The cache is located at the Mullins Community Centre – formerly St Joseph’s School founded by the Sisters of St Joseph
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 and Julian Tenison Woods 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.
The first founding of Sisters of St Joseph, Goulburn …..
On 13th August, 1882, the first five Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in Goulburn by train from Bathurst. Upon arrival, the Sisters lived in a cottage in Lagoon Street which belonged to the Sheekey family. They lived there until 5th May, 1883 when the Convert was opened.
Today the sisters have a commitment to rural communities and their work extends from the bush to the mountains from Ungarie, to Canberra from Wagga Wagga to Batemans Bay. They look to help families, the aged through Education and Service in Parishes.
History of St Joseph’s School….
The parish of Ardlethan was founded in 1910 by Bishop Gallagher of Goulburn.
In 1922-1923, the Convent of the Little Flower and the first two classrooms of St Joseph’s School were erected by the parish.
The Convent and school was opened in 1924 staffed by the Sisters of St Joseph from Goulburn until the 1980’s. The school continued until early 1990’s by lay principals.
In 2008, the centenary year of the town, the Catholic Community gifted the school to the local community. With a grant obtained by the shire, it was then renovated as a community centre.
Mary MacKillop
Mary MacKilop's famous saying was "Never see a need without doing something about it"
Well..... there was a need, a geocache 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.