Cowboys Community Foundation : NRL Cowboys House

NRL Cowboys House is removing distance as a barrier to quality secondary education for Indigenous students from some of Australia's most remote and geographically disadvantaged communities.

Our House is a unique, culturally-safe boarding facility for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women attending partner schools in Townsville.

Our students are supported by dedicated teams in education, wellbeing, culture and career transitions in a holistic wraparound model of care.

Managed by the Cowboys Community Foundation, the charity arm of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys, NRL Cowboys House is a joint initiative between the National Rugby League, North Queensland Cowboys, the Queensland Government and the Australian Government.

83 graduates

Celebrating the transition of our secondary students to further education, training or employment since 2017!

104 students

Our Boys and Girls Campus are a 'home away from home' during the school year for Year 7-12 students aged 12-18 years.

26 communities

Our students represent remote communities from across North and Far North Queensland, including the Torres Strait Islands.

10 schools

Our partner school communities are tireless in their care and commitment to helping our students to learn, grow and achieve.

House News

Georgia finds joy in first job

Quiet achiever becomes first school captain

Cowboys history in Christmas charity auction

Our Difference

All young NRL Cowboys House residents come from remote North Queensland Indigenous communities where there are limited secondary schooling opportunities, which brings unique challenges for both students and staff.

Our team is dedicated to building a ‘best practice’ model for Indigenous student boarding facilities with a focus on improving historically poor retention and academic success rates for young Indigenous people through:

Academic outcomes
Fully-supported placement
Health & wellbeing focus
Recreation & community involvement
Cultural education
Staffing
Family & community engagement
Commitment to purpose & best practice
Transitions focus – education for purpose

Our Students

Our Partners

"They help us grow and do our best but still be ourselves" – NRL Cowboys House students Makeilla (Year 12, Cooktown) and Bruce (Year 12, Yam Island) reflect on their boarding experience, with gratitude for those who have supported them and their peers on the way.

Thank you to our valued partner family for their commitment and shared vision in helping to remove distance as a barrier to education and creating life-changing opportunities through education equity.