Seven Sisters arrived in August 1904 to minister to the Aboriginal girls, staff the infirmary, laundry and sewing room. Within a few years progress had been made with the girls learning to read and write, cook, sew, embroider and do other household duties.

However, serious difficulties arose between the Abbot and the Superior of the Sisters over the purpose of the mission and the level of English required for the educational endeavours. These difficulties continued to the extent that the Mother General in Barcelona reluctantly agreed to recall the community. By the end of 1910 only one Sister remained, Sr. Maria Harispe (Arispe). With permission from Rome, Sr. Maria became a Benedictine Oblate.

Over time other women arrived from Spain to continue the hard but rewarding work with Sr. Maria. By 1921 a community was formed under the name of Benedictine Oblate Sisters. Members of the community pronounced private vows. Later this Australian-founded religious community received permission to alter its name to Benedictine Missionary Sisters.*

* M.R. MacGINLEY; A Dynamic of Hope, p.270