The cache is located near St Andrew’s School, Werribee
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 Andrew’s School
Mother Mary MacKillop was interested in sending her Sisters to Werribee after appointing communities in the suburbs of Newport and Footscray for she knew it be an outpost of the poor in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
In 1906 Werribee Parish formerly separated from the Parish of Williamstown and Fr. Michael Heaney was appointed the first Parish Priest of St. Andrew’s Werribee.
In 1909 Fr. Heaney invited the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart to take on the running of St Andrew’s School following the resignation of Mr Reardon as lay headmaster.
The first Sisters came from Yarraville to take charge of the school. They taught in the old blue stone church / school and lived in a weatherboard house at 14 Mortimer Street.
Sr Ligouri was the first superior. Her companions were Srs Raphael and Giovanni. Sr Giovanni became ill soon after her appointment and was replaced by Sr. Leon.
The Sisters remained in charge of the administration of St Andrew's school until 2004 with the last Sister retiring from her position on staff in 2006.
Between 1906 – 2006 over 140 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart worked within St. Andrew’s School and parish community - 'in a spirit of dedication to the service of others for a cause greater than themselves.'
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.
Thank you to maccamob who live locally and will attend to maintenance.