History
Honouring the History of Manilla and Its First Peoples
Until the 1850’s, Manilla was known as The Junction and for generations, was a familiar campsite for Aboriginal families of the Gamilaraay/Gamilaroi/Kamilaroi Nation. The Junction was a route for transporting goods by wagon to cattle stations and settlements to the North and the goldfields of Bingara and Bundarra. During the 1850’s, a horseback mail service was established in The Junction to serve towns in the North-West. When an official name was requested, the Postmaster at the time named the town Manilla.
A Legacy of Faith and Education
The Sisters of St Joseph came to Manilla in 1904. Up until 1938, St Michael’s Church built in 1894, was used by the Sisters of St Joseph for school purposes during the week. In 1939, a new Church was built and the original church building was converted into a school. The school that is St Michael’s today, was opened in 1958. The high school which was also housed in the building, was closed in 1964.
The Sisters of St Joseph departed Manilla in 1987.
