Tully was originally part of the Innisfail Parish. The earliest Masses were celebrated in private homes by Reverend Father Clancy OSA.
St Clare’s Church was built and opened in 1927, and Tully became a separate parish in 1935.
A community of Good Samaritan Sisters arrived in Tully in January 1928 in response to an appeal by Father Clancy and the Catholics of Tully. They opened a school on 3 February 1928 with an enrolment of 35 pupils, but by April this enrolment had risen to 75 pupils. The first classes were held in the church and in an old cottage which was modified for use as a school.
On 10 December 1933 the foundation stone for St Clare’s School was laid. The first building consisted of three classrooms and was opened in 1934.
The Good Samaritan Sisters finally closed their doors and departed from Tully in 1995, although our admiration for their contribution to this school, lives on. St Clare’s School is now staffed totally by lay teachers (not a member of a religious order) and ancillary staff.
In 2011 Cyclone Yasi caused some damage to the school buildings and grounds of St Clare’s. Repairs were carried out and ongoing refurbishment continues, the most recent of which was last year.
The school and community proudly celebrated St Clare’s 90th Anniversary in 2018, with three days of events that drew current and past students, staff, parents and friends from near and far.
Extensions and constructions of new buildings are as follows:
| 1959 | Extension of one room and erection of a toilet block |
| 1967 | Erection of two more classrooms |
| 1968 | Construction of a tuckshop |
| 1970 | Extensions were made to the northern-most classroom to provide a double room suited to the needs of open-area teaching |
| 1985 |
Construction of an Administration Block consisting of a
Book Room, Staff Room, Reception Room and Principal’s Office |
| 1988 | Construction of a Parish Meeting Room to be used by Parish and School |
| 1993 | Conversion of classroom to a Preschool |
| 1996 | Construction of a Covered Area |
| 1997 | Rebuilding of the Tuckshop |
| 2002 | Two new classrooms |
| 2003 | New Administration Block; new Montefalco Centre |
| 2005 | New Technology Centre |
| 2006 | New playground equipment |
| 2008 |
New Library and classroom conversion new undercover area extension |
| 2009 | Construction of Parish Meeting Room |
| 2010 |
Construction of sports shed Construction of outdoor roof area between Prep and Year 1 Bitumen carpark New toilets New classroom |
| 2011 |
New Arts Centre Refurbishment and extension to library Refurbishment to school oval |
| 2013 | Refurbishment and extension to school administration block |
| 2016/2017 | Refurbishment at the front of the school – Heart of St Clare’s Garden opened in 2017 |
| 2017 | New roof on tuckshop building |
| 2018 | Additional roofing and weather proofing of Montefalco Centre Refurbishment of Technology room into a classroom space |
