Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne in 1842. When she was in Penola she met Julian Tenison Woods and together they opened the first St Joseph's School in 1866.
Mary MacKillop founded the Sisters of St Joseph to continue this work. Over the many following years, the number of Sisters grew as did their schools. Schools were opened as the needs arose: in country towns, mining towns, cities. The Sisters also became involved in other areas of need including setting up a refuge for women in need and orphanages for children, visiting prisons and working with the sick.
History of St Patrick’s School ….
St Patrick's School and St Patrick's Church were both opened in 1964. As a Catholic parish school it commenced with Years 1 to 3 under the guidance of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and the first two teachers were Sister Francis Clare and Sister Berchmanns.
Between 1985 to 1988, under the guidance of Sister Mary Mercer, the first major building re-development took place with new classrooms, library, canteen and administration were built.
The leadership of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart continued until 2008 at St Patrick's School and today, the school continues strongly in the tradition of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart under lay leadership.
Mary MacKilop's famous saying was "Never see a need without doing something about it"
Well..... there was a need, a geochache in her honour, and something has been done about it!
This is one of many caches placed in significant locations of her story.
Mary died on August 8th, 1909.
She was declared Australia’s first Saint in 2012.