St Francis Xavier Mission (fmr) Complex

Author

Shire of Wandering

Place Number

07041

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Location

Mission Rd Wandering

Location Details

Includes: Nunnery (fmr), Mission Dormitory, School House, Laundry Bldg, Old Retreat, Convent

Other Name(s)

Mission Dormitory, School House, Laundry
Ngullah Mia Training Centre & Farm,OldRetreat

Local Government

Wandering

Region

Wheatbelt

Construction Date

Constructed from 1947

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted		Category 2	Category 2 High level of protection appropriate: provide maximum encouragement to the owner under the Town Planning Scheme to conserve the significance of the place.

Parent Place or Precinct

07041 St Francis Xavier Mission (fmr) Complex

Child Places

Statement of Significance

The place has landmark value as a prominent building on its raised and open location. It is aesthetically linked to the neighbouring former convent through a consistent use of stonework and rendered quoins which create visual interest. The use of these materials provide a unifying theme to the mission. Each of the two buildings is distinguishable by its three-dimensional form and scale.

The place has historic value as a reminder of a period in Western Australia's development when religious organisations provided facilities for Aboriginal children who were considered to be living under unsatisfactory conditions.

Physical Description

The former Nunnery forms part of the former St Francis Xavier Mission. The former mission is set in a picturesque valley and spaciously set out. The place occupies a 11,000 acres, 9,000 of which is natural jarrah woodland.

The raised and open location of the former nunnery ensures that it can be seen from all sides and, hence, its many facets of walls and roofs present rich, varied, aspects.

The building is a large scale, two-storey and rectangular with simple rectangular openings with double-hung sashes. The building is constructed of stone with rendered quoins. The facade has a breakfront. The breakfront and the building behind is covered by a gable roof with weatherboard clad gable walls and corbelled gabled ends.

The exterior of the building features timber louvred shutters to windows along the length of the building.

The interior of the building comprises 13 rooms with kitchen and toilet facilities. The interior is unadorned with the exception of jarrah joinery. Fibro-cement, timber framed hospital building with a hipped roof clad in cgi was added to the building.

During the early 1990s, the building underwent conservation work, including upgrading of the toilets and kitchen facilities.

History

In September 1944, the Archbishop of Perth, the Most Reverent R. Prendiville, announced that a mission station for natives in the Arch-diocese was to be established at Wandering Brook and to be named St Francis Xavier's Native Mission Station.

In making his announcement His Grace said that for a long time he had felt that little or nothing was being done for the full-blooded and half-caste natives in the southern portion of the state. In spite of the money difficulties in establishing such a mission during the war years, the Archbishop resolved to proceed with his plans. After negotiating with the State Government, a native reserve of 9,600 acres was gazetted some 10 miles north of the township of Wandering. At the invitation of the Archbishop, the Vicar Apostolic of the Kimberley, Monsignor O'Railable provided a staff to conduct the mission. The Sisters of St John of God of Broome and Beagle Bay also promised the necessary staff to conduct the Girls' Orphanage, School and Hospital.

Twenty four Italian POWs arrived at the Mission on 2 February 1946, to help with clearing, building, construction and general work around the Mission. One of their main tasks was the preparation of granite from a nearby granite outcrop for the building of the convent.

At the same time, another stone building was constructed which was thought to have been originally used as an orphanage.1

Integrity/Authenticity

INTEGRITY High Degree
AUTHENTICITY Moderate Degree

Condition

Good

References

Ref ID No	Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
	E Gallagher; "Wandering Mission as part of the Pallotine Mission effort in Assimilating the Australian Aboriginal". pp. 43-45	Teachers' College Theses,	1971

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Present Use	COMMERCIAL	Office or Administration Bldg
Original Use	RELIGIOUS	Monastery or Convent

Construction Materials

Type	General	Specific
Wall	BRICK	Common Brick
Wall	STONE	Other Stone
Roof	TILE	Terracotta Tile

Historic Themes

General	Specific
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES	Community services & utilities

Creation Date

23 May 1997

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.