When the Marcellin Old Collegians Australian Football Club was established in 2017, it carried a simple but powerful vision: to bring together graduates of Marist Catholic Colleges through football, community, and humility. Since then, the Eagles have grown into a proud, stand-alone club—Queensland’s first Old Collegian-style AFL club—and are now looking to shape something even bigger.

That next chapter will be written at the Mt Maria Playing Fields in Gaythorne, Brisbane.

A Vision for Community Sport

The Marcellin Old Collegians Sports Club (MOCSC), the broader sporting identity that has grown from the football club, has announced its commitment to developing the Mt Maria Playing Fields into a multi-sport, shared-use facility.

The six-hectare site, which adjoins Mt Maria College, already supports active sport and recreation, but the vision is far more ambitious. It is to create a vibrant hub that caters to AFL, AFL 9s, rugby, cricket, soccer, athletics, netball, and school sport. By redeveloping the fields and facilities, the club hopes to make Mt Maria a place where community, education, and sport unite in one inclusive space.

Honouring the Marist Tradition

At its heart, this project is grounded in Marist values. The connection with Marist College Ashgrove, Mount Maria College in Brisbane, and Marist schools in Noosa and Cairns gives the club a strong foundation of identity and purpose. Inspired by the Five Marist Characteristics—Family Spirit, Love of Work, Simplicity, Presence, and In the Way of Mary—the Eagles are not just building playing fields. They are building community.

These values emphasise belonging, humility, generosity, and care for others. They are the same qualities that guide the players on the field, volunteers around the club, and the broader Marist network that has supported the journey from a single team in 2017 to a sports club with the ambition to serve thousands.

Why the Mt Maria Playing Fields Matter

The growth of community sport in Brisbane North tells its own story. AFL Queensland’s Facilities Plan 2020–2025 identifies the urgent need for more ovals to cater for booming participation. In just five years, AFL involvement in the region more than doubled, with female participation rising by 75%. Cricket and soccer are experiencing similar growth, with facility demand outstripping supply.

The Mt Maria Playing Fields project directly responds to this need. Plans include:

• Redeveloped playing surfaces with irrigation, drainage, and lighting.

• Dual ovals for AFL and cricket.

• Four rectangular fields for AFL 9s, rugby, and soccer.

• Netball courts with lighting and provision for expansion.

• A three-lane cricket practice facility.

• A two-storey pavilion with inclusive change rooms, a multipurpose space, and community amenities.

• Supporting infrastructure such as car parking, pathways, and landscaping.

Together, these developments will provide a venue that supports both club competitions and school sport, with the flexibility to host everything from grassroots footy to athletics carnivals.

Building for People, Not Just Sport

The redevelopment is more than bricks, turf, and lights. It’s about creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment—particularly for women and girls—while also connecting alumni, students, and families. The project also emphasises sustainability, with LED sports lighting, efficient water systems, and a commitment to preserving the natural environment along Kedron Brook.

Most importantly, the Mt Maria Playing Fields will be a community anchor. A place where young people find belonging, families gather, and sport becomes a vehicle for education, health, and social connection.

A Legacy in the Making

From humble beginnings at La Valla in 1816, when Saint Marcellin Champagnat began his mission with just a handful of young men, the Marist story has always been about faith, resilience, and service. In 2017, when Marcellin Old Collegians AFC was born, it was about creating a home for young people leaving school. Today, the vision has expanded to create a sporting facility that reflects the same enduring values.

The Mt Maria Playing Fields project is a bold step, but one that carries the spirit of Marcellin: a strong mind and a gentle heart.

VIEW FACILITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN