College Houses
The College’s House system began with four colours: Red, Green, Blue and Gold with Gold later retired. In 1987, the remaining Houses were formally named — Marcellin (Red), Clancy (Green) and Polding (Blue)—each honouring significant figures from the College’s history and their connection to the Innisfail community. In 1993, MacKillop (Purple) was introduced as the fourth House. In 2022, Indigenous Totems were adopted for each House, further deepening their connection to the local Mamu culture and community.
MARCELLIN
House Colour : Red
Marcellin House is named after Saint Marcellin Champagnat who founded the Marist Brothers in 1840. The Marist Brothers are a group of Catholic men who dedicate themselves to teaching a Christian education to young people from poor, rural and isolated areas in France, and the work of the Marist Brothers has spread widely to every corner of the world. A small group of Marist Brothers came to Innisfail in 1938 to start the Mother of Good Counsel School for boys.
Followers of Marcellin house would be hard workers, show determination to overcome difficulty, help others to learn and when they saw a job to be done, do it.
Indigenous Totem: Gidila – Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo
The return of the red-tailed black cockatoo to the local area in flocks symbolises Good Counsel College’s re-adoption of the Marcellin way of life in 2015 — a renewal of spirit and tradition, much like the bird’s reappearance in the landscape.
House Traits: Followers of Marcellin House are characterised by their hard work, determination to overcome challenges, willingness to assist others in learning, and readiness to complete tasks.
CLANCY
House Colour : Green
Clancy House is named after Fr. Michael Clancy, an Augustinian Priest from Ireland, who was the longest serving Parish Priest in Innisfail from 1895 to his death in 1931. Fr Clancy played an important role in the development of the Innisfail township as well as local Catholic Churches. Under Fr Clancy direction Catholic School Education commenced in Innisfail in 1903. Fr Clancy is buried inside the Mother of Good Counsel church in Innisfail which he led to be built.
Followers of Clancy house would have a toughness about them, they would be community builders, they would make sure that everyone felt they belonged to our community, they would care for their environment.
Indigenous Totem: Bunmara – Green Tree Snake
This totem, one of the most commonly seen snakes in the local area, represents Father Clancy’s significant impact on Innisfail and his influential role in the development of the Catholic Church. Just as the snake totem catches the eye in the landscape, so too does the Catholic Church stand out in the scenery of Innisfail — a lasting symbol of his legacy.
House Traits: Followers of Clancy House are known for their toughness, community-building spirit, and commitment to making everyone feel included and cared for in the College environment.
POLDING
House Colour : Blue
Polding House is named after Bishop Bede Polding, the first Catholic Bishop of Australia who arrived in Sydney in 1885. Bishop organized the care of poor women in the colony and he sponsored a group of young Catholic women who became the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. It was nuns from the order of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan who started the first Catholic School in Innisfail, The Sacred Heart School in 1903.
Followers of Polding house would have a sense of Justice, be prepared to care for those less fortunate, be concerned for the outcasts and display authority and leadership.
Indigenous Totem: Yugur – Barramundi
The barramundi, which begins life as male and transitions to female in order to breed, symbolises the strength and transformation that education has given to women. This mirrors the legacy of the Good Samaritan Sisters, founded by Bishop Polding, who were responsible for establishing Catholic education in Innisfail.
House Traits: Followers of Polding House are known for their sense of justice, compassion for the less fortunate, concern for outcasts, and display of authority and leadership.
MACKILLOP
House Colour : Purple
MacKillop House is named after Saint Mary MacKillop who is the first Australian to be declared a Saint by the Catholic Church. Saint Mary MacKillop founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph, an order of religious women in Sydney who then built hospitals and schools. The purpose of the Sisters of Saint Joseph was to care for disadvantaged women, and to help educate the poor and disadvantaged people in Australia.
Followers of MacKillop house would stick to the task, be prepared to enjoy the simple things in life, show particular care for the younger members of the college and stand up for gender equality.
Indigenous Totem: Gumbugan – Cassowary
The cassowary, an extraordinary bird that has survived despite widespread habitat loss, symbolises Saint Mary MacKillop — an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life, overcoming adversity and the many obstacles placed in her path.
House Traits: Followers of MacKillop House are known for their perseverance, enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures, care for younger members of the College, and advocacy for gender equality.
We acknowledge the First Nations peoples of Australia, the traditional custodians of the land, seas, skies and waterways on which we reside, work, travel and meet. We pay our respect to First Nations elders past, present, and emerging, and support the Uluru Statement From The Heart. We acknowledge that the land, seas, skies and waterways of Australia were, are and always will be, that of the First Nations peoples.