Our History

The Parish of Blessed Oliver Plunkett was officially established in 1948, and in 1949, Father Tom Keogh was appointed Parish Priest, and it was under his leadership, until his death in 1975, and the educational leadership of the Sisters of Mercy (who remained at the school until 1984) that Blessed Oliver Plunket’s school grew and strengthened in the post-war era.

In 1954, the main school building, which still stands, was opened by Archbishop Mannix. By 1958, over 1000 pupils were accommodated in four buildings on school grounds- The Church- School, a weatherboard classroom, the main school building, and a building known as the ‘New School’ built by volunteer workers, all members of the Parish, on nights and weekends. This building, which was also known as the ‘Volunteer Worker Building’, was opened in 1958. 

On 19 January 1959, the original Church- School building was destroyed by fire. On July 9, 1961, our glorious Parish Church was opened by His Lordship, Bishop Fox.

School enrolments peaked in 1961 with 1075 students and 16 staff, and 3 new brick classrooms were built and opened in that year to replace the building destroyed by the fire. 

In 1975, Oliver Plunket was canonized, and our Parish and school was renamed St Oliver Plunkett, to much fanfare and celebration. Father John Carroll was appointed our new Parish Priest and under his leadership, more building and refurbishment was added to the existing brick buildings. The Volunteer Worker Building was also replaced by an impressive school hall.

Further extensive building works took place at our school in the period of 2009-2011. During which a second story was added and the two brick school buildings were updated and joined together.

In 2019 our School Hall was replaced with a newer, larger Hall and this was opened by Parish Priest, Father Paul Connell.