Please help! (Townsville advice 2)

[Bluebird12]

Hi Everyone,
I'm after some similar advice to Nic71. I'm currently in Melbourne with our four children (16F, 14M, 12M, 9F) while DH is posted in Townsville. We decided to go mwd(u), because we thought it would be better stability for our eldest at this stage in her education. We didn't expect it to be so hard, even though we've been through deployments and him being away a lot. Maybe it's because when he's home, he's not here. Anyway we're thinking about moving to Townsville at the end of the year, (if I can convince my eldest..lol). I don't know anyone in Townsville and have never been there. I know DH will be depoyed again next year. I need advice on Townsville, what areas to live in/avoid, and schools (both primary and secondary). This is myfirst post and I really need some help. Thanks everyone.

[Susan Mac]

Hey Bluebird,

I'm a Townsville girl. We live in Kirwan. There is a lot of defense housing in Kirwan. Annandale and Douglas are close to the Barracks, but a little more expensive.
If you are looking for a cheaper area Condon and Rassmussen are reasonable.
Mundingburra is nice.
I'd avoid Garbutt and Kelso, personal preference.
What sort of things would you want to be near?

Are you looking at public or private schools?

susan

[Susan Mac]

I don't know a lot about primary schools, sorry, but I know a little about high schools.

If you are after public:

Pimlico is a good school. Kirwan is good, but very big - somewhere near 2000 students. If you are good at academics, sport or music you can do really well, if you aren't you can fall through the cracks easily. William Ross had a poor reputation in the past but the demographics around the school has changed in recent years, so it has become a much better school. I did a prac there about 6 years ago and really liked the school. Northern Beaches has an excellent vocational education programme.
I haven't heard much about Heatley, but Townsville High and Thuringowa High don't have good reputations.


If you are after private:
Townsville Grammar and The Cathedral School are the "upper class" schools so to speak. They both have high adademic acheivements. Cathedral is Anglican, but not super religious. The kids go to chapel and they have a chaplain, but the teachers don't have to be religious at all. My husband teaches grade six there, so I'll recommend it for primary school!!! It is in Mundingburra (so fairly central wherever you are), and goes from day care through to year 12. Grammar is prep-12, but on two separate campuses. Both schools are fairly pricey.
Annandale Christian School and Calvary Christian College are the 'religious' schools. I went to ACS, and I have a few siblings there, so I can tell you plenty if you want to know.
Ryan Catholic College is a great school. I did a prac there too, and I can recommend it. It is prep-12 on the one campus, in Kirwan.
The only other catholic high schools are St Patricks (on the Strand) and St Margaret Mary's (Hermit Park) - both girls - and Ignatius Park (Cranbrook) for boys.

[Bluebird12]

Hi, thanks for your help, it's been great. So far we'll be moving up just after Christmas. I'm looking at pulbic schools for the kids. If I get a homefind number soon, hopefully I'll be able to get a little organised.
Thanks again.

[Susan Mac]

That's okay. Let me know if you want to know anything else!

[TLLthree]

Just found this post, I know its old but just wondering how your move went. I'm living in Townsville and looking at high school enrollments and found you post. If you need any other info on Townsville let me know.

[hezzie100]

Hi ladies
I see this post i a bit old but great information. Just wondering if it is still up to date? I have a toddler and and a 10 year old daughter. Looking at semi private (Grammar too exy but Cathedral ok at a stretch) Was wondering about ACS and Ryan - are they really religious?

We are looking to move up in about 4-6 weeks and was going to take a trip up with my oldest to look at a couple of schools and wondered what you thought the shortlist would be? She is baptised but we aren't religious at all... don't know if that matters.

Any help you guys can offer would be AMAZING! I am so lost and have never been to Townsville. Its fine to get a list of schools but you need to find out what they are 'like'. So any help is much appreciated

[anewme]

Hi ladies
I see this post i a bit old but great information. Just wondering if it is still up to date? I have a toddler and and a 10 year old daughter. Looking at semi private (Grammar too exy but Cathedral ok at a stretch) Was wondering about ACS and Ryan - are they really religious?

We are looking to move up in about 4-6 weeks and was going to take a trip up with my oldest to look at a couple of schools and wondered what you thought the shortlist would be? She is baptised but we aren't religious at all... don't know if that matters.

Any help you guys can offer would be AMAZING! I am so lost and have never been to Townsville. Its fine to get a list of schools but you need to find out what they are 'like'. So any help is much appreciated

Hi I 4 kids going to annadale christian college which is near the army base. Grs 12, 6, 4 and 2 and one starting preprep there next year. We love it. Jenny Ballmount the princapal is great, her door is always open to everyone. She often stands outside doing playground duty after school so any student and parent can talk to her about anything. I love that it's a preprep to yr12 on one campus. The teacher are great.
Feel free to pm any questions you have.

As for Ryan (in kirwan), my info is a lot out of date as I went there from day dot (as in the first student to arrive on the first day of that school). I been out of school for over 20 years :o but I will try answer any questions you have

[TLLthree]

Both my girls did primary (one is still there in year 5) at Annandale State which is across the road from ACS. Annandale State is a great school that both my girls have found excellent. My eldest is now at St Margaret Mary's College in year 8. I have only heard good things about ACS. Apparently you don't have to be very religious to attend one of these schools - my daughter has not even been baptised but we had no problem getting her into the all girls college. When you get to Townsville feel free to contact me and we can chat more about it. Any other info you need let me know, re: suburbs, shopping, sports and things to do with the kids.

[DaniJ]

Glad I found this thread, previous searches only showed posts about 5 years old. We are relocating to Townsville from Innisfail at the end of the year (daughter will be in yr 2 in 2012 and son starting prep). As much as I would like private / catholic schooling we won't be able to afford the fees initially. What are good state schools? Anyone heard much on Hermit Park SS - that would be the closes to hubby's practice. I have heard Annandale SS is quite big - does that matter? We plan to drive around the area and get our bearings in a few weeks time.

thanks

[*Cj*]

DaniJ you would be best off starting a new thread this one started back in 2007.

When you have some more post and I can send you a pm i will pm you some info about DD school.

[Susan Mac]

DaniJ, From everything I've heard Hermit Park SS is a fantastic school, as is Mundingburra SS which isn't far from there. I've heard less than ordinary things about Annandale SS. DH and I (both with a teaching background) aren't big fans of big schools, and think that if a primary school has more than three classes per grade then it's getting too big. Cranbrook SS is supposedly quite a good school as well.

[TLLthree]

Glad I found this thread, previous searches only showed posts about 5 years old. We are relocating to Townsville from Innisfail at the end of the year (daughter will be in yr 2 in 2012 and son starting prep). As much as I would like private / catholic schooling we won't be able to afford the fees initially. What are good state schools? Anyone heard much on Hermit Park SS - that would be the closes to hubby's practice. I have heard Annandale SS is quite big - does that matter? We plan to drive around the area and get our bearings in a few weeks time.

thanks

Both my girls love/loved Annandale SS. I still have a daughter in year 5. The size was never an issue for my girls. My partners girls went to Mundingburra SS and loved it. I don't know anyone whose kids go to Hermit Park SS so i can't comment. I highly recommend driving around and getting the feel of the place first. I drove from school to school when first looking in 2002 and chose Annandale SS over all others. The school is so tidy, the kids are tidy and there is order in the surrounding streets.
Let me know if you need other information on the area or if you'd like to have a coffee and a chat. I know what it's like to move to a new town.

[ljmcwillie]

Danj, as far as I understand, Hermit SS is arguably the best public school in Townsville. It has great resources. If I could get my children in there I would but it is zoned so you need to live in the area to attend.

[TTNZ]

any information on must haves for townsville?? me and fam are moving early next year ...i am military, but have resigned, we are from chch NZ and want some solid ground. Also if ther are many PI in townsville in particular tongans as hubby is from there and kids asking if they will be the only brown kid!:rolleyes:

[ljmcwillie]

Hey there, I live in Townsville (for the past four years) and there are lots of 'brown' people here - I don't know if you've heard but there are lots of indigenous Aussies up here and in Cairns and in North Queensland in general). I personally don't know any Tongans but I've seen massive groups of them at the park! Okay, so they may be Samoans. It's hard for me to tell from a distance but rest assured, there are lots of brown people up here - Aborigines, Tongans, Samoans, Torres Strait Islanders, some Indians etc. Your kids will be fine at school - I don't think anyone looks twice. I know my kids and I don't!! Having said that, Townsville is somewhat of a conservative town. I don't think most people realise this - well, the ones who are from here anyway. We are moving to Cairns in a couple of weeks just because we prefer a town that isn't quite so conservative. It's very family-oriented though. You won't have any worries! There's lots of great council-run activities and it's a very friendly town. Good luck with your move!

[anewme]

Yes ther are lot's Tongan's and other Islanders here. If your still looking for private school in Annadale that will do you a deal on fee's talk to the girls (Lisa Regan Finaical secretary or Jenny Ballmount principal) of Annadale christian college.