WHEN THE CATHOLIC POPULATION OF A FAST GROWING BARADINE WANTED TO ESTABLISH A CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN THE TOWN THE LOGICAL STEP WAS TO MAKE A REQUEST TO THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH, ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE PARISH CENTRE OF COONABARABRAN, TO EXTEND THEIR APOSTOLATE TO THE TOWN. IN RESPONSE FOUR SISTERS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SISTER M. MATHILDE ARRIVED IN BARADINE IN 1926 AND OPENED ST JOHN'S CONVENT SCHOOL. A LARGE HOUSE WAS ALREADY IN PLACE AS A CONVENT AND SCHOOL WITH THE SISTERS SLEEPING OUT ON THE ENCLOSED VERANDAH. THE CHURCH WAS ALSO USED FOR CLASSES UNTIL THE NEW SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1958. THE SCHOOL CATERED FOR BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS AND INCLUDED A SMALL BOARDING SECTION. IN THE 1950's AS A RESULT OF CHANGING EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND REDUCED NUMBERS THE BOARDING SCHOOL WAS CLOSED FOLLOWED BY THE SECONDARY SCHOOL IN 1963. THE PRIMARY SCHOOL HOWEVER WAS MAINTAINED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SISTERS UNTIL THEY WITHDREW FROM BARADINE IN 1981. TODAY THE SCHOOL CONTINUES UNDER LAY LEADERSHIP, STILL INSPIRED BY THE CHARISM OF THE FOUNDING SISTERS.

ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT WAS IN FACT TYPICAL OF MANY SMALL RURAL CONVENTS THAT ONCE DOTTED WESTERN NEW SOUTH WALES. LIKE THESE IT WAS A PLAIN BUT VERY PRACTICAL BUNGALOW WITH ITS WIDE VERANDAHS BUILT FOR THE AUSTRALIAN SUMMER. AT THE BACK IS THE ENCLOSED PORTION OF THE VERANDAH WHERE THE SISTERS SLEPT OUT IN THE EARLY YEARS. THIS BUILDING, WHICH WAS CONVENT, SCHOOL AND BOARDING HOUSE FOR ITS FIRST 32 YEARS, AMPLY FULFILLED THE RULE OF FR TENNISON WOODS, TO LIVE AS SIMPLY AS THE PEOPLE THEY SERVED. THE HOUSE REMAINED THE SISTERS HOME UNTIL THEY WITHDREW IN 1981. TODAY IT IS STILL USED BY THE SCHOOL.

ST JOHN'S CONVENT SCHOOL BEGAN CLASSES WITH APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED STUDENTS INCLUDING TEN BOARDERS IN 1926. UNTIL 1958 CLASSES WERE HELD IN THE CONVENT AND IN THE CHURCH. IN THAT YEAR AN ATTRACTIVELY STYLED SCHOOL BUILDING (LEFT AND BELOW LEFT) WAS OPENED BY MONSIGNOR SHEEHAN. SURROUNDED BY TROPICAL FLOWERS IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE PRETTIEST SETTINGS ANY SCHOOL COULD WISH FOR. IN MORE RECENT TIMES THE PARISHIONERS BUILT A CANTEEN AND SMALL HALL AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH PROPERTY (BELOW RIGHT). DESPITE ITS SMALL SIZE THE SCHOOL ACHIEVED SOME NOTABLE RESULTS IN THE ACADEMIC FIELD AS WELL AS GIVING AT LEAST ONE VOCATION TO THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH, SR REGINA, WHO LATER RETURNED TO TEACH THERE.

WHEN THE SISTERS DEPARTED IN 1981 THE SCHOOL PASSED TO LAY LEADERSHIP. IN SPITE OF THE CHANGE TODAY'S ST JOHN'S PRIMARY SCHOOL CONTINUES THE SPIRIT OF THE SISTERS TO THE PRESENT.

ST JOHN'S HAS ALWAYS BEEN BLESSED WITH THE ACTIVE SUPPORT OF THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY. AMONG THE WORKS UNDERTAKEN BY THAT COMMUNITY WAS A NEW SCHOOL CANTEEN AND HALL (BELOW).

BLAYNEY WAS THE SECOND OF FOUR NEW FOUNDATIONS MADE IN THE DIOCESE IN 1880 AND PROVED TO BE THE MOST LONG LASTING OF THEM. AT THE TIME OF THE SISTERS ARRIVAL BLAYNEY WAS A STATION OF CARCOAR PARISH AND IN KEEPING WITH THEIR CHARISM THEY ACCEPTED THE CALL TO BE A PERMANENT CATHOLIC PRESENCE IN THE ABSENCE OF A RESIDENT PRIEST. A SIMPLE AND HOMELY CONVENT WAS BUILT FOR THEM ADJACENT TO THE PARTIALLY COMPLETED CHURCH ( IT WAS OPENED A THE YEAR AFTER THE CONVENT ) AND BEGAN CLASSES IN 1881. THESE CLASSES WERE HELD IN THE CONVENT UNTIL THE FIRST STAGE OF A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1911. BY 1932 IT HAD BECOME NECESSARY TO EXTEND THE SCHOOL TO ACCOMODATE THE GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS. IN 1960 ST THERESA'S INFANTS SCHOOL WAS CONSTRUCTED TO REDUCE STRAIN ON THE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND THIS WAS FOLLOWED IN 1967 BY THE OPENING OF ST JOSEPH'S SECONDARY SCHOOL. TODAY ST JOSEPH'S IS ONE OF ONLY THREE FORMER JOSEPHITE SCHOOLS STILL TEACHING SECONDARY CLASSES. IN MORE RECENT TIMES THE SCHOOL PASSED TO LAY LEADERSHIP AND THE SISTERS WITHDREW FROM THE CONVENT IN 2000. THE CONGREGATION HAS HOWEVER MAINTAINED THEIR PRESENCE IN THE PARISH IN THE FORM OF A PARISH PASTORAL ASSISTANT.

ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT WAS A VERY HUMBLE BUILDING THAT PERFECTLY EXPRESSED THAT PARTICULAR CHARISM OF THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH TO LIVE AS SIMPLY AS THE PEOPLE. A TWO STORY STRUCTURE, THIS SERVED AS THE SCHOOL AS WELL AS THE CONVENT FOR THIRTY YEARS UNTIL THE NEW SCHOOL WAS ERECTED. THE STAFF OF TEACHING SISTERS INCREASED OVER THE YEARS AS THE SCHOOL GREW REACHING A PEAK IN THE 1960's WHEN THE NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL WAS OPENED. THE CLOSED-IN BALCONY IS EVIDENCE OF THE NEED FOR GREATER SPACE. AFTER THE 1960's THE NUMBER DECLINED UNTIL THE CONVENT BECAME TO LARGE FOR THOSE SISTERS WHO REMAINED. THEY WITHDREW IN 2000 AND THE CONVENT WAS CLOSED. A PRIVATE DWELLING WAS PURCHASED FOR THE JOSEPHITE SISTER WHO STAYED TO UNDERTAKE PARISH WORK.

ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT SCHOOL OPENED IN THE CONVENT IN 1881 AND CLASSES CONTINUED TO BE TAUGHT THERE FOR THIRTY YEARS. IN 1911 THE FIRST STAGE OF A DEDICATED SCHOOL BUILDING WAS COMPLETED ON THE CORNER OF HILL AND ADELAIDE STREETS (BELOW LEFT). TWENTY-ONE YEARS LATER THE SCHOOL HAD GROWN TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT AN EXTENSION WAS REQUIRED (BELOW RIGHT & BELOW). DESPITE THESE EXTENSIONS THE SCHOOL REMAINED CRAMPED UNTIL THE 1960's WHEN FIRST ST THERESA'S INFANTS SCHOOL WAS BUILT AND SECOND A MODERN SECONDARY SCHOOL USING AN OPEN PLAN DESIGN WAS CONSTRUCTED OVER THE ROAD FROM THE OLD SCHOOL.

ST THERESA'S, OPENED IN 1960, IS NOW CLOSED. THE INFANTS WERE FIRSTLY MOVED TO THE OLD SCHOOL AND LATER THE NEW SCHOOL.

THE FOUNDATION PLAQUE OF THE NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL OPENED BY BISHOP THOMAS IN 1967 OVER THE ROAD FROM THE OLD SCHOOL.

IN THE LAST YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY ST JOSEPH'S PASSED TO LAY LEADERSHIP AND AS ST JOSEPH'S CENTRAL SCHOOL CONTINUES THE TRADITION OF JOSEPHITE EDUCATION BEGUN OVER 100 YEARS AGO. THE SCHOOL HAS CONTINUED TO EXPAND WITH FURTHER ADDITIONS BEING OPENED BY BISHOP DOUGHERTY IN 1984 (SECONDARY) AND 2000 (INFANTS) MAKING ST JOSEPH'S A STATE OF THE ART INSTITUTION.

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SCHOOL WEBSITE

CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION

IN 1908 FIVE SISTERS ARRIVED IN CANOWINDRA TO ESTABLISH A NEW SCHOOL. IT WAS THEIR SECOND FOUNDATION IN THE FUTURE PARISH OF CANOWINDRA HAVING BEEN PRECEEDED TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS EARLIER BY CARGO. THEY WERE ACCOMODATED IN THE OLD PRESBYTERY AT FIRST UNTIL THE LOVELY CONVENT OF ST JOSEPH WAS COMPLETED IN 1910. THE SCHOOL HAD ALREADY BEEN BUILT IN 1907 IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SISTERS COMING. UNUSUALLY FOR A JOSEPHITE FOUNDATION THE SCHOOL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN KNOWN AS ST EDWARD'S FROM THE BEGINNING. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE SISTERS THE SCHOOL WAS GRADUALLY EXTENDED TO INCLUDE A SECONDARY DEPARTMENT. FROM 1923 UNTIL ITS CLOSURE IN 1961 THE SISTERS ALSO TAUGHT IN THE CHURCH / SCHOOL AT MOORBEL. IN THE LATE 1970's THE SISTERS WITHDREW FROM THE RUNNING OF ST EDWARD'S WHICH WAS THEN TAKEN OVER BY LAY STAFF. THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF SISTERS ALSO MADE THE LARGE CONVENT INCONVENIENT AND IN 2007 THE LAST REMAINING SISTER MOVED INTO A SMALL COTTAGE NEXT DOOR TO THE PRESBYTERY WHICH BECAME THE THIRD CONVENT. TODAY THE LINK IS STILL MAINTAINED WITH THE ORDER THROUGH ONE SISTER WHO REMAINS TO TEACH SMALL GROUPS THUS CONTINUING THE EDUCATIONAL TRADITION THE SISTERS FAITHFULLY ESTABLISHED IN THE AREA.

THE FIRST SISTERS WERE ACCOMODATED IN THE OLD PRESBYTERY (BELOW LEFT) UNTIL THE BUILDING OF THE PERMANENT CONVENT COMMENCED IN MAY 1910. THIS WAS A TWO-STORY BUILDING DESIGNED BY J H BATES OF FORBES & ORANGE AND IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF AN AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY CONVENT. THIS BUILDING WHICH CONTAINED 12 ROOMS ALSO PROVIDED FOR A SMALL NUMBER OF FEMALE BOARDERS. THE SISTERS MOVED INTO THEIR NEW CONVENT IN FEBRUARY OF 1911 AND IT WAS BLESSED IN JUNE OF THAT SAME YEAR. JOSEPHITE SISTERS WERE TO RESIDE IN THE HOUSE FOR THE NEXT NINETY-FIVE YEARS.

POST-WAR EDUCATIONAL CHANGES SAW THE END OF BOARDING AND A REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF TEACHING SISTERS STATIONED IN CANOWINDRA. BOTH CHANGES MINIMISED THE NEED FOR A LARGE CONVENT AND SO IN 2007 IT WAS ACCEPTED BY THE PARISH AND A NEW CONVENT BOUGHT FOR THE SISTERS IN NEARBY SUTTOR STREET (BELOW RIGHT).

ST EDWARD'S OPENED IN 1908 AS A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN A CHURCH-LIKE BUILDING CONSTRUCTED IN 1907. AS THE SCHOOL GREW IT UNDERWENT SEVERAL ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO INCLUDE A SECONDARY AND INFANTS DEPARTMENT. THE SECONDARY DEPARTMENT CLOSED IN 1993. BELOW IS THE SCHOOL AND CONVENT IN 1922 AND RIGHT THE SCHOOL PATRON, ST EDWARD THE CONFESSOR.

(ABOVE LEFT) THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL CONSTRUCTED IN 1907 WHICH REMAINED IN USE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL'S HISTORY AND TODAY IS THE LOCATION OF THE PARISH CENTRE. IN 1919 A NEW INFANT'S SCHOOL WAS CONSTRUCTED PARALLEL TO TILGA STREET (ABOVE). IN THE 1930's PURCELL HALL WAS OBTAINED AND MOVED TO THE SCHOOL FOR USE AS SECONDARY CLASSROOMS (BELOW LEFT) AND CAN BE SEEN TO THE LEFT OF THE MAIN BUILDING IN THE PHOTO FROM THE 1950'S (ABOVE RIGHT) AND FROM THE 1960's (BELOW RIGHT). IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCHOOL IN 1994 AND IS NOW PART OF THE LYNDON COMMUNITY. IN 1963 A MAJOR RENOVATION OF THE BUILDINGS TOOK PLACE WHICH RESULTED IN A NEW MODERNISED FACADE (BELOW RIGHT). IN 1967 A NEW INFANT'S SCHOOL WAS BUILT TO THE REAR OF THE SCHOOL.

(LEFT) IN 1943 FATHER LONERAGAN REPLACED THE OLD WEATERSHED WITH A TECHNICAL SCHOOL WHICH WAS LATER RENOVATED AND MOVED BEHIND THE CHURCH WHERE IT BECAME ST PATRICK'S HALL.
(ABOVE) RECENTLY THE OLD THIRD PRESBYTERY WAS RENOVATED AND CONVERTED INTO A NEW SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.

THE 1907 SCHOOL, REMODELLED IN 1963, WAS RENOVATED IN 1994. IT IS NOW USE BY THE PARISH AS THE ST EDWARD'S PARISH CENTRE.

THE LITTLE MINING VILLAGE OF MOORBEL (ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS BELMORE) HAD ALWAYS CONSIDERED ITSELF TO BE QUITE DISTINCT FROM CANOWINDRA WHICH HAD RESULTED IN AGITATION OVER THE YEARS FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL OF THEIR OWN FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WHEN THE NSW GOVERNMENT FINALLY ACCEDED TO THEIR REQUEST IN 1920 MANY CATHOLIC PARENTS WITHDREW THEIR CHILDREN FROM ST EDWARD'S AND SENT THEM TO THE NEW SCHOOL. IN RESPONSE FATHER DORAN SET ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW CHURCH / SCHOOL. DEDICATED TO ST THERESE, IT WAS OPENED IN 1923 AND STAFFED BY THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH FROM CANOWINDRA WHO WERE DRIVEN TO MOORBEL EACH DAY BY THE PARISH PRIEST. IN 1961 THE MOORBEL PUPILS TRANSFERRED TO ST EDWARD'S SCHOOL AND ST THERESE'S WAS CLOSED THOUGH THE BUILDING CONTINUED IN USE AS A STATION CHURCH FOR FOUR MORE YEARS UNTIL 1965.

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CARGO WAS THE FIRST FOUNDATION MADE BY THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH IN WHAT WOULD LATER BE THE PARISH OF CANOWINDRA BUT WAS THEN IN THE PARISH OF ORANGE. IT WAS INDEED A PARADIGM OF THE TYPE OF FOUNDATION FOR WHICH THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH WERE ESTABLISHED BEING A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY WHICH LACKED A PERMANENT CATHOLIC PRESENCE. FR KELLY OF ORANGE THUS DECIDED TO REMEDY THIS THROUGH THE INSTALLATION OF A CONVENT SCHOOL IN THE TOWNSHIP. THREE SISTERS ARRIVED IN 1880 AND QUICKLY COMMENCED A SCHOOL IN THE OLD CHURCH. A WOODEN CONVENT WAS ERECTED FOR THEM NEXT DOOR IN 1882. IN 1939-40 THE OLD CHURCH AND CONVENT WERE DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED BY NEW BRICK BUILDINGS. ST JOSEPH'S WAS ESSENTIALLY A PRIMARY SCHOOL WITH A SMALL SECONDARY DEPARTMENT (15 STUDENTS IN 1963). THE LATTER CLOSED IN 1963 WITH THE PRIMARY SCHOOL FOLLOWING IN 1965 AFTER WHICH THE REMAINING SISTERS WERE WITHDRAWN. THE BUILDINGS WERE LATER PURCHASED AND CONVERTED INTO A GUESTHOUSE.

THE SISTERS FIRST HOME IN CARGO WAS A COTTAGE OUT ON THE ORANGE ROAD BUT IN 1882 THEY MOVED INTO THE FIRST CONVENT (BELOW RIGHT) WHICH HAD BEEN ERECTED ADJACENT TO THE CHURCH. BY 1939 THE CONVENT WAS IN URGENT NEED OF ATTENTION AND FATHER LONERAGAN WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF CARGO BUILT A NEW BRICK CONVENT IN ITS PLACE (LEFT). THIS WAS A MOST IMPRESSIVE BUILDING FOR WHAT HAD BY THEN BECOME A SMALL COMMUNITY. AT THE SAME TIME A NEW TWO ROOM SCHOOL BUILDING (LATER EXTENDED) WAS ERECTED ON THE SAME SITE. IN 1965 DECLINING NUMBERS OF SISTERS FORCED THE ORDER TO WITHDRAW AND THE CONVENT WAS CLOSED. THE BUILDINGS WERE LATER SOLD PRIVATELY AND THEN CONVERTED TO A B & B.

WHEN THE FIRST SMALL GROUP OF SISTERS ARRIVED IN CARGO AT THE BEHEST OF THE PARISH PRIEST OF ORANGE, FATHER KELLY THE ONLY ACCOMODATION THEY COULD OBTAIN WAS A SLAB COTTAGE ON THE ORANGE ROAD. IT WAS TO BE TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY HAD A HOME WHICH THEY COULD CALL THIER OWN. IN 1882 A TWO-ROOM WOODEN CONVENT WAS ERECTED IN SHORT STREET NEXT DOOR TO THE OLD CHURCH FOR THE SISTERS TO USE AS A PERMANENT RESIDENCE. THOUGH WITHOUT CONVENIENCES THE SISTERS ENDURED AND GRADUALLY THE CONVENT WAS IMPROVED. A FEW YEARS LATER TWO ROOMS WERE ADDED ONE OF WHICH AT LAST PROVIDED THE SISTERS WITH A CHAPEL. THE CONVENT WAS AGAIN EXTENDED IN 1912. BY 1939 HOWEVER THE BUILDING WAS IN A STATE OF SERIOUS DECAY AND IT WAS DECIDED TO DEMOLISH THE CONVENT AND REPLACE IT WITH A LARGER PURPOSE-BUILT BRICK BUILDING.

IN 1939 THE NEW CONVENT (ABOVE) WAS OPENED COMPLETE WITH A PROMINENT CHAPEL (RIGHT). TODAY IT CONTINUES A TRADITION OF HOSPITALITY AS CARGO'S GUESTHOUSE.

FROM 1880 UNTIL 1939 SCHOOL WAS HELD IN THE OLD CHURCH BUT DURING 1939 IT WAS DEMOLISHED WITH THE CONVENT AND A NEW TWO-ROOM BRICK SCHOOL ERECTED (RIGHT). THIS WAS LATER EXTENDED BY AN EXTRA ROOM TO MEET GROWING STUDENT DEMAND.

BELOW IS A DRAWING OF THE CATHOLIC COMPLEX IN CARGO AS IT APPEARED IN 1939. THE TENNIS COURTS HAVE LONG SINCE DISAPPEARED AND THE SCHOOL AND CONVENT SOLD. THEY ARE NOW A PRIVATELY OWNED BED & BREAKFAST. THE STATION CHURCH IS STILL BEING USED.

IN 1888 COONABARABRAN WAS STILL A PART OF THE PARISH OF COONAMBLE AND THERE WAS NO RESIDENT PRIEST IN THE TOWN ALTHOUGH A SMALL BUSH CHURCH HAD BEEN ERECTED IN 1875. IN KEEPING WITH BISHOP QUINN'S NOTION OF THE SISTERS PROVIDING A PERMANENT CATHOLIC PRESENCE IN SMALL SETTLEMENTS WHERE NO PRIEST WAS RESIDENT MOTHER LUCY AND THREE SISTERS SET OUT IN JULY OF THAT YEAR AND AFTER A WEEK ON THE ROAD ARRIVED IN THE TOWN TO ESTABLISH A CATHOLIC SCHOOL. AS THE CONVENT WAS NOT READY THEY STAYED AT THE HOME OF MR & MRS McDONALD UNTIL THEY COULD MOVE INTO THE FIRST CONVENT ON THE CORNER OF ROBERTSON & CASSILIS STREETS. IN 1894 THE SISTERS MOVED TO THE SECOND CONVENT CLOSER TO THE SCHOOL WHERE THEY WOULD STAY UNTIL THE PRESENT CONVENT WAS BUILT IN 1957. SCHOOL WAS INITIALLY HELD IN THE LITTLE CHURCH WHICH BEGAN A TRADITION AT ST LAWRENCE'S WHEREBY EACH OF THE CHURCHES BUILT BETWEEN 1875 AND 1929, THREE OF THEM IN ALL, WERE EVENTUALLY TAKEN OVER BY THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING SCHOOL. IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1959 THAT THE FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT SCHOOL BUILDING WAS OPENED. FROM EARLIEST DAYS THE SCHOOL CATERED FOR INFANTS THROUGH TO SECONDARY STUDENTS AS IT DOES TODAY, ONE OF ONLY THREE JOSEPHITE SCHOOLS STILL TEACHING AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL. IN THE 1930's COONABARABRAN WAS THE SITE OF THE FIRST THE SUMMER SCHOOLS FOR ISOLATED CHILDREN RUN BY THE ORDER. DESPITE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE SCHOOL, INCLUDING PROVIDING ONE MOTHER-GENERAL OF THE ORDER (M.FRANCIS MORRISEY) THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF SISTERS EVENTUALLY IMPACTED ON COONABARABRAN RESULTING IN THEIR WITHDRAWAL FROM THE SCHOOL. THE SISTERS CONTRIBUTION TO THE PARISH WAS NOT ENDED HOWEVER. THE CONVENT REMAINS IN USE TODAY AND ONE OF THE SISTERS IS THE PARISH ASSOCIATE CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF SERVICE BEGUN ON THAT FAR OFF JULY DAY.

ON ARRIVAL THE SISTERS WERE FORCED TO STAY WITH A LOCAL FAMILY AS THERE WAS NO CONVENT READY FOR THEIR USE. THIS SITUATION HOWEVER LASTED FOR ONLY A BRIEF WHILE UNTIL THEY COULD MOVE INTO THE FIRST TRUE CONVENT ON THE CORNER OF ROBERTSON & CASSILIS STREETS WHICH NECESSITATED A WALK TO THE SCHOOL ON THE OPPOSITE CORNER. IN 1894 A LARGER CONVENT WAS BUILT ON THE SAME SITE AS THE PRESENT SCHOOL LIBRARY WITH THE OLD LATER BECOMING THE PRESBYTERY. THIS SECOND CONVENT WAS USED BY THE SCHOOL UNTIL ITS DEMOLITION IN 1976. IN 1957 A MODERN NEW BRICK CONVENT (LEFT) WAS ERECTED FOR THE USE OF BOTH THE SISTERS AND SCHOOL BOARDERS. THOUGH THE LATTER ARE LONG GONE TWO SISTERS CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THE CONVENT TODAY.

FATHER WOODS LAID DOWN IN HIS RULE THAT THE SISTERS WERE TO LIVE AS SIMPLY AS THE PEOPLE. ACCORDINGLY THE MAJORITY OF JOSEPHITE CONVENTS WERE DOMESTIC STRUCTURES WITH A ROOM FOR AN ORATORY RATHER THAN A FORMAL CHAPEL. COONABARABRAN WAS ONE OF A SMALL NUMBER OF EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. THE SEMI-DETACHED CHAPEL AT COONABARABRAN IS A SIMPLE LITTLE STRUCTURE DOMINATED BY THE ORIGINAL MARBLE ALTAR, TRADITIONAL STATUES OF ST JOSEPH AND OUR LADY AND THE CRUCIFIX. IT IS A QUITE LOCATION WHERE THE SISTERS ARE ABLE TO MEET OUR LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IN PRAYER AS WELL AS ASSIST AT MASS.

ST LAWRENCE'S SCHOOL BEGAN IN THE LITTLE BUSH CHURCH BUILT IN 1875 AND IT QUICKLY EXPANDED TO SOME 50 PUPILS. FOUR YEARS LATER WITH THE BUILDING OF THE SECOND CONVENT THE SISTERS DIVIDED THE STUDENTS INTO JUNIOR AND SENIOR CLASSES WITH THE LATTER BEING TAUGHT IN THE CONVENT AND THE FORMER CONTINUING TO BE TAUGHT IN THE CHURCH. THIS ARRANGEMENT WENT ON UNTIL 1929 WHEN THE THIRD CHURCH WAS CONSTRUCTED AND THE SECOND THEN BECAME AVAILABLE FOR USE AS A CLASSROOM TO WHICH TWO FURTHER CLASSROOMS WERE ADDED IN 1931. MEANWHILE THE ORIGINAL CHURCH WITH VERANDAHS ADDED BECAME THE INFANT'S SCHOOL UNTIL IT WAS DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED IN 1959 BY A NEW INFANT'S SCHOOL - THE SCHOOL'S FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT SCHOOL BUILDING AND ONE STILL IN USE TODAY. THE THIRD CHURCH BUILT IN 1929 WAS ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE USED BY THE SCHOOL ONCE A PERMANENT CHURCH COULD BE BUILT. THIS CAME ABOUT IN 1966 AND THE BUILDING WAS DULY CONVERTED INTO THREE CLASSROOMS WITH A SCIENCE BLOCK ADDED. IN 1963 THE DECISION WAS ALSO TAKEN TO MAINTAIN THE SECONDARY SECTION OF THE SCHOOL. IN 1977 THE SCHOOL ABANDONED THIS PIECEMEAL APPROACH FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH THE ERECTION OF SIX CLASSROOMS, A STAFFROOM, ADMINISTRATION FACILITIES (ABOVE) AND A LIBRARY. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A MAJOR RENOVATION OF THE OLD BUILDINGS TO ADD A HOME ECONOMICS AREA, A COMPUTER ROOM AND A SCHOOL HALL. TODAY'S SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IS THUS A MIXTURE OF THE PAST AND THE PRESENT - A MIXTURE REFLECTED ALSO IN THE ETHOS OF THE SCHOOL - LAY-STAFFED YET INSPIRED BY THE JOSEPHITE CHARISM OF ITS FOUNDERS.

(<<<<) THE ORIGINAL INFANT'S SCHOOL WHICH WAS ALSO THE JUNIOR SCHOOL UNTIL 1929. IT WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1956 AND REPLACED BY A NEW ONE - THE FIRST TRUE PURPOSE-BUILT SCHOOL BUILDING (^^^^).

(ABOVE) THE MUCH RENOVATED SECOND CHURCH AND (RIGHT) THE THIRD CHURCH CONVERTED TO CLASSROOMS AND A SCIENCE BLOCK IN 1966. (BELOW) THE 1977 CLASSROOM AND ADMINISTRATION BLOCK.

TODAY ST LAWRENCE'S REMAINS ONE OF ONLY THREE JOSEPHITE FOUNDED SCHOOLS WITH A SECONDARY DEPARTMENT. THE LAY STAFF OF THE SCHOOL CONSCIOUSLY MAINTAIN THE SPIRIT OF THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH WHO FOUNDED THE SCHOOL MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO.

COWRA WAS THE MOST ACTIVE STATION OF THE VAST PARISH OF CARCOAR THAT STRETCHED FROM JUST OUTSIDE BATHURST TO THE LACHLAN NINETY MILES AWAY. IT WAS HERE THAT THE FIRST CHURCH IN THE PARISH HAD BEEN BUILT AND IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT THE LOCAL CONGREGATION SHOULD WANT A CATHOLIC SCHOOL. WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND CHURCH IN 1878 THE PARISHIONERS TURNED TO THE TASK OF PREPARING THE WAY FOR A GROUP OF RELIGIOUS TO COMMENCE SUCH A SCHOOL. A CONVENT WAS BUILT JOINED TO THE FIRST CHURCH, WHICH WOULD BECOME THE NEW SCHOOL (IT IN TURN WAS JOINED TO THE SECOND CHURCH). LED BY SISTER MARY ANN FORDE FOUR SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH ARRIVED IN FEBRUARY 1879 AND, AFTER A HEARTFELT WELCOME FROM THE PARISH, BEGAN THEIR WORK OF TEACHING AND VISITATION. AMONG THE TRADITIONS THEY INSTITUTED WAS THE ANNUAL SCHOOL CONCERT. BY 1894 HOWEVER COWRA HAD BECOME AN IMPORTANT TOWN AS WELL AS A PARISH IN IT OWN RIGHT AND IT NO LONGER CORRESPONDED TO THE IDEAL OF A JOSEPHITE FOUNDATION. THE SISTERS ACCORDINGLY MOVED ON TO NEW FIELDS OF ENDEAVOUR MORE IN KEEPING WITH THEIR CHARISM AND IN THEIR PLACE THE BRIGIDINE NUNS FROM COONAMBLE ARRIVED TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE SCHOOL AND LEAD IT TO NEW HEIGHTS.

WHEN THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH CAME TO COWRA THEY HAD THE RARE CHANCE OF FINDING A CONVENT ALREADY PREPARED FOR THEM. THIS IMPRESSIVE TWO-STORY STONE BUILDING (SEEN TO THE LEFT IN THE PHOTO AT LEFT) HAD BEEN ERECTED BY FATHER RYAN IN 1878 IN ANTICIPATION OF THEIR ARRIVAL. AFTER THE SISTERS LEFT THE CONVENT PASSED TO THE BRIGIDINES AND DESPITE MANY ADDITIONS IS STILL THE CENTREPIECE OF THE TODAY'S BUILDING.

THE SISTERS QUICKLY COMMENCED THE WORK TO WHICH THEY HAD BEEN CALLED USING THE FORMER FIRST CHURCH (SEEN TO THE RIGHT IN THE PHOTO AT LEFT) AS THE SCHOOL. THEY BEGAN THE TRADITION OF THE ANNUAL CONCERT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF ARRIVAL. THE NEW SCHOOL PROVED SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IT SOON OUTGREW ITS OLD HOME FORCING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WOODEN HALL BEHIND THE CONVENT TO ABSORB THE INCREASED NUMBERS. IN 1894 THE SCHOOL PASSED TO THE BRIGIDINES WHO IN THEIR TURN ONLY INCREASED ITS HIGH REPUTE.

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THE LAST OF THE FOUNDATIONS TO BE MADE BY THE SISTERS PRIOR TO THE SEPARATION WAS A SCHOOL OPENED AT EVANS PLAINS ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM PERTHVILLE IN 1875. THE SCHOOL WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE PERTHVILLE SISTERS IN SEPTEMBER 1876 AFTER A BRIEF CLOSURE. INITIALLY THE SISTERS STAYED IN ROOMS IN A PUBLIC HOUSE AT EVANS PLAINS FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY AND RETURNED TO THE VALE ON THE WEEKENDS AS HAD THEIR PREDECESSORS. A RESIDENCE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN OBTAINED ABOUT TEN YEARS AFTER THIS HOWEVER AS BISHOP BYRNE BLESSED A CONVENT IN 1886 AFTER SOME CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS PRESUMABLY TO A PRE-EXISTING BUILDING. ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT SCHOOL AT EVANS PLAINS OPERATED FOR SOME TWENTY-FIVE YEARS UNTIL IT CLOSED AROUND 1900.

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IN THE LATE 1880's FOREST REEFS WAS A BOOMING GOLD MINING SETTLEMENT AND LIKE MOST SUCH CONTAINED A SIZEABLE SPRINKLING OF CATHOLIC IRISH. A CHURCH WAS ERECTED IN THE 1880's AND THE TOWN SEEMED WELL SUITED FOR A JOSEPHITE FOUNDATION. THE PARISH OF ORANGE HAD BEEN ONE OF THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC IN ITS EMBRACE OF THE JOSEPHITE IDEAL AND HAD ALREADY SEEN FOUNDATIONS MADE AT BORENORE, GERMAN HILL AND CARGO WHEN THE SISTERS ARRIVED TO MAKE THEIR FOURTH FOUNDATION IN THE PARISH AT FOREST REEFS IN 1882. THEY WERE ACCOMODATED IN A SMALL COTTAGE NEXT TO THE CHURCH AND COMMENCED CLASSES IMMEDIATELY. FORTY YEARS LATER A LARGE AND COMFORTABLE BRICK CONVENT WAS BUILT FOR THEM DURING THE TIME OF BISHOP O'FARRELL. DESPITE THE DECLINE IN POPULATION THE SISTERS CONTINUED TO TEACH AND PROVIDE A CHURCH PRESENCE IN THE VILLAGE FOR EIGHTY YEARS BUT BY 1963 ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT SCHOOL HAD BEEN REDUCED TO JUST NINETEEN PUPILS AND OTHER FOUNDATIONS WERE IN GREATER NEED OF THE SISTERS. THE CONVENT AND SCHOOL WERE DULY CLOSED THOUGH THE CHURCH REMAINED IN USE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER.

THE FIRST CONVENT TO BE USED BY THE SISTERS AT FOREST REEFS WAS A WOODEN COTTAGE CLOSE BY THE BRICK CHURCH OF ST PATRICK. IT WAS TYPICAL OF THE EARLY JOSEPHITE CONVENTS IN ITS SIMPLICITY. IN THE 1920's BISHOP PATRICK O'FARRELL WAS VERY ACTIVE IN PROMOTING NEW CHURCH FACILITIES IN THE DIOCESE AND AMONGST OTHERS ENCOURAGED THE BUILDING OF A NEW CONVENT AT FOREST REEFS. IT WAS A LARGE BRICK BUNGALOW (LEFT & BELOW) WHICH SERVED AS THE SISTERS HOME AND THE SCHOOL AS HAD ITS PREDECESSOR. FOR ANOTHER FORTY YEARS THE SISTERS CONTINUED THEIR APOSTOLATE UNTIL THE CONVENT SCHOOL WAS CLOSED IN 1963. IT WAS SOLD AND IS TODAY A PRIVATE HOME.

GULARGAMBONE WAS THE PENULTIMATE FOUNDATION OF THE SISTERS IN THE DIOCESE OF BATHURST AND WAS MADE AT THE PEAK OF THE POST-WAR CATHOLIC BOOM. GULARGAMBONE, WHICH WAS TO BECOME A PARISH SIX YEARS LATER, WAS AT THAT TIME A TOWNSHIP OF 500 PEOPLE JUST SUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY A CONVENT SCHOOL. THE SISTERS ARRIVED IN 1958 AND WERE ACCOMODATED IN A SIMPLE RURAL CONVENT BUILT FOR THEM NEXT DOOR TO THE CHURCH WHILE A SMALL SCHOOL WAS ERECTED ADJACENT TO THE CONVENT. FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS THE SISTERS MAINTAINED THEIR TEACHING APOSTOLATE BEFORE DECLINING NUMBERS FORCED THEM TO WITHDRAW, AN EVENT CO-INCINDING WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE PARISH. THE SCHOOL WAS ALSO CLOSED AND SHORTLY AFTER BECAME THE NEW CHURCH.

ALTHOUGH THE CONVENT WAS BUILT IN A MODERN STYLE, THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF THE TYPICAL JOSEPHITE RURAL CONVENT WERE MAINTAINED - A LACK OF DECORATION AND A RETIRING MODESTY. A SIMPLE WEATHERBOARD SQUARE SURROUNDED BY A WIDE VERANDAH TO MINIMISE THE SAPPING HEAT OF A WESTERN PLAINS SUN THE BUILDING FULFILLED ALL THAT WAS REQUIRED OF A RELIGIOUS HOUSE WHILE REMAINING IN FULL HARMONY WITH THE COMMUNITY IT SERVED. THE CONVENT STILL STANDS THOUGH IT IS TODAY IN A SAD STATE OF DECAY AND NEGLECT.

ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT SCHOOL WAS A QUINTESSENTIALLY 1950's SCHOOL BUILDING OF THE TYPE FOUND THROUGHOUT NEW SOUTH WALES AND NOT JUST IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. IT COMPRISED TWO CLASSROOMS AND TOILET FACILITIES WITH A WIDE VERANDAH. FOR TWENTY THREE YEARS THE SISTERS TAUGHT THE YOUNG OF THE TOWN BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS A STRUGGLE FOR VIABLE NUMBERS, BOTH OF STUDENTS AND INCREASINGLY OF SISTERS. BY 1981 THE SCHOOL COULD NO LONGER BE SUSTAINED AND IT WAS CLOSED IN THAT YEAR. THE OLD SCHOOL BUILDING THEN BECAME THE NEW CHURCH.

TOP	CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION

THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH ARRIVED IN KELSO FROM WHITE ROCK, A SMALL COMMUNITY SOUTH OF BATHURST. KELSO, ON THE MAIN ROAD FROM SYDNEY TO BATHURST, WAS A GROWING COMMUNITY WITH A SMALL CHURCH ERECTED IN THE 1880's. THE CONVENT WAS MOVED FROM WHITE ROCK TO KELSO AND SERVED AS THE CONVENT SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL A SMALL BRICK SCHOOL BUILDING WAS ERECTED. THE SISTERS MAINTAINED THEIR APOSTOLATE OF TEACHING AND VISITATION UNTIL 1922 WHEN THE CONVENT AND SCHOOL WERE CLOSED. THE CHURCH CONTINUED TO BE USED UNTIL THE 1960's WHEN THE WHOLE COMPLEX WAS SOLD. IN 1993 THE SISTERS RE-ESTABLISHED AN INDIVIDUAL PRESENCE IN KELSO WHICH HAD BY THEN BECOME ONE OF THE BOOMING DORMITORY SUBURBS OF THE CITY OF BATHURST.

ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT AT KELSO WAS AT FIRST LOCATED AT THE SMALL VILLAGE OF WHITE ROCK UNTIL IT WAS RELOCATED BY BULLOCK WAGON TO KELSO DURING 1886. CONSTRUCTED OUT OF WOODEN SLABS AND COMPRISED OF JUST TWO ROOMS (LEFT & BELOW LEFT) WITH A BUILT-ON KITCHEN, IT WAS LATER ADDED ONTO AT THE BACK TO ACCOMODATE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS (SEE BELOW RIGHT). FOLLOWING THE CONVENT'S CLOSURE IN 1922 THE BUILDING WAS USED BY THE PARISH TILL THE CHURCH TOO WAS CLOSED IN THE 1960's. THE COMPLEX WAS THEN SOLD. OVER THE YEARS SINCE IT HAS BEEN PUT TO SEVERAL USES INCLUDING FOR A WHILE AS AN ANTIQUE SHOP. TODAY IT IS AN ATTRACTIVE PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

SOME YEARS AFTER THE SISTER'S ARRIVAL IN KELSO A LITTLE BRICK SCHOOL BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED BEHIND THE CHURCH. THE SCHOOL WAS TYPICAL FOR ITS TIME IN COMPRISING TWO ROOMS FOR INFANTS AND PRIMARY STUDENTS RESPECTIVELY AND A SMALL VERANDAH WHICH PROVIDED RELIEF FROM THE HEAT OF A BATHURST SUMMER.

AFTER SOME THIRTY YEARS OF USAGE THE FUNCTIONAL LITTLE SCHOOL BUILDING WAS CLOSED. IT WAS USED FOR A WHILE BY THE LOCAL CATHOLIC COMMUNITY UNTIL KELSO WAS CLOSED DOWN AS A STATION. TODAY THE OLD SCHOOL BUILDING IS PART OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE AND HAS BEEN MOST ATTRACTIVELY RENOVATED BY ITS OWNER.

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LOCKSLEY WAS ANOTHER SMALL SETTLEMENT LOCATED IN THE BATHURST AREA TO WHICH THE SISTERS BROUGHT THE PRESENCE OF THE CHURCH. A CONVENT WAS ERECTED AND ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT SCHOOL OPENED IN 1888 BUT THE AREA WAS POOR AND THE SISTERS SUFFERED FROM MANY HARDSHIPS. BOTH CONVENT AND SCHOOL WERE CLOSED AFTER EIGHTEEN YEARS AND THE SISTERS WITHDRAWN.

TOP	CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION

IN 1921 BISHOP O'FARRELL VISITED MILLTHORPE AND WHILE THERE ENCOURAGED THE LOCAL CONGREGATION TO OPEN A SCHOOL FOR THE CATHOLIC CHILDREN OF THE TOWN. THUS INSPIRED THE PEOPLE OF MILLTHORPE SET ABOUT RAISING FUNDS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL. IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR THE CHURCH PURCHASED TWO BRICK COTTAGES OPPOSITE THE POLICE STATION TO USE AS A CONVENT. THREE OTHER COTTAGES WERE PURCHASED ACROSS THE LANEWAY WITH THE INTENTION OF BUILDING A SCHOOL ON THE LAND. THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH WERE CHOSEN TO STAFF THE SCHOOL AS THE CONVENT AT LIDSTER WAS BEING CLOSED AND THEY WOULD HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE. THE CONVENT WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED ON 23 JANUARY 1922. SCHOOL WAS TAUGHT IN THE CONVENT UNTIL OCTOBER WHEN THE NEW BRICK SCHOOLHOUSE OPENED. AFTER 47 YEARS OF DEVOTED SERVICE THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED IN 1969 AND THE SISTERS WERE WITHDRAWN. THE CONVENT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD WHILE THE OLD SCHOOL NOW FORMS PART OF THE MILLTHORPE'S GOLDEN MEMORIES MUSEUM.

THE SIMPLE LITTLE COTTAGES (LEFT) WHICH FOR FORTY-SEVEN YEARS SERVED AS THE SISTERS CONVENT OF ST JOSEPH AT MILLTHORPE WITH ITS INTRIGUING CROSS BEDECKED WIRE FENCE (VVVV).

THE SCHOOL OPENED IN JANUARY 1922 IN THE CONVENT WHERE IT CONTINUED TO BE HELD UNTIL OCTOBER OF THE SAME YEAR WHEN A PLAIN TWO-ROOM BRICK SCHOOL BUILDING WAS COMPLETED. THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED ON 30 NOVEMBER 1969 FOLLOWING 47 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE TOWN.