Centacare Brisbane history

The Catholic social service agencies, now known as Centacare, had their beginnings in Perth in 1928.

In 1935, Moffit, aided by Parker, had surveyed Catholic welfare services in Melbourne and had recommended a coordinating body based on the American Catholic Welfare Bureaux.

In 1958 a group of dedicated volunteers approached Archbishop James Duhig requesting to form a Catholic Marriage Advisory Council – and so our story began.

Founded as CentacareCQ, CatholicCare began in Rockhampton in 1974 with two forward-thinking members of the Catholic Church – Sister Anne Marie Kinnane and Father Francis (Frank) Gilbert.

Recognising a growing need in the community, with increasing numbers of mothers returning to the workforce, our first family day care opened on the Gold Coast in 1978.

Centacare began operation in Townsville on 17 April 1979 when Bishop Leonard Faulkner was in office.

The United Nations declared the first Year of the Disabled Person in 1981 with a goal to remove barriers to equal opportunity and community participation.

O'Neill's departure, Jean Rooney became Director and when Jean Rooney left Townsville in 1985 Zita Byrne became Director.

In approximately 1986, Sister Annetta Llewellyn sgs was appointed Director.

Annetta oversaw the renovation of the building on Hindley Street in Currajong, where CFWB relocated in 1987.

Also in 1989, Centacare's Hughenden office was opened.

In the late 1990’s Anam Cara, Centacare’s dedicated mental health support service was born in response to Project 300.

Further expansion of services came in 1992 with a successful submission for an additional counsellor in Townsville and the inclusion of a marriage preparation program for couples.

During 1994, Centacare began the ROSA program which began the move by Centacare into the area of child protection, a commitment which is still evident today.

Tony McDermott also oversaw Centacare's move from the Hindley Street premises in Townsville to the vacant school building of St Mary's in West End on 20 January 1997.

By 2004, Centacare had grown to be one of the larger regional, rural and remote services in Queensland with 85 staff across 18 programs.

On 5 November 2007, Tony McMahon became Director.

In October 2014 Peter Monaghan became Director of Centacare Townsville.

A new way of delivering disability services began for Centacare in July 2016 with the official commencement of the NDIS in Queensland.