Abandoned Wilcannia Convent

The former Sisters of Mercy Convent stands as one of Wilcannia’s most haunting relics. Situated on the infamous Barrier Highway, Wilcannia is the traditional home of the Barkindji people, a remote desert township where the convent now lies hidden and incongruous within the town’s criss-crossed grid.

Constructed in 1894 from local sandstone, the convent closed its doors permanently as Wilcannia’s population dwindled. Decades of neglect and exposure have left the building beyond repair - its interiors choked with pigeon droppings, feathers, and collapsing timber floors. The most striking remnant is a skeletal wooden staircase leading to a second-storey shell of roofless, empty rooms.

In 2012, the property’s owner collaborated with Central Darling Shire and Heritage NSW to explore restoration options. Yet, with the convent still decaying in Wilcannia’s backstreets, any hopes of revival seem to have long since faded.

Featured in my book Abandoned New South Wales, available online or in bookstores.