History & Traditions

Originally a dairy farm, Canterbury College sits on 30.2 hectares of natural bushland, grassed ovals and landscaped grounds in Waterford, located midway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

The College was established in 1987 by local Anglican Church parishioners to meet a need in the local education market: a faith-based coeducational pre-school to Year 12 school serving the then Albert and Logan Shires.

Initial staff interviews and enrolment appointments were conducted in the back of Cichero’s Pharmacy in Beenleigh (Reverend Trevor Cichero later became the first Chairman of the Canterbury Board).

The College owes a debt of gratitude to the founding families and staff for their faith and commitment to a fledgling school who had its administration running out of a dispensary back room in its very early days.

The College began teaching on Monday 2 February 1987 and had its official opening ceremony in September that year. Originally named The College of the Good Shepherd, it began with 73 students across Years 6, 7 and 8.

Historic photo from Canterbury archive

Students were taught by the Head, two full-time and three part-time teachers in two ex-mining development recreation huts until Stage 1 of the permanent buildings were available for use later that year. Parents, teachers, and students worked together on frequent working bee weekends to develop the “untamed farmland” to build the school into a place which would provide quality academic, cultural and sporting opportunities and facilities.

Students were summoned to class with an old dairy farm cow bell, a symbolic link to the College’s roots.

In 1994, adjoining land totalling 37 acres was acquired by the Board, taking the College site to 75 acres and the College joined seven other Anglican Schools to establish the Queensland Anglican Schools System.

Over the years the College has expanded its exceptional teaching facilities and grounds, including a Trade Training Centre, tertiary-level science laboratories, libraries, digital hub, auditorium, sports hall, events centre, athletics track and sporting ovals. An aquatic and tennis centre recently completed construction, featuring a heated 50m 10 lane pool, learn to swim pool, large grandstand and eight tennis courts.

Under the direction of each Head and Principal, Canterbury has forged an enviable reputation for excellence in the academic, vocational, cultural, sporting, spiritual and community service arenas.

Foundation Day is marked each year in a tradition to pay tribute to the past with respect and thankfulness.

The Canterbury Crest

The Canterbury crest is derived from the crest of the See of Canterbury, which features the small pall (or ‘Y’ shape), representing the Archbishop’s pallium, as the central feature of the crest. The cross at the top of the crest has a two-fold purpose. It represents the Christian Faith of Canterbury and because it is a Maltese Cross, it also represents our State of Queensland which has this cross on its flag.

The book in the centre of the crest both symbolises the Holy Bible, a central part of our Christian faith and an essential element of our school, and represents the search for knowledge by Canterbury’s students and staff.

The three arms of the pall that link together in the middle represent the linking of parents, staff and students to create Canterbury.

Canterbury Logo

College Heads and Principals

1987-1994 Alan Coombes
1995-2002 Rev. Paul Bland
2003-2005 Ron Daniels
2005-2019 Donna Anderson
2019- Daniel Walker