History

In 1907 a young sister at the Mercy Congregational House in North Sydney inherited a hotel in Brooklyn for which she had no use. She gave it to the Order who converted it into St Carthage’s College for Young Ladies. The old hotel provided ample space for a convent and small boarding school for girls for the isolated families of the Hawkesbury Valley.

In 1914 a multi-purpose hall was erected across the road from the convent and used for the next sixty years as the school/church/hall for the village. In 1967 the church was transferred to the convent chapel and in 1971 the school also closed as it was no longer safe, it was subsequently demolished.

In 1931 the College for Young Ladies was closed and the foundation became St. Catherine’s Orphanage. The Orphanage was registered for forty children. It also catered for many children who were more or less educationally handicapped. At St. Catherine’s they were not only accepted but also attended school at a time when there were few special programs for these children. Over the years additions were made to the still largely isolated orphanage including a half tennis court which together with an old tidal pool on the river provided active recreational facilities for the children.

In 1954 the first separate residential building for the use of the orphans was erected behind the old convent . Additions were added in 1967 bringing the building closer to the Hawkesbury River and used as a school.

Changes in practices came about in the 1970’s with increasing regulations by state authorities. The school was closed in 1971 and admissions were greatly reduced. Accommodation was converted into self contained flats and a permanent in-ground swimming pool was constructed.

New owners purchased the site in 1996 after the building had been vacant for 6 years due to lack of staff and had been approved for demolition. Extensive alterations to modernise the building were undertaken together with a new marina.

In 2010 the waterfront appearance of the property was modernised with large balconies complete with fans for modern living.