaches learning and service today.

The college motto, Virtute Non Verbis, translates from Latin as “Deeds Not Words”, and it runs as a thread through everything from the curriculum to community outreach.

A Century of Women, Marked in Full

The centenary programme is built around bringing every part of the community back together. Several events have already taken place, including a Past and Present Staff Celebration in January and a Presentation Sisters High Tea in February, along with a Centenary Dinner in March. The larger community gatherings are still ahead.

On Friday 22 May, a Centenary Mass will be held for students, staff and invited guests. The following day, Saturday 23 May, past students are invited to an Alumnae Centenary Mass and Morning Tea, followed by an Alumnae Centenary Lunch. For many alumnae, the occasion will be the first time in years, or decades, they have walked back through the college gates.

The college has also installed a new honour board, unveiled by Sister Elvera Sesta, herself a former student, teacher and principal of the college, recognising all those who have dedicated 20 or more years of service to St Rita’s.

The College Today

A hundred years on, St Rita’s continues to record strong outcomes across academic, sporting and creative programmes. The Class of 2025 achieved a median ATAR of 91.4, with 47 students placing in the top five per cent of the state and one third of the cohort achieving an ATAR above 95.

More than 80 per cent of students participate in sport, and the college’s water polo programme was recognised nationally as Program of the Year in 2024. Around 450 students participate in music, collectively taking part in more than 600 lessons each week.

Beyond academic achievement, the college places strong emphasis on service learning, with students engaged in outreach, advocacy and ministry work inspired by the life and values of Nano Nagle.

Get Involved in the Centenary

The college is actively seeking memories, photographs and artefacts from past students, staff and families to help build a record of its hundred-year history. Anyone wishing to share their stories or donate items can contact the centenary team directly.

Alumnae are encouraged to update their contact details through the college’s alumnae page at stritas.qld.edu.au and to join the Alumnae Facebook Group to stay informed about upcoming events. For all centenary enquiries, event registrations and ticketing, contact the college at centenary@stritas.qld.edu.au or call (07) 3862 1615.

St Rita’s College is located at 41 Enderley Road, Clayfield, and is also accessible by public transport via Hendra and Clayfield rail stations, both approximately 800 metres from the campus.

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Published 16-April-2026

The post St Rita’s College Turns 100 with a Full Year of Celebrations Planned appeared first on Clayfield News.

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Heritage Uncertainty at Centre of Clayfield Auction

A historic Clayfield residence, known as Camden House, has drawn attention not only for its architectural preservation but for the mystery surrounding its origins. The five-bedroom home at 34 Crombie Street is one of Brisbane’s oldest surviving worker’s cottages, yet little is known about who built it or its early ownership.

Background and Restoration Efforts

Believed to date back to the late 1800s, the property was purchased in 2017 by David Notley and Amanda Neill for $1.27 million. The couple retained the original name plaque, Camden House, but efforts to trace the home’s early history proved unsuccessful. Despite the presence of multiple locations named Camden across Brisbane, no conclusive link has been established to this property.

The house had already undergone restoration prior to their purchase. Since then, the couple has added contemporary touches including a formal hedge-lined frontage, updated fixtures, and an outdoor cabana beside the lap pool.

Distinctive Features and Auction Details

Camden House retains a number of period-specific details including 3.2-metre ceilings, vertical joint (VJ) walls, ornate breezeways, and original timber flooring. It features a gabled roof, wrought iron entry, and expansive verandahs.

The two-level home includes multiple living areas, a skylit kitchen with a servery window, and a rear entertainer’s deck fitted with a wet bar, ceiling fan, and heating strips. The downstairs area opens to a landscaped garden and an elevated solar-heated lap pool accompanied by a private cabana.

Additional amenities include five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double garage with extra storage, and secure parking for two more vehicles. The home sits on a 556-square-metre block and is located within the Ascot State School catchment area.

Camden House is scheduled to go under the hammer on 13 May, listed through Patrick McKinnon and Drew Davies of Place Ascot.

Continued Search for History

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The owners are calling on the public to share any information that might help piece together the property’s past before the auction date. While the house has become a refined modern residence, the lack of documentation about its origins has left a significant gap in the local historical record.

Published 9-May-2025

The post Origins of Camden House Remain Unclear Ahead of Clayfield Auction appeared first on Clayfield News.