More than 100 years ago, a group of Brisbane nuns administered to the sick and needy in Brisbane. Their story is chronicled at a heritage site in Brisbane city.
The Sisters of Mercy Brisbane congregation of volunteer nuns was formed in 1859, after Queensland separated from New South Wales and a new Catholic
diocese was formed. The sisters were responsible for founding schools and orphanages that were made available to Catholics and Protestants. In 1881, they opened the
All Hallows School.
The
Mercy Heritage Centre (
547 Ann Street, Brisbane) was established in 2000 to honour the history of this congregation. The centre functions as a museum and cultural centre that preserves the social history of the Sisters of Mercy and Catholicism in Brisbane's early days. The Centre provides exhibition, concerts and cultural activites that demonstrate the lives and works of the congregation.
Visitors to the Heritage Centre are greeted with a variety of different projects and archival displays. A combination of permanent and temporary displays showcase historically significant congregation members and the different programs and sites that were visited by the Sisters of Mercy. Visitors can also tour the original chapel or explore the interactive displays, audio visual materials and brochures and other publications.
The Mercy Heritage Centre is open on Monday and Friday from 9.00am until 4.00pm. Admission is free.
