History
Formerly known as the Brigidine convent of Mt. St. Joseph. On 1st October 1886, four Brigidine Nuns left Abbeyleix, Ireland to sail to Australia. After arriving at Williamstown on November 14th 1886, they finally arrived in Beechworth by train on Saturday November 27th 1886, to a very enthusiastic public welcome.
The Sisters immediately set about establishing a convent in the Oriental Bank building, which today is the old State Bank in Ford Street. This was the second Brigidine Convent to be established in Australia, the first being at Echuca, slightly earlier.
The Sisters took over the permanent charge of St. Joseph’s school on 17th January 1887 and in the same year purchased ten acres of land adjacent to the school. Stage one of the new convent and secondary school was begun there in 1887.
The next few years saw much building and in 1904 a substantial new wing was complete. During it’s history the convent averaged 80 pupils, 30 of these being boarders, reaching a peak of 150 pupils in the 1960’s.
The gradual drop in numbers led to the final closure of the school in 1978. This in turn led to the property being passed on to private enterprise. Since July 1986, the Bell family has proudly been restoring this grand old building to create a facility, which can be enjoyed by one and all.
