Vision Statement - New Norcia Benedictine Community

Visit New Norcia

People visit New Norcia for many reasons; for spiritual retreat, to join a tour and see inside the magnificent buildings or sometimes just to walk around the town and enjoy the peace and beautiful scenery.

In this section you will find all the information you need for your visit to New Norcia. Details of places to eat and places to stay, details of the town tours and information about some of our favourite things to do in Australia’s only monastic town.

We recommend your first port of call is the Museum & Art Gallery to speak to one of the staff about the attractions and experiences New Norcia has to offer. The Museum & Art Gallery is also a Visitor Information Centre and is the point from which town tours leave.

Stay at New Norcia

There are so many different options for accommodation at New Norcia.

The Guesthouse is perfect for a quiet, retreat like experience - a world away from the rigours of modern life. You can join a Benedictine retreat here or be housed in the Hermitage for a silent retreat. Groups can be accommodated in the Old Convent or the historic boarding school colleges. Smaller groups are also able to book the Hostel, with its comfortable rooms, neo-classical architecture, scenic deck and heritage veranda, as well as St Ildephonsus' Cottage.

Please click on the areas on the right for more information.

Eat & Drink

Hospitality is a tenet of the Rule of St Benedict, the Rule by which the monks of New Norcia live, so wherever you choose to eat in town, our aim is for you to experience warm monastic hospitality.

Education & Research

From the earliest days of its foundation New Norcia has been focussed on education. The first Abbot, of New Norcia (Rosendo Salvado) established the Aboriginal girls and boys schools and the second Abbot of New Norcia, Fulgentius Torres built and opened the European girls and boys schools, which closed in 1991.

Since the closing of the schools, New Norcia's school buildings and grounds have been utilised by groups undertaking education programmes.

However, New Norcia also has a tradition of research and academia, with its impressive archival records and library collection, and scholars and researchers alike have delighted over the years in the information available in the town's records.

This section also provides information on the archives and library and provides link to forms which will give you access to the records of New Norcia.

Protecting a Unique Heritage

New Norcia is Australia’s only monastic town and has a unique heritage. Founded in 1847 by Spanish Benedictine Monks, the town has had many purposes; a mission, a monastery, a provider of education and now as a place of spiritual retreat.

Delve into the town's unique history, discover the ongoing and completed work necessary for the upkeep and restoration of this special part of Australia.

But it is not only the majestic buildings set amongst the Australian bush that sets New Norcia apart; its history is also encapsulated in the archival records of New Norcia and in the library and museum collections.

In this section we also have information about how you can donate to New Norcia to help the Community restore and maintain this treasure.

What's Happening at New Norcia

We hold a diverse array of events throughout the year at New Norcia.

Each year we host a full programme of events including a spiritual retreat programme presented by the Institute for Benedictine Studies, dinners at the New Norcia Hostel and a few other surprises!

Watch this space for all the updated information about "What's on at New Norcia".

News

New Norcia aims to keep at its heart the ethos of Benedictine monasticism, currently expressed through the continuing presence in the town of a small community of monks, seeking God through living by the guidance of the 6th century Rule of St Benedict – a life of prayer, work, lectio divina, hospitality, pastoral outreach and community-building, sustained by the monastic promises of obedience, stability and conversion, and enriched by its theological, spiritual and liturgical traditions. We envision that this monastic presence will continue to evolve and adapt as it owns the negative aspects of its past, assesses and deals with the difficulties of the present, and faces the opportunities, uncertainties and challenges of the future, and that it may be enriched by encouraging new vocations, our oblates, and those who desire to live and work beside us.

We envision New Norcia to be a place of:

Welcome and inclusivity
Prayer and worship
Spirituality and contemplation
Solace and safeguarding
Outreach and care
Respect and reconciliation
Compassion and hope

In collaboration with its stakeholders, Monochorum Ltd (the corporate entity responsible for the governance of the business, financial and strategic operations of New Norcia) intends to extend its board of directors by recruiting non-monastic members with varied expertise, in order to generate and incorporate vibrant new approaches and insights, and to work towards a more self-supporting governance structure for the future management and development of the town. This would include ventures such as:

The creation of a new strategic business plan to include new revenue-earning enterprises

Adopting and implementing the Conservation Master Plan in partnership with our heritage consultants

We envision a continued commitment to the cultural development of New Norcia through sole and partnership initiatives in the following spaces:

Research and Publications
Education
Indigenous
Heritage
Tourism
Hospitality
The Arts
The Environment

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Main Office

Friends of New Norcia / Volunteering

Museum & Art Gallery

Group Accommodation & Education Centre

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Roadhouse