New names celebrating the history of the Macarthur region
As part of our foyer renovations, our pre-event space has been given a face-lift too! After arriving from the beautiful foyer and ascending the new staircase, visitors attending events on level 1 are greeted with an elegant space perfect for connecting before your conference, recharging during your training course and discussing the days topics over your event lunch.
Our event spaces themselves have also been re-named as part of the project and aim to celebrate the heritage of the traditional owners of the land and historical sites from across the region.
Dharawal
Our main function room honours the First People of Campbelltown and their long connection to the land.
Respected elder, Uncle Ivan Wellington, says the totem of the Dharawal people is the lyrebird, or wiritjiribin — “a bird that speaks many languages”. That’s why its also so symbolic of modern multicultural Campbelltown, Uncle Ivan says. “I come from this land — and so do all of you. You should all feel very, very welcome as you enjoy your event in this great room.”
Campbelltown Catholic Club acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of our city and pays its respects to all elders past and present.
Quondong
This room is named after the historic Quondong building, which was erected as Campbelltown’s first Catholic school.
St Patrick’s was the first school in New South Wales built by private enterprise, on land donated by Mary Sheil – a daughter of pioneer William Bradbury. Its cornerstone was blessed on St Patrick’s Day 1840 – hence the school name.
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan took over the school in 1889 and relocated, evolved
into today’s St Patrick’s Girls College.
The original school building was sold to Kate Keihone in 1914 and became a private home – Quondong.
The origin of the name is not known, but some believe the kurrajong tree that stood in the front yard was misidentified as a native peach tree (known as a quandong or quondong).
Quondong had fallen into disrepair by the 1990s when it was purchased and painstakingly restored by the Catholic Club and now serves as Campbelltown’s Visitor Information Centre.
Emily
This room is named for one of Campbelltown’s most famous little stone gems – Emily Cottage – built in the 1820s and purchased by the Catholic Club in 2018.
With its attic dormer windows, white picket fence, and lantern it looks as cute as a building can be, but its origins are a mystery.
Some suggest it was a toll house, but there is no evidence to support this, and local folklore can over speculate over its name – perhaps the name of a girl who lived there, or one story says a sailor tenant named it after his brig.
By the 1870s it was operated as a butchery by the Denmead family, and since has been a family home, a craft outlet, art gallery, and tea rooms, among other uses.
Kendall
The name of this room pays tribute to Kendall’s Mill – one of our most-loved local heritage sites.
Colonial Campbelltown was covered by golden wheatfields but the only way to turn grist into flour was windmills – which stood idle without wind. So Laurence Kendall (uncle of the famous poet Henry Kendall) erected a steam-powered mill in the 1840s, bringing the Industrial Revolution to Campbelltown.
The mill was pulled down in the 1920s, but the attached millhouse was renovated as Milby Private Maternity Hospital, and eventually became the Fisher’s Ghost Restaurant in the 1970s.
After a blaze in 2005, it was left a fragile ruin – but has now been purchased by Campbelltown Catholic Club which hopes to preserve the site in future.
