Downlands College, officially named Downlands Sacred Heart College, is a private, secondary, coeducational, day and boarding school at Harlaxton in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Founded by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1931, the college began as a boarding school for boys with a total enrollment of 68. Downlands is Queensland's only Catholic, coeducational, day and boarding school years 4-12. The school offers boarding for both boys and girls and demand for co-educational boarding is high as it allows families and siblings to remain together. The school has an enrollment of approximately 290 boarders from regional Queensland, interstate and overseas, including indigenous students from communities such as Kowanyama and the Tiwi Islands. The school also provides casual boarding to its day students. Downlands College is one of the biggest boarding schools in Queensland.
College badge
The Downlands College Badge consists of a horizontally-divided field in the College colours, royal blue and cardinal red. The upper of the shield carries a gold gryphon, and the lower half bears the Maltese Cross of the State of Queensland. The shield is surmounted by the heart crest with the letters SHC supported by a ram's horns and ears of wheat, to symbolise the college's setting in the Darling Downs. The college motto, Fortes in Fide, meaning Strong in Faith is emblazoned under the crest.
House system
Downlands, like many Australian schools, uses a house system in the college. Students are randomly assigned to one of four houses which compete against each other during swimming and athletics carnivals, as well as a drama festival. The Downlands houses are:
Name
Day/boarding
Colour
Vandel
Day/Boarding
Piperon
Day/Boarding
Treand
Day/Boarding
Jouet
Day/Boarding
Extra-curricular activities
Downlands College is known as the School of Choice, offering an extensive and varied curriculum and co-curricular offering.
One of the newest facilities at Downlands is its large Performing Arts department, catering for all age groups. The College choirs and musical ensembles, as well as individual students, are regular participants in the ToowoombaEisteddfod. Downlands runs a musical every two years with participation across all grades. Recent musicals have included Crazy For You, Les Miserables, High School Musical 2, Footloose, The Wiz, Disco Inferno and SherWoodstock. With the upcoming musical being another addition to Downlands already extensive Performing Arts retinue. The college also enters teams into the Queensland Debating Union, with much success.
