Neerkol (Queensland) 1940 to 1978: In the Sisters of Mercy orphanage children were abused by priests, nuns and workers and cruelly punished; the diocese paid for the offending priest's defence

St Joseph's Orphanage at Neerkol near Rockhampton was run by the Sisters of Mercy from 1885 to 1978; about 4,000 children lived there, many of them state wards, among them Indigenous children and British child migrants. The Royal Commission heard 12 former residents who described serious emotional, physical and sexual abuse by priests, nuns and grounds workers, and found cruel and excessive punishment. Children who reported abuse were not believed and often punished. When a victim told Archbishop Rush in 1982 of abuse by a priest, he asked: "It was Reggie wasn't it?" The diocese paid for Father Reginald Durham's defence, and Bishop Heenan wrote him a character reference although he believed further allegations to be true.

Period

1940-1978 (38 years)

Country

Australia

Institutions

Sisters of Mercy Rockhampton
Diocese of Rockhampton
Bishop Brian Heenan

Category

Violence, Sexual abuse, Cover-up

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Persons

Reginald Durham (parish priest at Neerkol, convicted of sexual offences)
Francis Rush (Bishop of Rockhampton, later Archbishop of Brisbane, asked in 1982 "It was Reggie wasn't it?")
Brian Heenan (Bishop of Rockhampton, did not suspend Durham and wrote him a character reference)

Background

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. One victim received 25,000 dollars in December 2009, contributed equally by the diocese and the sisters, who described it as a "gesture of support". An accused former employee was never convicted and denies the allegations.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 17

   „In December 2009, Mr Owen received a payment of $25,000, which was contributed equally by the Diocese and the Sisters.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 108

   „Mr Baker was never convicted of any offence relating to any of the former residents of the orphanage. He is still alive and denies the allegations.“

Response of the Church

1. In 1982 a victim telephoned Archbishop Francis Rush, who had been Bishop of Rockhampton when Father Reginald Durham was parish priest at Neerkol, and said that a priest had abused her for years. When she would not give the name, Rush asked: "It was Reggie wasn't it?" and said he would pray for her. Bishop Brian Heenan later did not suspend Durham and let him live in the presbytery until he was charged in February 1998. Durham was convicted of sexual offences against this woman. The diocese paid his legal costs, and Heenan wrote him a character reference for sentencing, although he knew of further allegations and believed them to be true.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 14

   „Archbishop Rush responded by saying: ‘It was Reggie wasn’t it?’“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 14

   „AYB said Archbishop Rush told her he would pray for her.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 20

   „He did not suspend his ministry or ask him to vacate the presbytery until Father Durham was charged by police in February 1998.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 24

   „Father Durham was subsequently convicted of sexual offences against AYB. The Diocese paid for Father Durham’s legal costs in the criminal proceedings.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 24 f.

   „Bishop Heenan agreed in evidence he wrote the character reference even though he“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 25

   „was aware of other sexual allegations against Father Durham“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 25

   „and believed them to be true“

See also

• 1945-1956 · 11 years

  Child migration to Australia: Catholic agencies sent children from England to institutions of the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Nazareth (IICSA 2018)

  • Australia
  • United Kingdom
  • Violence
  • Sexual abuse
• 1950-1989 · 39 years

  Sexual abuse in Catholic institutions in Australia (Royal Commission)

  • Australia
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1960-2017 · 57 years

  Ballarat 1960 to 2017: Royal Commission found a "catastrophic failure" of diocesan leadership; Bishop Mulkearns kept moving offenders, destroyed a report and put the Church's reputation above children

  • Australia
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up

Original documents to read

1. Government report
   Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien: Report of Case Study No. 26: The response of the Sisters of Mercy, the Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton and the Queensland Government (St Joseph’s Orphanage, Neerkol). Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 30 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.