Issuu

1929 - 2025

St Cecilia’s Catholic School, Balgowlah

ca. 1950

St Cecilia’s Catholic

The history of St Cecilia’s, Balgowlah is a beautiful testament to God’s faithfulness and to the enduring witness of a community committed to forming young hearts and minds. For nearly 100 years, this school has stood as a place where the Gospel has been lived, taught, and shared, first through the devoted service of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, and later through the generous and passionate leadership of countless lay staff.

As St Cecilia’s prepares to become the Junior Campus of St Paul’s Catholic College, we are invited to reflect on and celebrate the countless students, families, and staff who have been shaped by this cherished community. We also recognise that moments of change can stir a mix of emotions. While many look to the future with great hope and excitement, others carry a sense of sadness as we farewell the school in its current form. Both feelings are real, and both speak to the depth of love people hold for St Cecilia’s.

This moment of transition is therefore both a closing and a beginning. In saying goodbye to the familiar, we honour the profound legacy St Cecilia’s leaves, a legacy grounded in faith, community, and an enduring commitment to helping young people grow into the fullness of who God created them to be. At the same time, we step into a future filled with promise, knowing that the strengths, traditions, and spirit of St Cecilia’s will enrich the wider St Paul’s community and help shape its new chapter.

May this history booklet stand as a testament of gratitude and a reminder that the spirit of St Cecilia’s does not end here. It continues in the lives it has touched, in the memories it has formed, and in the vibrant future that now unfolds as part of St Paul’s Catholic College.

Archbishop Anthony Randazzo DD JCL

Prefect, Dicastery for Legislative Texts and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Broken Bay

School Balgowlah

St Cecilia’s Catholic School, Balgowlah has been a place of faith, learning, and community for nearly a century, and this history booklet honours that remarkable legacy at a moment of significant transition. As the school prepares to be repurposed in 2026 as the Junior Campus of St Paul’s Catholic College, it is fitting that we pause to remember the foundations on which generations have stood. From the purchase of the original land in 1924, to the school’s opening in 1930 with 84 students nurtured by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, St Cecilia’s has been a testament to the enduring strength of Catholic education and community spirit.

This booklet captures the milestones, stories, and people who shaped St Cecilia’s; from the blessing of the church-school in 1929, to the major building expansions of 1961 and 1980, to the transition to lay leadership in 1976. While the next chapter for this site will look different, the legacy it carries forward remains unchanged: a legacy of faith-filled service, educational excellence, and deep commitment to families. As we look ahead to the exciting future of St Paul’s Catholic College, we do so with gratitude for all that St Cecilia’s has contributed to the story of Catholic Schools Broken Bay.

Danny Casey Director of Schools

Our Story: St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School

The story of St Cecilia’s begins with the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, founded as the first Australian congregation of Catholic women in 1857. Their dedication to education and care would one day shape the heart of Balgowlah.

In 1924, the Archdiocese of Sydney, along with Manly Parish Priest, Monsignor John McDonald, purchased a section of land on the Balgowlah Carrington Heights Estate for the purposes of a church-school. By 1929, the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev. Michael Kelly, called on the Sisters of the Good Samaritan (the Good Sams) to provide teachers, and soon after, the new church-school building was blessed. On 2 February 1930, St Cecilia’s officially opened its doors to 84 students from surrounding suburbs, guided by four Good Samaritan Sisters who lived in the nearby convent.

As the community grew, so did the school. A new parish was opened in 1955, and in 1961, the school building was remodelled with an additional floor and classrooms, creating space for 400 students. Over the years, more surrounding properties were acquired, new classrooms built, and modern facilities added. In 1975, the Sisters ceased leadership at the school, with Mrs Carmel Trotman (nee White) becoming the first lay principal, marking a new era of leadership. Redevelopment of the school continued through the decades, with major updates in 1980, 2008, and 2010, ensuring that the students had vibrant spaces to learn and play.

For 95 years, St Cecilia’s has been a place of faith, learning, and community spirit. In 2026, a new chapter begins as St Cecilia’s is repurposed as the St Paul’s Catholic College Junior Campus, continuing a proud tradition of Catholic education in the North Harbour Catholic Community Parish.

Balgowlah

Carrington Heights Estate The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney (including the Most Rev. Michael Kelly, Archbishop of Sydney and Reverend John McDonald of Manly, Parish Priest) purchase Lots 14, 15, and 16 of the Carrington Heights Estatenow the main school building and parish.

Sisters of the Good Samaritan (Good Sams) established Michael Kelly asks Good Sams to teach at new school Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev. Michael Kelly, requests Mother General, Sister Basil, of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan for two or three efficient teachers to begin teaching at St Cecilia’s school.

Purchase Lots 14, 15, & 16

Carrington Heights Estate purchased

Lot

The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney purchase Lot 17 of the Carrington Heights Estatenow the outdoor play area. The lot was originally set aside for a War Services Home by James Earl Wilkins of Sydney.

9 June 1929 Church/School building blessed Church and school building blessed by then Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev. Michael Kelly.

Good Sams purchase 53 Seaview St Sisters of the Good Samaritan purchase property at 53 Seaview St (named Gwyndor) to be used as a convent.

2 February 1930 St Cecilia's open St Cecilia’s, Balgowlah opens with a total of 84 pupils from the surrounding suburbs, and the Clontarf depression camp. Accompanying the students were 4 sisters from the Good Sams who resided at the convent on Seaview St.

Good Sams convent moves Sisters of the Good Samaritan move convent to 49 West Street.

6 June 1954 New parish Foundation Stone laid St Cecilia’s Parish foundation stone laid by Most Rev. Patrick Lyons, Auxiliary Bishop to Cardinal Norman Gilroy.

St Cecilia’s Parish opened 7 August 1955, St Cecilia's Parish, designed by architects S.G. Hirst & Kennedy, is opened by Cardinal Norman Gilroy

52 Wanganella St, Balgowlah purchased The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney purchase 52 Wanganella St Balgowlah (Lots 18A and 18B of the original Carrington Heights Estate)now the front office building.

School expansion complete Building of additional floor on the original school building is completed. With works taking only eight weeks, the old school building was remodelled to provide four more classrooms and allowing the school to accommodate up to 400 students.

Expanded school blessed 22 June 1961 Bishop James Carroll blesses remodelled school building.

Sisters Conclude their role Sisters of the Good Samaritan conclude their role in school leadership.

First Principal Mrs Carmel Trotman (nee White) begins as St Cecilia’s first lay principal.

Adjoining property on Wanganella St Purchased As part of the school’s redevelopment, an adjoining property on Wanganella St was acquired and redeveloped into new infant classrooms.

New facilities

Addition of new administrative and staff facilities, carpark, and student amenities built.

Alterations and Additions

Playground and amenities refurbishment, funded by the Australia federal government’s Building the Education Revolution (BER) initiative.

New Stage 3 Learning Hub for Years 5 and 6

2026

A New Journey Begins Danny Casey, Director of Schools, and Archbishop Anthony Randazzo announced that a new St Paul's Catholic College Junior Campus for Years 5 and 6 will be established at the Balgowlah Campus.

Mrs Carmel Trotman (nee White)

St Cecilia

The

patron saint of music

St Cecilia is one of the most revered saints in the Catholic Church and is celebrated as the patroness of music and musicians. She lived in Rome during the 2nd or 3rd century and was known for her deep faith and devotion to God. As the patroness of music, musical compositions are often dedicated to her, and her feast (22 November) is the occasion of concerts and musical festivals.

Cecilia’s courage was remarkable. In a time of persecution, she openly professed her faith and spent her short life as a dedicated follower of Jesus, displaying qualities of leadership, courage, integrity, and gentleness.

St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School encouraged these characteristics of St Cecilia through the way the school community spoke to and interacted with one another.

St Cecilia 1649, by Guercino

A short history of St Cecilia’s Catholic Church, Balgowlah

St Cecilia’s Catholic Church traces its origins to the early Catholic community who gathered for Mass in the original Balgowlah Hall/Theatre (on Sydney Road) between 1923 and 1926. To meet the wishes of the parishioners and the needs of the growing parish, a combined church and school was designed by Father Edmund Bond – later the parish’s first priest – in collaboration with ecclesiastical architect Edward Green of Green & Scott Architects. On 9 June 1929, the Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Michael Kelly, laid the foundation stone, and the church/school building was officially opened and blessed on 10 November 1929 by Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Sheehan.

By the 1940s, the dual use of the building as both a church and school created severe space pressures. Thus, a decision was made to construct a new, purpose-built church on the corner of White and Wanganella Streets. The church’s foundation stone was laid by Bishop Lyons on 6 June 1954 with Cardinal Norman Gilroy opening the completed church on 7 August 1955. Designed by Sydney G. Hirst and Kennedy, the church reflects mid-century architectural values, with the original design prioritising simplicity, proportion, natural light, and low maintenance.

Today, St Cecilia’s Catholic Church continues to serve as a vibrant centre of worship, devotion, and community, continuing its mission to lead parishioners closer to Christ through the sacramental life and the enduring guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Top: Balgowlah Hall on Sydney Road, c. 1929. Courtesy Northern Beaches Library.

Right: Proposed Church plan, C. 1950s.

Bottom: St Cecilia’s Catholic Church today.

St Cecilia’s Catholic

Sisters of the Good Samaritan Overview

Founded in Sydney in 1857 by Australia’s first Catholic Bishop, John Bede Polding, the Sisters of the Good Samaritan (commonly known as the Good Sams) is the first congregation of Catholic religious women to be established in Australia. Inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan, their mission focused on serving those most in need within the early colony in Sydney. Before long, education soon became central to their work. Beginning in orphanages and parish schools, the sisters expanded their reach to rural communities across Australia and, later, to places affected by war such as Japan. Their legacy continues through a commitment to compassion, justice, and education.

The Good Sams played a vital role in Catholic education across Sydney, including at St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School, where their presence helped shape the school’s strong tradition of faith and learning.

In 1929, the Good Sams began teaching at St Cecilia’s with a convent established in nearby Seaview Street. In 1953 the convent moved to West Street where a number of Sisters’ resided until 2008. Although the Sisters of the Good Samaritan withdrew leadership from St Cecilia’s in 1975, their presence is still felt in the strong community and values that have shaped St Cecilia’s for the past 95 years.