St Xavier’s School continues the fine tradition established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1879 of providing high quality affordable education to the children of Gunnedah and district. The Sisters of Mercy were founded by Catherine McAuley (1779-1841) in Ireland in 1831; the first Convent was in Baggot Street, Dublin.

Four Sisters of Mercy arrived in Gunnedah from Singleton on the 3rd of January, 1879 to establish a School. They were apparently met, some miles outside the town by a large number of residents of the district who escorted them to town.

In that first year St Xavier’s School was opened in the original Church Hall with an enrolment of 100 students. As this School offered the only education in the town, numbers grew quickly and the School moved into larger rented premises in Little Conadilly Street in 1880, on the same block as today’s Convent of Mercy. In 1882 the School due to increasing numbers moved to its present site on the corner of Henry and Bloomfield Streets in a larger weather board building. In 1955 the weather board building was moved to the present administration site and a new brick building consisting of six classrooms, a kindergarten room, small administration area and resource area was constructed and was opened in 1955.

In the early 1970s the weather board building was demolished and replaced by a new brick construction consisting of a large administration area, five classrooms and toilet facilities and was opened in 1978. In mid 1983 two large classrooms were constructed in the corner bounded by Little Bloomfield and Henry Streets. During the 1980s demountables were purchased for the Library and canteen also a large weather board hall was moved on site to be used as a temporary Hall. 

In 2011 our multipurpose hall was opened and In 2019 a major rebuild of the entire school commenced which now includes a series of large flexible learning spaces, a library at the centre of the school, new admin areas and extensive manicured grounds and multipurpose courts.