Some history about St Timothy’s

In January 1960 approximately 5 acres of land in Stevens Road was purchased by Fr. Coghlan, the Parish Priest of Mitcham.

In 1962 an old portable timber building was transported from St. John’s Mitcham via Woodcrest Road. In those days the road was unmade and the truck was bogged for a week.

The first mass celebrated in the Church was Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve 1962. There was no electricity so candles and torches were used.

Extra rooms were added to the White Weatherboard and the Primary School commenced in 1964 with Lay Staff and approximately 60 children. The building had to be converted from school rooms to Mass centre and back again each weekend.

In April 1967 the red brick school was opened by Bishop Fox with classes extended through to Grade 6. Principal Mrs. Lorna Khone.

In January 1968 St. Timothy’s was officially formed as a separate Parish with Fr. Tom Brophy as our first Parish Priest. There was an open air mass in the school quadrangle.

In January 1969, Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus led by Sr. Henry (Sr. Elizabeth Golden). These Irish nuns arrived from Malaysia where they had been working.

Initially two sisters were teaching at St.Timothy’s. In May the Convent was completed and five Nuns moved in. The convent is now our current Presbytery.

Two new classrooms were opened in 1973. This was the original grey besser brick building, which was later extended into our Parish Hall. School enrolment was 300 with 9 teachers.

In March 1974 the first Pastoral Council was installed by Bishop Perkins. The existing Church building was commenced in April.

August 1975 the Parish Mass Centre was opened by Archbishop Little. We had a dividing ’tilt-a-door’ wall creating a quiet chapel area and larger function centre.

We lost our Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus in January 1980 (as they were intended to work for the poor – some went to Beagle Bay in Western Australia) Mrs. Shirley Mutimer was appointed School Principal.

Fr. Brophy left us in 1982 and was replaced by Fr. Tom Jones from Ascot Vale.

During the 1980’s we had our largest enrolment of 365 children split into 11 classes, using portable classrooms. We upgraded our communication with parents from Fordigraph ‘purple’ ink machine, to a gestetner ink machine (which is when we had our parish magazine “The Satelite” ) to joy of joys – a photocopier!

In 1985 Mrs. Pam Storey was appointed Principal of St.Timothy’s. In March, the new ‘Library wing’ was commenced. On October 2nd Fr. Tom Jones died on route to Rome at Athens Airport.

In January 1986, Fr. Bill Fox became Parish Priest. The Library wing was officially opened 11th Sept. 1986 by Archbishop Little.

In August 1987 the school’s administration area was upgraded. Portable buildings were used for the Staff room and offices. This was completed in March 1988 when we also celebrated Fr. Fox’s 25th Jubilee at St. John’s Parish Hall.

In 1991 our own Parish Hall was completed and the parish led by Laraine Rasmussen performed a “Tribute to Broadway” to christen our new hall. Val Carter was acting Principal at this time.

In 1992 Stephanie Eynon was appointed Principal of St. Timothy’s School.

In February (19th., 20th. and 21st.) 1993, St. Timothy’s celebrated their 25th Jubilee weekend.

In 1994 Fr. Bill resigned and Fr. Joe Hynan was appointed Parish Priest.

Modifications to the Church including new foyer completed in 1996.

In 1998, Stephanie Eynon was appointed to St. Luke’s Wantirna, Bernadette Potter was St. Timothy’s principal until resigning in April, when Mr. John Faulkner became our new School Principal.

A special 25th anniversary celebration of our Church occurred in August 2000.

Fr. Joe left in 2002 ….. and Fr. Rod Pitts was appointed as Parish Administrator. The Cathedral required us to have many meetings with Holy Saviour Parish as to the possibility of an amalgamation.

In 2006 Room 1 of the school building was renovated into 3 small offices plus a conference room and opened by M.P. Chris Pearce.

The Church sanctuary remodelled 2007 including new altar and lectern.

2008 the Parish had it’s 40th Anniversary Celebrations. At this point in time we have had 2,450 enrolments through St.Timothy’s Primary School.

Fr Rod retired in November 2017.

Fr Tony Kerin EV, already Parish Priest of Saint Francis Xavier Box Hill, was appointed Parish Administrator/Parish Priest in 2018. Our School Principal is AnneMaree Jones.

Fr Gerard, already Parish Priest of Saint Luke the Evangelist Blackburn South, was appointed on 11 August 2021 as our next Parish Priest, for Fr Tony to become the next Episcopal Vicar for the Eastern Region of the Archdiocese.