FOUR young Catholic Sisters of St Joseph arrived in Lochinvar on September 3, 1883, and the next day opened a school in a former inn.
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In the following years, the sisters opened schools and convents throughout the region, Lochinvar became the sisters' mother house and that first school evolved into All Saints College, St Joseph's campus, a high school with 660 students.
The sisters and school community are preparing to celebrate their 125th anniversary with activities on September 3 that will begin with four sisters arriving in a horse-drawn carriage.
A liturgy, storytelling and an open day will be part of the celebrations.
Catholic Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle Michael Malone will mark the occasion with a Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton, on Saturday.
St Joseph's was mainly a boarding school for girls until 1992, when it amalgamated with Maitland secondary schools St Peter's and St Mary's and became All Saints College.
St Joseph's campus principal Paul Greaves said achievements of the early nuns were remarkable.
The sisters' congregational leader, Sister Patricia Egan, said the celebration would be an opportunity to "thank God for all the good the sisters have been able to achieve in those 125 years" and to thank the community for its support.
