The Haven was purchased by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in November, 1946. The property was purchased with the intention of becoming a place of rest and relaxation for the Sisters after a year's hard work in the schools of the north and west of the state, to be used during the school holiday periods. At the time of purchase, the grounds housed a “Fine Old Queenslander” which stood where Julian Lodge is today. The front room of the house overlooking the ocean became the chapel, with the rest of the house becoming accommodations. Meals were prepared in a back room and served on the verandah. In 1947 the Sisters purchased an ‘army hut’ which was erected next to the house, which stood behind where Penola stands today. This new dormitory was functional in time for the 1948 Christmas vacation. The Sisters' annual retreat was also conducted at The Haven in 1948; this was possible due to the erection of a cottage on site to house a resident priest, with that cottage still standing today and known as MacDonald Cottage.
It wasn't until 1958 that the next building was erected: a Chapel which was built where MacKillop stands now. This was blessed and the first Mass was offered in December 1958 by Father K J Schmidt, the resident chaplain for the holidays. October 1962 saw the start of construction of a Dining Room and Kitchen, this building situated next to the original house is today still standing, and houses both the Reception and Office as well as the Penola Room and Commercial Kitchen. This building was completed in time for the 1962 Christmas Holidays.
1965 saw the demolition of the Army Hut and Original Queenslander House, to make way for a new two storey building, Julian Lodge. This building incorporated interesting design features for its time. With built in cupboards and bedsteads, the ceiling of the dormitory style rooms was curved to give the impression of the cabin of a ship. Specific care was given to the design to see that the building could withstand a cyclone, and the ventilation was designed to allow for the maximum flow of ocean breeze. The Sisters first used this new dormitory in December, 1965. A new cottage for a resident chaplain was also constructed as part of this project. This Cottage is still in use today, and is Alexander Cottage.
Over the years when the Sisters were not in residence, the Haven was sometimes informally used for for retreats, school camps and prayer days. The first recorded group to use the Haven for such a purpose were the Senior Boys from the Rockhampton Christian Brothers College in July, 1961.
Bishop Francis Rush, the Seventh Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton (CDOR), proposed on 30 November 1972 that The Haven be formally opened to Priests, Parish Groups, and School Groups of the Diocese for Retreats and other gatherings. In 1973, the first year of this formal concept, it is recorded that twenty groups took use of the opportunity to hold their event at The Haven. Over the following years, calls for it's use only multiplied. This led the Sisters to decide that they required a resident community on site full time, to facilitate the use of The Haven, to care for it's buildings and it's grounds, and to provide care for the users of the site. This led to the construction of Joseph Place in 1985 as a four bedroom Convent plus office. June 1986 saw the first two Sisters move into Joseph Place and become the original full time caretakers of The Haven as a function centre.
1996 saw the commemoration of the Sisters owning The Haven for 50 years. This Jubilee Celebration prompted the construction of Jubilee Cottage to sit at the entrance to the property. This building still stands today and functions as the onsite Managers' Residence. Jubilee Cottage was originally intended to provide a place to stay for needy families to afford them a low-cost holiday by the sea, as well as affordable emergency accommodation for persons in need. This practice commenced, with the sisters also providing MacDonald Cottage for the same purpose.
2006 saw the implementation of plans for a major redevelopment of The Haven. With 2007 commemorating the 150th anniversary of the ordination of Father Julian Tenison Woods, the Sisters set out to create a space at The Haven that reflected his Ecological History, as well as provide upgraded facilities to the users of The Haven. Their aim was to develop The Haven as “a place of Refreshment, Prayer, Educations, and a place for Sharing Friendship”. This redevelopment saw the refurbishment of The Penola Building to incorporate the Catering Kitchen and Dining Hall upstairs with a Reception / Office downstairs. The Original Chapel was demolished to make way for the MacKillop Function Hall. And significantly, this redevelopment saw the construction of both Copperfield Cottage and Fitzroy House. The Tenison Woods Garden, designed in front of the Reception Area incorporated plants discovered and named by Fr Woods himself. And in recognition of the eco-spirituality that Fr Woods demonstrated throughout his life, both Copperfield and Fitzroy were designed and constructed to ensure that they made the most of the environmental factors of the location - large open spaces, windows and ventilation to capture the ocean breezes and negate the need for air conditioning. This redevelopment of The Haven also saw the construction of The Labyrinth.
After 70 years of residence, the Sisters made the difficult decision to sell and leave The Haven in 2016 to accommodate the Congregation's changing focus and the need to streamline it's operations. Declining Numbers, Shifting Priorities and the Financial and Operational Challenges facing the running of The Haven all contributed to the Sisters' decision to put the property onto the market. Bishop Michael McCarthy, the Tenth Bishop of Rockhampton oversaw the purchase of The Haven from the Sisters by the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton.
The Haven today continues in the traditions established by the Sisters of St Joseph and is operated and governed by the CDOR, serving as a Function and Accommodation Venue with stunning views and a tranquillity that is second to none.
The History behind the Names used at The Haven
Every building at The Haven has a name steeped in History and named in reverence of someone with a close connection to the Sisters of Saint Joseph. We encourage you to take a moment to consider the history of the site, and the ties that link our building names to that history.
The Mackillop Room
Named after Mary MacKillop, Australia's First Saint and the Founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
Julian Lodge
Named after Father Julian Tenison Woods, co-founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
The Penola Room
Named after Penola, the town in South Australia, where the Sisters of Saint Joseph were founded.
Joseph Place
Named after Saint Joseph, the patron of the Sisters.
Fitzroy House
Named after the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, the birthplace of Mary MacKillop in 1842.
Copperfield Cottage
Named after the township of Copperfield (near present day Clermont) where the Sisters ministered from 1873 to 1877.
Alexander Villa
Named after Alexander MacKillop, father to Mary MacKillop.
MacDonald Cottage
Named after Flora MacDonald, mother to Mary MacKillop.
Jubilee Cottage
Constructed in 1996, the year of the Golden Jubilee commemorating the Sisters' arrival at The Haven.
The Tenison Woods Memorial Garden
Named after Father Julian Tenison-Woods, co founder of the Sisters, and Botanist who visited the Capricorn Coast in the 1870's and 80's and named much of the native flora in Emu Park. This garden was constructed to honour his work as a botanist.
The Labyrinth
Constructed by Sister Rose Schick and Sister Mary-Anne Casanova, based in design on the Chartres Labyrinth.
