In the period prior to 1951, our then Parish Priest, Fr Fitzgerald, with vision saw a need for Catholic Education and a bonding of our Faith Community. He approached the Sisters of St Joseph who responded positively in faith and trust in keeping with Mary MacKillop's vision "Never see a need without trying to find a solution..." and in January 1951, St Peters "became".
Early students of St Peter's Caboolture
The school opened using the Parish Church, (now Mary McKillop Hall) with an enrolment of 54 children. Our Foundation Principal Sr Juan, with Sr Timothy and Sr Salome, began their community, as no convent was immediately available, in borrowed premises, the Presbytery, with the Priest, Fr Fitzgerald taking up temporary residence kindly given by a Parish family (now a Parish house situated adjacent to the school playground).
School Fees were the princely sum of 2/- (20c) per week. Our classrooms (now Administration Block) were ready for occupancy in the latter part of that year, and our real journey had begun.
During the following years the face of our school has changed many times, reflecting the ongoing desire of parents for a Catholic Education for their children. Our building programme and enrolment growth support this.
In 1965, when the new church was built, the old church was converted to classrooms. Three classrooms, a staffroom, tuckshop and administration centre were opened by Bishop Gerry in 1977. Two modular classrooms (now music room and Outside School Hours Care) were added in 1979. In 1981, a large building project of eight classrooms was undertaken (Block A), the administration and staff facilities were extended, and two rooms in the original building were converted to a library.
Two more classrooms were added in 1984. The former presbytery in Margaret Street was used as a resource centre from 1985 ‐ 1991. From 1992 ‐ 1996 the resource centre, known as the Learning Support Centre was housed in the old St Peter’s Church Hall. A new building project worth over $500,000 commenced in 1988. It consisted of the relocation of the modular classrooms to their present site, conversion of three classrooms into a library, conversion of the original block to an administration centre, conversion of the former administration centre to two classrooms, the construction of a new double‐storey, six‐classroom Block C, and the construction of a new tuckshop and covered area.
The building in Margaret Street converted back to a presbytery in 1991 and in 1993 saw a new use - that of office for our newly appointed Pastoral Carer.
In 1994 refurbishment of the administration block was carried out to the cost of $30,000.00, followed in 1996 by the erection of 4 relocatable rooms for classes and learning support ‐handing back of the "Old Church" for parish use and relocating music and Outside School Hours Care to Block D. In 2001 we had our 50th Birthday. The Preschool was opened in 2002. 2003 brought us the refurbishment of our Administration block and 2005 further building of 2 extra classrooms and an additional classroom to get ready for the Prep year.
In 2010 renovations and building occurred which resulted in a new Resource Centre, Tuckshop, Toilet Block and Year 7 classrooms. Renovations were also made to older classrooms which have been turned into specialist rooms for Music, LOTE, Learning Support, Guidance and Pastoral Care. The Administration Block was also extended and refurbished to meet the needs of a growing school. Additionally outside areas were connected with undercover walkways, formal entrances and gardens to bring a pleasing aesthetic appearance to the school which has certainly enhanced the already existing pride we have in St Peter’s Catholic School.
In 2013 the establishment of the St Peter’s Aquatic Centre saw the building of a learn to swim pool, a twenty‐five metre pool and amenities block on the school oval in Bertha Street. The Centre has meant that students at St Peter’s now have access to high quality swimming coaching on premises.
A TRIBUTE TO OUR PARISH PRIESTS
Fr Fitzgerald, Fr James Conneely, Fr Frank Arthurs, Fr Pat Dowd and Fr Brian Taylor and Fr Graham Gatehouse Nov 1992—May 2000, Fr Wrex Woolnough 2000-2017; Fr David Pascoe 2018 to present.
OUR PRINCIPALS
Sr Juan McGrath, Sr Anthony (now Elizabeth) Daly, Sr Chanel Thompson, Sr Pauline Shannon, Joseph Francis McGinley, Sr Andrea Lynam, Sr Julianna Fox, Sr Juanita Scari, Sr Margaret Anne O'Gorman, Sr Lawrence Vines, Sr Albert (now Margaret Mary) Hanrahan, Sr Elaine Smith, Sr Noela Moynihan, Sr Patricia Goffey, (Acting Principals) - Mr Bernie McKenna & Mr Mich Welch -1990 & 1991; Sr Margaret Cleary 1992—2002, Mark Creevey 2002—2007, Jim Midgley 2007- 2014, Peter Surawski 2015 - 2021, Matt Mackinlay 2022 - present.