The School’s Motto, ‘Per Volar Sunata’ (Born To Fly Upwards) comes from ‘Dante Purgatorio XII 94-96’.

When the University of Queensland opened, in 1911, two of St Margaret’s girls were among its first students.

Cultural pursuits have always been an integral part of life at St Margaret’s. An art room and music block were among the first buildings constructed in the 1930s, from a bequest from the estate of John Darnell.

Impact on Brisbane Society

The school was founded in 1895 by the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent. It was opened as a boarding school for girls at Nundah, in a former boys’ school, Eton High School, on land bounded by Bishop Street, Buckland Road, Wand Street and Olive Street. The founding Headmistress was ‘Caine’. In 1907, the School moved to Toorak House in Hamilton, Juliet Lyon (1907–1917) replaced ‘Caine’ and the School roll had grown to 35 pupils. In 1911the School moved again to Albion Heights. Its new home was Donatello, built in the 1880s for Patrick Durack, and renamed St Margaret’s House. At that time School’s name changed to the Church of England High School. Under the leadership of Sister Teresa (1918–1925) the School grew rapidly and the adjoining property, Avoca (built in 1886 by Andrew Petrie as Mooloomburram), was acquired in 1918 to provide extra accommodation. By 1925, Sister Teresa had made St Margaret’s a leading school in Brisbane, with a good record of academic achievement.

Citations

St Margaret’s website ;

Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent

St. Joseph’s Website

Geise, Raymond Frederick. The Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent and their Contribution to Educating Girls since 1895, Victory Press Printing Company, Bribie Island, Qld, 2012.

Unnamed. St. Margaret’s Albion Brisbane Queensland, St. Margaret’s, Brisbane, Qld, 1920.

Image Citations

OP school rankings 2017: System ‘fails’ St Margaret’s. The Courier Mail.