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.
Port MacDonnell
On 21 June 1867, Mary MacKillop at 25 years of age landed at at Port MacDonnell jetty.
She was Adelaide-bound after accepting an invitation from Father Julian Tenison Woods to move to the city to start a school.
Arriving from Penola in a buggy driven by her Uncle Donald MacDonald, she boarded a small lighter which took her to the steamship SS Penola anchored around 100 metres offshore. At the time, Port MacDonnell was the state's second busiest port, shipping wheat and wool from the local area to destinations around the world.
The bustling crowds on the jetty would have been oblivious to the life-long journey which lay ahead for one particular passenger dressed in a simple black dress, yet the significance of that journey is now steeped in history.
After arriving at Port Adelaide, Mary MacKillop went on to establish the Cathedral Hall School. On 15 August 1867, she became Sister Mary of the Cross .
Mary MacKillop ….
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 2010.
Thank you for the hide Doctor Owl fo the hide and to Mogni who will maintain the cache.