Blackheath and Thornburgh College

Blackheath and Thornburgh College is primary and secondary (K-12) school with boarding facilities at 55 King Street, Richmond Hill, Charters Towers, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia.

By 1918, representatives of the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches had already met to consider establishing a college for North Queensland students under the auspices of the two churches. In 1918, Charters Towers mining magnate Edmund Harris Thornburgh Plant wanted to sell his mansion, Thornburgh House, with its extensive gardens and mature trees which formed an oasis of greenery in the parched environment of Charters Towers. So the church representatives approached Plant about the purchase of Thornburgh, but on hearing the Anglican Sisters in Townsville were also interested in the property, the Presbyterian and Methodist church representative Reverend Robert Bacon quickly secured an option to purchase the house for £3,000 in November 1918. The newly formed school committee placed £50 as a holding deposit.

Thornburgh College, a school for boys, began classes on 16 June 1919 with John Frederick Ward, MA, of Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, as Principal. The school was officially opened by Rev Dr Henry Youngman, President General of the Methodist Church of Australia, on 23 April 1920. By the Golden Jubilee Year in 1969, more than 2,500 boys had been educated at the college.

A gift of £1000 from a Mr William Robert Black and generous contributions from the public made it possible for Rev. Bacon to establish a girls' school in "Yelvertoft", the former home of Mr J Mitchell. The college was opened in 1920 and given the name of Blackheath College as a tribute to Mr Black. Senior girls attended Thornburgh College until January 1921 when Blackheath Principal, Miss J. E. Bullow, began her illustrious eighteen-year career with the College. Blackheath was officially opened on 16 June 1921 by Rev J Cosh, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland. The two schools were run by a single College Council although they appear to have had separate administration and financial structures.

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