An cache in memory of a great Australian!
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.
Cache location
The answers to all questions can be found without entering the school, convent, church or presbytery property.
The posted co-ordinates will take you to the front of the convent.
At the church:
A = Number of barley sugar style columns at the entrance to the church (EXCLUDING those connected to the wall
At the convent:
B C D E = the numerical version of the 4 alpha characters on the top row of the foundation stone.
F = the number of crucifix (cross) symbols on the foundation stone
The final location = S34 24.(A/2)(B5)(C-8) E149 49.(D-1)(E-2)(F2)
Taralga Story
Original church opened - 1864
Foundation stone for the current church was laid on 25 March 1934
Original convent completed -1885 by June 1885, there were 3 sisters teaching in the school. At this time school attendance averaged 75 pupils per day.
New 2 storey convent opened on 8 March 1931. Built from donations made by Miss Maggie Lynch and Mrs Costello & intended to support a limited number of boarders
Original Sacred Heart school opened 1870.
New school opened - 1924
The school closed at the end of the school year in 2004.
When government support of denominational schools was withdrawn at the end of 1882, the Taralga community voted unanimously to have a community of Sisters in their town to take over the running of their school. They had promised a large house on four acres of land joining the church grounds in which theSisters would reside. Rev J Dwyer who was the Crookwell and district priest-in-charge at this time had sent urgent word to Bishop Lanigan of the town's request, stressing the need for immediate attention.The first three Sisters of St Joseph to reside at Taralga were Srs M Teresa Fallon, Columba Maher and Clare Gorman who arrived from Goulburn to begin the 1885 school year.The Sisters were warmly received into the parish and their efforts in the school and among the people were greatly appreciated by all in the small township. As well as teaching in the school and supporting the musical and cultural pursuits of the township, the Sisters fostered the faith of the people. Mass was held in Taralga on three Sundays a month and the Sisters taught Catechism classes at 10am every Sunday. Rosary and Benediction were part of the devotions held at 7.30pm on Mass Sundays.As new members continued to present themselves at the Mother House in Goulburn, the numbers in the Congregation continued to grow. In 1886 one of the newcomers was local girl, Ellen McAlister, who as Sister M Stanislaus delivered the Josephite charism among many small rural communities throughout south west NSW.The Sisters worked among the people of Sacred Heart parish Taralga until the end of 1988, when the community of Sisters was withdrawn from the town."
The citation for this quote - https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/231642970
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.
THANKYOU TO GLISS! who will maintain the cache.