Early in 1955, Mr Vince Crowley was concerned at the number of young lads riding bikes across the city to attend St Mary’s. Seven or eight parents attended a meeting called to investigate the possibility of establishing a Catholic Boys School on the eastern side of Toowoomba. A raffle to raise funds was organised.

It was discovered that a block of land that had been purchased by Archbishop Quinn of Brisbane in 1879 had been left by will in 1881 “to the Archbishop of Brisbane and his successors for educational and charitable purposes”. The property was handed over by Archbishop Duhig of Brisbane to the Toowoomba Cathedral in 1955.

It was unknown at St Patrick’s Cathedral that the Church even owned the property until a rates notice was sent there in error. The original property included the whole block of 10 acres bounded by James, Curzon and McKenzie Streets.

In 1955, the Bishop of Toowoomba, Bishop W. M. Brennan approached the Christian Brothers to establish a Community at St Joseph’s and an agreement was drawn up with the Provincial for its formation. A Community consisting of Brother R B Murphy, Brother W. P. Morahan and Brother P. J. Hodgkinson was appointed.

Plans were drawn in July 1955 for a new school. The site was levelled at a cost of 5000 pounds,  20 000 tons of soil were shifted and a start was made on building in September.

The Foundation Stone was laid on the 15th December 1955. As the new building was not ready for occupation, Brothers Murphy, Morahan and Hodgkinson began teaching in temporary classrooms behind St Patrick’s Presbytery on the 6th February 1956. This would begin a long association with the Brothers and St Joseph’s.

On the opening day 116 boys attended. The numbers increased to 139 within a month.

The school was officially blessed and opened on Sunday 2nd September in the presence of Archbishop Duhig of Brisbane and Bishop Brennan of Toowoomba and a large number of Priests, Brothers and people.

The original school block contained a Chapel and 7am Sunday Mass was celebrated for the general public from the 9th September, 1956.

In November, 1956, a start was made on the new Brothers Residence. The foundation stone was laid by Bishop Brennan at a private ceremony on the 16th January, 1957. The Brothers took up residence there on 18th November, 1957.

Two months after the school started, the famous school song was written by Principal Brother Murphy (music) and Brother McElligott. Our song is as old as our school.

Within six years the school population had trebled, and St Joseph’s offered primary education from Years 4-7 and a Scholarship, Sub-Junior and Junior class to the boys of Toowoomba.

In 1959, 225 boys were enrolled from Year 4-10. Those wishing to continue their education past junior had to attend St Mary’s – this continued for nearly 30 years.

In 1962 Brother L. Victor Larkin joined the staff as the new Principal.

In June 1982, the Christian Brothers were forced to announce their withdrawal from the College due to lack of numbers. At the same time Bishop Kelly announced that St Joseph’s would become a Catholic Co-Educational Secondary College.

A new dimension came to St Joseph’s with Co-education. In 1983, 27 girls commenced studies in year 8 and that year as with each subsequent year a primary grade was dropped.

The period since coeducation became one of further expansion to provide the facilities required to keep pace with the changing educational needs.

In 1984, the first lay administrator took over from the brothers and a new era began for St Joseph’s. Brother Fogarty, Principal of St Joseph’s from 1980-1983, handed over leadership to the first Lay Principal, Mr Peter Kenny, in 1984. 1986 saw the first Year 11 class for the College.

For the decades that have followed the College consolidated and gained a reputation in the district for providing an exciting, engaging and relevant Catholic Education.