General News
16 June, 2026
Sister Reba - Continued from Friday, June 12
When celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Brigidine Sisters in Maryborough, Reba organised for me and Maria Lacey to represent the two founding Brigidine Sisters, one who was Scottish and the other Irish. I was the Scottish one and Maria was the Irish one.
None of the ‘real nuns’ would do it so Reba asked Maria and I to do so. She got us two sets of nuns’ gear and huge rosary beads which were quite heavy and cumbersome to wear. Being Scottish, I walked around all day speaking with a broad Scottish accent.
In 1989 Highview organised a bus trip to Alice Springs with Hollands Bus Lines. We couldn’t get enough interested people from the school community so we advertised locally and had some very interested and interesting people to fill the bus.
We camped every night and Reba and I shared a tent. We had a marvellous time in Alice as we unexpectedly arrived there on the day of the Henley-on-Todd celebration, witnessing the whole parade on the dry river bed of the Todd. I wrote a long poem of our whole adventure and Reba illustrated it with cartoon figures.
In 2005 I went to visit my granddaughter living/working at a hotel in Marysville. She came home the first day and said, ‘Nana we have a hundred nuns in as guests and they all know you.’ I said, ‘There aren’t a hundred nuns in Victoria.’
The next day I went to the hotel for breakfast — and there they were — every nun I had ever known, Reba, Sister Anne, Sister Delys, Sister Maree, Sister Margaret Mary etc.
I’d worked at St. Augustine’s School for eleven years and was now working at Highview in Maryborough. The crazy thing was, Reba and I both working at Highview — hadn’t said to each other through the week, ‘I’m going to Marysville for the weekend’.
Trish Sharkey reminisces:
“I remember how very genuine Reba was. She would often speak out for the little or unseen student — a student with a disability or needing access to an area. The rest of us wouldn’t have thought of this student’s needs,” Trish said.
“She was always great for getting involved and didn’t mind laughing at herself. I was also impressed by her inclusion of other faiths and her work in ecumenism.”
Like Trish, many of Reba’s former colleagues recollect her voice of reason in challenging situations — and the calm approach and good judgement she was able to bring, to diffuse tensions.
Referring to our get together in March Reba says, “I am still living in the happy memories of our lunch at the Bull and Mouth,” and says she is very grateful for the opportunity to re visit Maryborough.
She hopes it will not be the last time — and wishes to make contact with us all, by email.