The place consists of a complex of buildings resulting from two major construction episodes and two periods of building utilisation. The place is also associated with the Catholic religious Order, The Sisters of St Joseph, their founders Mother Mary Mckillop and Father J. E. Tenison-Woods, and later with the Dominican Order of Nuns. The Order of The Sisters of St Joseph was founded in South Australia in 1866 and is Australia’s only indigenous religious order for men or women. Its goal was a penitent life and service. To this end the Order established a school for the poor on the site in 1869. (A concept which neither Mother Mckillop nor Father Tenison-Woods approved of, believing it to foster class distinction.) The first building was an austere structure containing an upstairs dormitory for the Sisters and accommodation for 150 children downstairs. Within a few years Mother Mckillop, the complex and Father Tenison-Woods had fallen out of favour with Adelaide’s ecclesiastical authorities. As a consequence Mother Mckillop was temporarily excommunicated for insubordination. The building then went to the Dominicans. Mother Mckillop was vindicated in Rome, but her Order did not regain the building. This was finally purchased by the Dominicans in 1896 and additions were opened in 1897-8. In contrast to the austerity of the original buildings the later additions are of Gothic Revival style with the functional stone walls and brick detailing of the original upgraded with dressed stone detailing in the additions. The place is surrounded by a high wall which varies from bluestone rubble with brick detailing to rendered masonry with brick coping. In addition to the older building phase there are more recent additions to the south comprising the modern College.

 

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