St Ursula’s College, Yeppoon

St Ursula's College, Yeppoon, has its origins tracing back to 1915 when the concept of establishing a Presentation Sisters Branch House in Yeppoon was initiated by Bishop Joseph Shiel. The founding figures, Mother Ursula Kennedy and Mother Patrick Madden, upon their visit to Yeppoon, chose a plot of land on Queen Street for the development of the branch house. At Bishop Shiel's recommendation, it was named St Ursula's. The foundation stone of the two-storey St Ursula's Convent, which housed St Joseph's Primary School on its lower floor, was laid, and the institution was inaugurated by Bishop Joseph Shiel on January 21, 1917. The educational journey began with twenty-five boarders and thirty primary pupils on January 29, 1917. Observing the emerging need for specialized education for young women, St Ursula's College was formally inaugurated on the premises on March 12, 1918, starting with 32 students. The setup was such that the primary school operated on the ground level while the secondary education took place upstairs. By 1922, expansion led to the construction of a new edifice, later named Gabriel Hogan House. The 1950s witnessed a booming increase in primary-level enrolments, prompting the establishment of a distinct entity, Sacred Heart Primary School, which began in John Street in 1958 and was relocated to Lammermoor in 1991. In 1992, to preserve the Presentation heritage amidst transitioning to secular leadership, the Presentation Sisters created St Ursula's College Limited. Margaret Ramsay became the college's first lay principal in 1996, marking a new era while the Presentation Sisters continued to serve at the college until 2011. June 2014 saw the governance of St Ursula's College transition to Mercy Partners, as arranged by the Queensland Presentation Congregation. July 2017 marked a centennial celebration of catholic education and the enduring Presentation presence on the Capricorn Coast. The institution commemorated its 100-year anniversary in 2018, engaging in a three-day festivity to honor the significant milestone.