SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF CHARITY OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
PROVINCE OF AUSTRALIA AND AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND)





CONGREGATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

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WHILE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS AS COMPREHENSIVE AS POSSIBLE, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE "MISSING LINKS". IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION OR PHOTOS OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS PLEASE CONTACT ME. I WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOU AND ADDING TO THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE SITE.

TOONGABBIE




1948TOONGABBIE1960
ALTHOUGH THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD HAD BEEN ABLE TO OPEN A SYDNEY REFUGE AT ASHFIELD IN 1913, IT WAS LOCATED IN THE INNER CITY AND WAS THUS UNSUITED TO THE SISTER'S ETHOS OF SELF-SUFFICIENT CONVENTS. TO OVERCOME THIS A FARM ON OAKES ROAD TOONGABBIE WAS PURCHASED IN 1948 TO SUPPLY PRODUCE TO THE ASHFIELD CONVENT. A SMALL CHAPEL SUPPLIED BY THE MARIST FATHERS FROM THEIR TOONGABBIE NOVITIATE WAS ERECTED TO SERVE THE NEW CONVENT. SOME TIME LATER IT WAS ALSO FELT THAT A MORE RURAL LOCATION WOULD GIVE BOTH THE SISTERS AND THOSE IN THEIR CARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE CITY. IN 1953 THEREFORE A SMALL SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED AND A NUMBER OF ASHFIELD GIRLS TRANSFERRED THERE. FOR TWELVE YEARS THIS HOMELY LITTLE CONVENT PROVIDED SUPPLIES TO AND A WELCOME BREAK FROM ASHFIELD. ITS PRETTY LITTLE CHAPEL ALSO SERVED THE PEOPLE OF THE SOON TO BE PARISH OF WINSTON HILLS. BY 1960 HOWEVER THE FARM WAS NO LONGER AN ECONOMIC PROPOSITION AS IT WAS MORE ECONOMICAL TO PURCHASE DIRECT FROM THE MARKET. THE CONVENT WAS THUS CLOSED IN THAT YEAR AND THE LAND SOLD.

CONVENT
CONVENT
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARCHIVES OF THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
THE PROPERTY PURCHASED BY THE ORDER WAS A RURAL ONE WITH THE USUAL AGGLOMERATION OF BUILDINGS IN ADDITION TO A LARGE FARMHOUSE. IN KEEPING WITH THE GOOD SHEPHERD SISTER'S PHILOSOPHY OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY THE FARM WAS A WORKING PROPERTY AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTO ABOVE WITH ITS FARM ANIMALS AND BARNS. THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE FOUNDATION WAS MET BY THE ERECTION OF A PRETTY LITTLE CHAPEL (BELOW RIGHT). FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF THE SISTERS PART OF THE LAND WAS SOLD TO THE PARISH OF WINSTON HILLS AS THE SITE OF ITS NEW CHURCH AND SCHOOL AND THE REMAINDER WAS SOLD FOR DEVELOPMENT. WITH THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE SUBURB OF WINSTON HILLS THE OLD CONVENT WAS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANK WHITINGPHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARCHIVES OF THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
(ABOVE) A VIEW OF THE CONVENT AND (RIGHT) THE CHAPEL.

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