One hundred and sixty-five years ago, an 18-year-old girl arrived at a sheep station in south-eastern South Australia to be a governess for her aunt and uncle's children.

Penola, with its bush huts and giant red gums, was a world away from Melbourne, which Mary MacKillop and her sisters Lexie and Annie had left to earn an income for their family.

But by 1866, in the space of just six years and with the support of local parish priest Father Julian Tenison Woods, Saint Mary had opened a school for local children.

"She had a vision that all rural children — no matter what their background — could receive an equal, comprehensive, Catholic and free education," Penola historian and author Margaret Muller explained.

From humble beginnings in a repurposed stable, Saint Mary's and Father Julian

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