Educating Far North Queensland’s Future Leaders St Mary’s lays claim to being one of the finest Catholic co-educational secondary colleges in the state. Modern facilities are complemented by a strong school spirit and a determination to succeed on the part of both staff and students. Having opened in 1986 St Mary’s has grown to a student population of 936. It maintains the vigour of a relatively new institution while still offering a tradition of pursuing excellence and a diverse range of services. A dedicated and able staff provide St Mary’s students with effective pastoral care and the opportunity for spiritual, academic, social and physical development. Guided by Christ’s timeless message of Good News, St Mary’s is determined to provide the type of education which will prepare students for leadership and community membership in the 21st Century.

St Mary’s Catholic College offers academic, music and sport scholarships. Conditions of scholarships and details on how to apply are available on our website.

Please contact the College for more information regarding academic, music and sport scholarships.

St Mary’s is well recognised for its excellence in Catholic education in Cairns. Established in 1986, the College has an enviable reputation for providing an education which results in graduates who are well rounded young people. Inspired by Mother Mary, our College is a place where individual strengths are nurtured and developed and where faith and a sense of “family” are fundamental to who we are.

The College has a strong academic focus. We offer a stimulating academic and vocational curriculum, along with comprehensive co-curricular opportunities for our students to pursue their interest in sport, the arts, and service leadership.

We are very confident that our co-educational environment provides a more realistic way of preparing young people to take their places naturally in the wider community. At St Mary’s, both male and female perspectives will be explored during classroom discussions and this is a very important learning experience for all. We encourage all our students to strive to be their very best in all aspects of life, and believe our students are great ambassadors for their school.

As a leading secondary college, St Mary’s offers a broad technology rich curriculum delivered by quality and dedicated teachers. The College has many outstanding facilities, with exciting new building projects around the corner that will bring about more contemporary and innovative learning spaces to optimise student learning. 

I invite you to read the accompanying material on our website, and like so many other families, to give serious consideration to choosing St Mary’s Catholic College for your family’s secondary education. 

Kerry Manders, Principal