Catholic schooling transformation in Brisbane’s inner south

Brisbane Catholic Education has announced a transformation of its schooling options in the city’s inner-south as parents show continued interest in co-educational secondary school options.

BCE today announced that Our Lady’s College, Annerley would accept male students from 2030, becoming BCE's fifth new Catholic co-educational secondary school offering in recent years.

The most recent co-educational secondary to open, Holy Spirit College at Fitzgibbon, commenced in 2022. The school was met with overwhelming interest from parents, quickly filling its available places. In 2026, the school has reached its full Year 7 intake capacity and is preparing for its first cohort to graduate in 2027.

Last year, BCE announced that it would open a new co-ed secondary school at Windsor on the site of the former St Mary of the Cross primary school in the city’s inner-north. Expressions of interest for enrolments have exceeded expectations with more than 600 enquiries since the announcement.

BCE is committed to maintaining a strong and sustainable Catholic education presence in inner-city Brisbane that responds to the needs of a growing and changing community. With this in mind, BCE this year moved its focus to the inner-south, analysing enrolment trends, demographic changes and future demand in the region. After extensive consideration, BCE has today announced:

• Our Lady’s College will transition from a girls’ secondary college to a co-educational secondary college from Term 1, 2030. This will mean that Our Lady’s College will accept male students from 2030 in Year 7, subject to relevant planning and approval processes.

• The closure of Mary Immaculate Primary School, Annerley and St Brendan’s Primary School, Moorooka at the end of Term 4, 2026.  This reflects BCE’s commitment to ensuring Catholic education continues to thrive for future generations.

Demographic changes have impacted Mary Immaculate and St Brendan’s schools. The combined enrolments at the schools have decreased by one-third in the last five years. Each school now has fewer than 75 students, reflecting changing demand in the local area.

As part of the closure of the two primary schools, families will be offered enrolment at other BCE schools, including nearby at St Sebastian’s Catholic Primary School at Yeronga and St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Salisbury.

BCE Acting Executive Director Ross Tarlinton OAM said the organisation had always adapted to changing demand in more than 180 years of Catholic education in Brisbane and will continue to enable new opportunities for students, families and staff.

BCE now educates almost 80,000 students at 146 schools across southeast Queensland.

“BCE has been privileged to offer generations of southeast Queensland families a Catholic education and we have only done that by adapting to the changing nature of a growing state,” Mr Tarlinton said.

“Enrolment demand at Holy Spirit College, Fitzgibbon, has exceeded our expectations, with strong interest from families across the community. We are seeing similar enthusiasm for our proposed new secondary school at Windsor, with many families keen to enrol their children.

“This level of interest demonstrates the strong demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education in Brisbane. Our announcement today reflects that demand and our commitment to maintaining a strong and sustainable Catholic education presence in inner-city Brisbane into the future. We anticipate similar interest for Annerley from 2030.

“For families at Mary Immaculate and St Brendan’s schools, BCE is working with them to ensure they can continue their Catholic schooling in the area. The wellbeing, learning and care for our students and our staff are our priority as we move through these next few months.”

BCE’s five most recent co-education secondary school projects include Sophia College, Plainland and Sam Damiano College, Yarrabilba along with the projects at Fitzgibbon, Windsor and today’s announcement in Brisbane’s inner-south.

Artist impression of BCE's new proposed co-educational secondary school in Brisbane’s inner-north. Image supplied by Hayball, used with permission.

Article main image: Holy Spirit College Fitzgibbon first cohort of Year 11 students (l-r) College Leader Nicole Bland, Wellbeing Leader Mareena Meril, student Ben Buttigieg and College Leader Joshua D’Cruz. © Brisbane Catholic Education 2026.