New Norcia Museum and Art Gallery

Before first light even on icy winter mornings, the voices of the Monks of New Norcia at their first prayers of the day, Vigils, can be heard drifting through the mist in the valley. Home to the Benedictine Community established by the Spanish missionaries Dom Rosendo Salvado OSB. and Dom Jose Serra OSB, in 1846. The clearing mists brushed aside by the rising sun reveals the elegant architecture of the monastery and 69 other buildings 27 of which are listed on the National estate and an olive grove planted in 1860 ripe with the fruit that they will turn into their sacred oil.New Norcia is Australia’s only Monastic town and has served many purposes; a mission, a monastery, a provider of education and now as a place of spiritual retreat and a unique tourist destination .Still a functioning monastery with eleven professed Benedictine monks in residence

The Museum and Art GalleryThe award winning Museum and Art Gallery, (housing the largest collection of religious art works in Australia,).is set out over three levels. The ground floor is an eclectic mixture of monastery memorabilia, & Art Galleries on the first floor and the famous Charles Gardner botanical collection and St Josephs exhibition on the third floor.

Daily town tour.  Professional guides conduct a two hour walking tour twice daily along the heritage trail, providing an opportunity to see 'behind closed doors’ in Australia’s only monastic town.  Visiting the Mission Cottage interpretation centre for an in depth experience of the missions origins and Aboriginal heritage. Through some of New Norcia’s richly decorated buildings, not otherwise accessible to the public, The Byzantine style St Ildephonsus College. This was the First Marist brother school to open in Australia in 1913.

The New Norcia Education Centre. Formerly St Mary’s Orphanage, offers a diverse range of opportunities and programmes, including: day visits or camps that support the study of Society and Environment, Aboriginal Studies, Arts, History and Science curricula, retreats, personal development and staff professional development, confirmation preparation programmes and leadership camps, CEO Approved Programmes for the Ongoing Renewal of Accreditation B Status. Groups can be guided by New Norcia’s experienced staff, or led by their own teachers. Venues, materials, flexibility of ideas are provided.