Women who lived at Melbourne’s historic Abbotsford Convent are returning decades later, drawn by the site’s artistic rebirth and the lingering echoes of their past.
From orphanage to arts precinct
Patricia Sykes, now 84, was placed in the convent’s orphanage in the 1950s at age 11, along with her three sisters after their mother died in childbirth. She recalls the clanging of a nun’s brass key that woke the dormitory, the daily prayers and the music that filled the choir. “There were two days we used to get a treat,” she says, remembering biscuits and bread and jam.
Different buildings on the grounds housed distinct groups – paid boarders, local primary school children, orphans and, in the Sacred Heart building, girls and young women forced to work in the Magdalene laundries, a system described as “slave labour”. Some residents were given new names and confined behind metal grilles, their cries for help unheard by passersby.
Healing through art and history
After the Good Shepherd Sisters sold the convent to the state in 1975 – following a $5.5 million Whitlam government purchase – a community campaign saved it from private developers. The non‑profit Abbotsford Convent Foundation now manages the site, which hosts artists, studios and a music academy. Former residents meet at a café on the grounds, finding solace in the creative environment.
She Shapes History, a feminist social‑enterprise, runs public walking tours every Saturday and Sunday, focusing on the women’s stories rather than architecture. Tour guide Catherine Noone explains that Aboriginal activist Mollie Dyer, who attended the convent’s boarding school from age 10, was encouraged to transition to employment while still living on site. Dyer later reshaped Australia’s foster‑care system and advocated for Aboriginal children’s cultural connections.
Jeweller‑artist Katheryn Leopoldseder now works in the former laundry “mangling” room, while Ink and Spindle directors Caitlin Klooger and Lara Cameron operate a hand‑printed textiles studio in the Sacred Heart building, honoring the women who once laboured there.
Future possibilities
Visitors can still perceive the “whispers in the walls” that Patricia Sykes describes, as the site continues to blend art, history and memory. The ongoing tours and creative residencies may deepen public understanding of the convent’s complex legacy and encourage further preservation of women’s stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Patricia Sykes?
Patricia Sykes is an 84‑year‑traditional former resident of the Abbotsford Convent orphanage who was taken there in the 1950s with her three sisters after their mother died in childbirth. She later became a poet and participated in an artist residency at the convent.
What were the Magdalene laundries at Abbotsford?
The Magdalene laundries were workrooms in the Sacred Heart building where girls and young women were forced to perform unpaid labour. This system has been described as “slave labour” and involved assigning new names to the women, who were confined behind metal grilles.
How can the public experience the women’s stories today?
She Shapes History offers public walking tours every Saturday and Sunday that focus on personal narratives. The convent as well hosts art studios, a music academy and community events where former residents gather, providing multiple avenues for engagement.
What legacy do you reckon the Abbotsford Convent should leave for future generations?
