In 1859, Mother M. Ignatius Murphy left Westport in the west of Ireland to travel to Australia and establish a foundation at Goulburn. Goulburn was and still is a bustling inland city. This would be the first Sisters of Mercy foundation in New South Wales. Subsequently, Mother Ignatius led a foundation to Albury, 275 miles away from Goulburn in New South Wales, in 1868.

From Albury, she established three further foundations: Denniliquin (1887), Wodonga (1892), and Deloraine in Tasmania (1896). Denniliquin went on to found Wentworth (1892) and Balranald (1907).

Frances Anne Murphy was born in Ireland in 1830. She was orphaned at an early age. Frances was raised by non-Catholic relatives and developed a distrust of nuns. She overcame such doubts at the age of 25, and she entered the Sisters of Mercy in Westport.

From humble beginnings, a strong network of Mercy works was established in the southwest areas of New South Wales.

In addition to establishing educational institutions, the Sisters also constructed a hospital, tended to the sick and prisoners in jail, and provided care for orphans.

The Sisters valued the various works of Mercy carried out by Catherine McAuley and followed her lead in caring for the needs of the poor while also creating opportunities for people to overcome poverty.

The challenging travel conditions must have tested the endurance and commitment of the sisters.

The group departed Westport on June 28, 1859, and reached Goulburn on October 28, 1859, taking a full four months.

Travelling within Australia was also challenging due to the long distances. In addition, Ignatius had to battle tongue cancer, which ultimately led to her death.

Over a large part of New South Wales, the Sisters of Mercy have made a significant impact in healthcare, education, and community development. After some years, Albury Congregation joined with Goulburn and eventually became part of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea in 2011 (ISMAPNG). In 2021, ISMAPNG established “Mercy Ministry Companions," a Ministerial Public Juridic Person (MPJP) of Pontifical Rights. It is responsible for overseeing the governance of numerous ministries in education, health, care for the elderly, and community services, established by the Sisters of Mercy upon their arrival in Australia.

Greg Ryan “Xavier High School: a History of Catholic Education in Albury”, Xavier High School, 2018.

Kerr, Berenice M, RSM. The Land That I Will Show You: History of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia 1981 - 2011. Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia, 2011.