In the early 1960’s, the Carmel of Bangkok, Thailand, was making preparations for a new foundation. The Archbishop of Thare, in Northeast Thailand, Michael Kien wanted a Carmel in his diocese. In 1973 permission for a foundation fund had come from Rome and all was ready. However, due to the troubled political situation, Thare being close to the Laotian border—the Archbishop decided that it was not safe to make the foundation and it was postponed indefinitely. There was no possibility of another foundation in Thailand at the time, though there was need to a make a foundation as there were 31 in the community and many young girls wanting to enter.

In 1974, Bishop Myles McKeon of Bunbury visited the Camel of Bangkok, Thailand. In the course of conversation, the sisters told him of their predicament. The Bishop invited them to make a foundation in his diocese but the reaction of the nuns was that it was out or the question. In October of 1975 the Bishop wrote, repeating his invitation and this time it was taken up seriously. The then Archbishop of Bangkok, Michael Kitbunchu, now Cardinal, was reluctant to give permission, but the Archbishop of Thare supported the nuns, saying since it was still impossible to found in Thailand, the nuns should go where they could. The Carmel of Bangkok had been saving funds and goods for many years for the proposed foundation of Thare, and now they devoted everything to the foundation of Bunbury. They took great care that the sisters were well equipped to start off with. The Bishop of Bunbury offered the nuns a former Mercy Convent, which was vacant, as a temporary home. This was situated in Dardanup, a small farming centre, 12km from the city of Bunbury.

The ten foundresses left Bangkok by plane on November 4th, 1976, arriving at Perth airport early in the morning of the 5th November 1976, where Bishop McKeon and friends met them. From there they were taken to the Carmel of Nedlands (Perth) with which the Carmel of Bangkok had had close ties for long years. Some years before six sisters (two of whom were among the foundresses) had stayed there to learn English. The Foundresses remained there for eight months while the new monastery was being renovated; they spent the time learning something of their new homeland and for some, learning English. They made several trips to Dardanup to see how the work on their monastery was progressing and to meet the people. This interval was of great benefit to the nuns.

Bunbury is a city in the southwest of Western Australia. The diocese takes in all the lower portion of the state. The monastery is under the jurisdiction of the local ordinary and is in the Australian Regional Vicariate of the Anglo-Irish Province. Our Lady of Lourdes is the titular of the monastery.

The foundresses took up residence in their new Carmel on July 22nd 1977, and Bishop Myles McKeon celebrated the first Mass the next day 23rd July 1977. Due to certain circumstances, the Chapel was not ready until the day of the Official inauguration and Enclosure, 13th November 1977, at which time the Blessed Sacrament was reserved. From the time they were officially established, the nuns observed the Rule, Constitutions and Declarations given in April 1977.

The Community’s first house, a former Mercy Convent, was in Ferguson Road, Dardanup. The nuns soon had many friends and benefactors in the area, but the house was situated next to a school and not suitable for a Carmelite monastery, so another location was sought for to build a permanent Monastery. The site chosen was in Gelorup, 13km from Bunbury, still virgin bush just being developed. A two-hectare lot on Gelorup Rise was bought and donated by the Bishop. 

Bishop Peter Quinn who had succeeded to the Diocese of Bunbury on 4th August 1982 was instrumental in this matter. The foundation stone was blessed by him on the 18th September 1983 and on completion of the buildings, on the 25th March 1984 he con-celebrated the first mass with by then retired Bishop McKeon on the occasion of the official opening and inauguration. This was in the presence of many friends and benefactors. The Bishop pointed out that the building of this Carmel fulfilled a wish, being his first major work as Bishop of Bunbury. On the same day, in harmony with the wishes of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, he consecrated the whole diocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

The style of the Monastery is original, the nuns and the Bishop worked with the Architect, Mrs Iris Rossen, to produce a monastery that is small and laid out in a way that promotes solitude and silence, while witnessing to poverty. The external part of the Monastery, including the chapel, is built in the style of the old colonial rural homesteads. There is a guest room for priests giving retreats, relatives and friends visiting from overseas.