Honouring the past - looking to the future

St Thomas in Huntly

The Catholic story in Huntly stretches back to 1875, when St Thomas Catholic Church was established to serve a small but faithful community. Mass was celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, with Sunday school nurturing the faith of local children. Though the church was decommissioned in the late 1980s and now forms part of a local venue, its legacy endures in the memories of families who gathered, prayed and celebrated there for more than a century.

It is evident in the extract below from the Melbourne Advocate in May 1888, that the Catholic Church would have loved to have had a school at St Thomas’.

“Rev, J Gilsenan paid a visit to St Thomas Church, Huntly where he met a number of the children of the district and spent some time in examining them in the Cathechism. Every effort is made to keep alive the faith in the rising generation, especially in those districts where there is, unfortunately, no Catholic School, as in this case. This inconvenience arises from the paucity and scattered nature of the Catholic population."

A name that remembers and inspires

As we look to the future, our new school carries forward this story in a way that is both faithful and forward-looking. While the historical records don’t specify which “St Thomas” the 1875 church was named after, choosing St Thomas Aquinas as our patron links Huntly’s past with a powerful educational charism for today. St Thomas Aquinas - scholar, teacher and saint - embodies the partnership of faith and reason, a hallmark of Catholic education.

• The only St Thomas school in the Sandhurst Diocese — a distinctive identity for Huntly.
• A name that honours the original church and points to learning as our mission.
• A patron whose life calls us to seek truth, love wisdom and serve others.

The virtues of St Thomas Aquinas

St Thomas Aquinas is widely regarded as the patron of Catholic schools. His life and writings continue to inspire students and educators who pursue truth with both heart and mind. The virtues we seek to cultivate echo his example:

• Faith and Hope — trust in God’s promise and a future filled with possibility
• Wisdom and Prudence — thinking deeply, choosing well
• Justice and Charity — dignity, fairness and love in action
• Temperance and Fortitude — balance, courage and perseverance
• Humility and Zeal — learning with openness, serving with joy

Our next chapter

In 2027, St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Huntly will welcome its first students, writing a new page in Huntly’s Catholic story. Rooted in a legacy that began in 1875, we’re building a place where children learn, belong and thrive, and where families are part of a community shaped by faith, learning and hope.

Timeline

1875 — St Thomas Catholic Church established in Huntly

1880s — Mass on first Sundays; Sunday school supports local children (reported in The Advocate, 1888)

Late 1980s — Church decommissioned

2025 — 150 years since the church’s establishment

2027 — Opening of St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Huntly