If authorities can't boost numbers above 70, steps will be taken to close the facility, ending more than 100 years of tradition.

But that's a worse case scenario and principal Joe Steyns says strategies are in place to add to the current 64 boarders housed at the St Patrick's campus.

About 17 of the current crop are year 12 students, leaving 23 places to make up by the time school returns next year.

The push comes after correspondence from the Catholic Education Commission, setting the 70-boarder target.

Mr Steyns describes it as a "decided but not insurmountable" challenge in a school bulletin.

For the full story, please see Wednesday's Goulburn Post, available from our front office in Auburn St, or at all leading newsagencies across the Goulburn area.