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St Patrick’s [Quondong Cottage] was the first catholic school in Australia built from private subscription.
The Catholic Church acquired the land from Mary Shiel. The building originally had a gabled hall of plastered brick. The veranda across the front was added later, as were the urns on the round-topped pilaster-buttresses. It was built in 1840 and opened on St Patrick’s Day.
It remained in use as a school until 1914 when Father James Dunne opened St John’s Primary School in Lindsay Street. It was then sold to Mrs Keihone who had it converted to a dwelling, and wishing to give it a truly Australian title, renamed it Quondong. It was named after a Kurrajong tree at the front which was mistakenly believed to be a native Quandong tree.
Mrs Keihone sold it to her nephew William Thomas Bourke who resided there till the 1950’s, after which, Cyril Segal of Wilton owned it till 1991.
The building is now owned by Campbelltown Catholic Club and is home to the Campbelltown Visitor Information Centre. It holds a replica school room, featuring artefacts found from its early schooling origins.