Nudgee College: A school built for boys from the bush

For over 130 years, St Joseph’s Nudgee College has been a boarding school where 315 boarders call home. Alongside the 1,400 plus boys who attend daily, Nudgee College is proud that boarders come from regional and rural Queensland, across the country, and internationally to call this school their second home. 

With boarding as the school's heartbeat, the Boarding Village's location in the centre of the campus is fitting. 

Nudgee College Boarding features one of the country's most comprehensive pastoral care models, which is one of the many reasons it was awarded the Australian Best Boarding School of the Year in 2024 by the Australian Education Awards. The four Houses within the Boarding Village are led by a Head of House, two Assistant Heads, and a House Mother. Additionally, there are numerous supervisors from all walks of life, including a combination of teaching and non-teaching staff. The team's breadth allows staff to form smaller pastoral groups to provide regular check-ins and ongoing support for the boys. The network of care for the boys also extends to psychologists, registered nurses, and kitchen and laundry staff, all of whom are dedicated to supporting the boys through the ups and downs of day-to-day adolescent life.

Our boarders embrace distance challenges and excel at the College through academic and co-curricular pursuits that cater to their interests and skill sets. With the broadest curriculum in Queensland, state-of-the-art learning facilities, and our Vocational Education and Training (VET) program (RTO code: 30498), all students have every opportunity to thrive, are encouraged and taught to be critical thinkers and problem-solvers, to create and innovate, and to communicate and collaborate. 

The newest addition to the College’s academic program is the Certificate II and III in Rural Operations, delivered in partnership with the University of Queensland (UQ) Skills. With 24 students across Years 11 and 12 enrolled in either certificate, this VET program allows students to get the qualifications they need to begin working in not only rural industries but other rural and regional sectors, such as local government, tourism, hospitality, transport, construction, community services, information technology and metals. In particular, the Certificate III in Rural Operations provides practical training across fields, including agriculture, horticulture and conservation, and land management. This is also a nationally recognised program designed to help students develop a range of skills, including animal health and welfare programs, feeding livestock, biosecurity, and operating utility vehicles. 

Curtis, in Year 12, was inspired to pursue the Certificate in Rural Operations because it was a class relevant to his future goals. “It gives me a high qualification to use back home In Goondiwindi, as rural practices are common there”, says Curtis. 

Harry, also in Year 12, was interested in agriculture due to growing up on a family farm but aims to utilise it after school. “I want to use the qualification to help achieve my future goals in property management”, says Harry.

Supplementing the College's strong academic offering for agricultural education, the co-curricular program is designed to give students more opportunities to explore their passions and nurture their talents. The Cattle Club and Show Team enable boys from all knowledge and skill levels to interact with agriculture tangibly. Beginning in 1984, this program has attracted rural and city-based students. In 2025, the College will have 70 students in the club learning to fit various cattle studs, break in and prepare animals for shows. Members take great pride in preparing and exhibiting their animals, and in doing so, they learn essential animal husbandry, animal welfare, teamwork, and interpersonal communication skills.

Robert, a Cattle Club member and boarder from Mount Alma, says, “My favourite part of being a part of the Cattle Club is going to the shows and meeting people in the industry and getting to know the industry better. I have learned from this how to communicate and manage people while at a show or just down at the yards. I have also learned the different guidelines for managing animals in an educational format compared to on the station at home.”   

With its strong boarding tradition and deep agricultural focus, Nudgee College remains a true home away from home for boys from the bush. It offers a place where they can thrive, cultivate their passions, and prepare for a bright future.

Key Benefits

• The academic culture is underpinned by a broad curriculum delivered using evidence-based practice, which strengthens student engagement and opens up extensive pathway options beyond school.
• Strong pastoral care program that champions the well-being of all students
• Vocational Education and Training program
• A co-curricular program (with activities such as Cattle Club) designed to give students infinite opportunities to explore their passions. 
• Nudgee College Boarding is a true home away from for students.
• 136-hectare campus, including playing fields, an Olympic-standard athletics track, two heated swimming pools, a recently refurbished gymnasium, modern music and art studios, a 400-seat auditorium, an onsite agricultural centre, and a skills and training centre.

Website: www.nudgee.com

Email address: contact@nudgee.com 

Learn more about the opportunities Nudgee College has on offer at their Open Day on Saturday, 17 May 2025