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A Tradition of Excellence
St Joseph's Catholic College is a Diocesan school for girls providing a Catholic Secondary education in Years 7 to 12 for student’s resident in the parishes of East Gosford-Mangrove, Kincumber, North Gosford-Wyoming, Terrigal-Erina, Woy Woy-Umina.
St Joseph’s has had a relatively short history, although a significant one. It is part of a Catholic tradition which extends back two thousand years to Christ, but more immediately it can be linked to the traditions of Mary MacKillop’s Sisters of St Joseph and their efforts to educate the children of the working class families of Australia.
Prior to 1960, St Joseph’s Parochial School was located in Donnison Street, behind the Union Hotel. This school educated both girls and boys from Kindergarten to Intermediate (3rd year of secondary school). In January, 1960, a new school, St Joseph's Parish School was opened in East Gosford. The school was later renamed St Patrick’s when Father Patrick McManus was Parish Priest. The school catered for students from Kindergarten to Leaving Certificate. Sr Vianney Lonergan was the first Principal.
In 1967 following the changes brought about by the Wyndham Scheme, a separate school was built on the south side of York Street. This school was for Years 7 to 10 only. The name was changed back to St Joseph’s High School and Sr Maria Joseph was Principal.
In 1970, Sr Vianney returned as Principal. Over the next few years it became apparent that the six classrooms were inadequate to meet the needs of the expanding Central Coast population and plans were made to build a bigger school. In November 1975, the present school in Russell Drysdale Street was blessed and opened by Bishop Muldoon.
Sr Vianney continued as Principal of St Joseph’s until her retirement at the end of 1979. Sr Marie Dewey took over as Principal in 1980 to 1984. In1980 the school had a staff of 26 and an enrolment of approximately 360 students.
The Josephite influence on the school continued with the appointment of Sr Madeleine Carroll as Principal from 1985 to 1990. During this period science laboratories and facilities for special education were constructed. Mr. Ross Cleary commenced as the first lay Principal in 1991. The Mary MacKillop spirit continued, aided by Sr Thomasine Barnes working in the school administration and the presence of a Josephite Colloquium within staff.
In 1995 Mr. Bernard Edwards was appointed Principal. In 1997 a decision was made by the Director of Schools, Broken Bay, to extend the school to Year 12. The first Year 11 students were enrolled in 1999 and the first students from the school were entered for the HSC in 2000. There were 62 students who presented for the HSC in 2000.
Enrolments expanded rapidly during the period from 2000 to 2004 from around five hundred to around nine hundred.
The name was changed in 1999 to St Joseph's Catholic College. Facilities were expanded to provide a full range of teaching and learning spaces which cater for the girl’s needs.
In May 2006 Mr. Edwards retired from the College and Mr. Stephen Walsh was appointed the new Principal of the College commencing term 4 2006.
