History

1848	Leichhardt area part of the parish of St Augustine's Balmain
1857	Father John Joseph Therry purchased 12 acres of land in Elswick Street, to bethe Balmain Catholic Cemetery.
1864	Father Therry died and was buried at Elswick Street
1869	Catholic Cemetery opened, Mortuary Chapel built.
1870–1875	School conducted in Mortuary Chapel by a lay teacher.
1887	Elswick Street becomes part of the new parish of St. Fiacre's Leichhardt.
1888	Chapel enlarged.
1896	The present Church was built as a Church/School.
1897	Two Sisters of St. Joseph open St. Columba's School.
1898	Cardinal Moran blesses and opens new Church/School.
1918	St. Columba's School enrolled 182 children in two classes.
1926	Infants block built.
1933	Balmain Catholic Cemetery closed. St. Columba's becomes the parish church of North Leichhardt. Father Geer appointed first parish priest.
1936	St. Joseph's Infants School enlarged.
1939	Presbytery built and blessed by Archbishop Gilroy on 22nd October.
1940	Father Geer dies, Father C. Murphy becomes parish priest. School enrolments now increases to 477 students. St. Joseph's Infants = 147 and St. Columba's = 330
1952	Father Lynch becomes parish priest.
1953	Present administration building opened at St. Columba's. The church is no longeris used as a school.
1955	Father Meredith becomes parish priest.
1956	St. Joseph's Convent opened.
1965	St. Columba's secondary classes (girls only) move to local secondary school.
1968	Church sanctuary altered to conform with new liturgy. School enrolments 432.
1969	St. Joseph's Infants School transferred to St. Columba's
1971	Downstairs of present infants block completed.
1978	Top storey added to infant block. School enrolments 386.
1983	Golden Jubilee of parish.
1988	Father Butler becomes parish priest on Father Meredith's retirement.
1993	Parish Diamond Jubilee. School enrolments 202.