10/10 Excellent
patrick r.
26 Dec 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
patrick r.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Entire home
St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED
Photo gallery for St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED
Reviews
9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms5 bathroomsSleeps 10
Popular amenities
Rooms & beds
5 bedrooms (sleeps 10)
Bedroom 1
1 King Bed
Bedroom 2
1 King Bed
Bedroom 3
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 4
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 5
1 Queen Bed
5 bathrooms
Bathroom 1
Bathroom 2
Bathroom 3
Bathroom 4
Bathroom 5
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Garden
Dining area
About this property
St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED
* 1839 convict-built sandstone Catholic Church renovated and converted into unique and beautiful accommodation.
* Five bedrooms, four with ensuite
* Lounge room with large TV and Gas Fireplace
* Deck and plunge pool
* Onsite, lunch time weddings/events permitted on request (pls send an enquiry)
* Fire pit
* Pet Friendly
* Amazing satellite NBN Wi-Fi
Hi there, thanks for visiting St Joseph's Guesthouse on Stayz.
You'll find our beautiful property in St Albans, just two hours from Sydney and Newcastle. The church features accommodation for 10 guests onsite in five separate bedrooms - four with ensuites and one with an in-room clawfoot bath. There's also a large kitchen, dining area, lounge room with television and gas fireplace, big deck and a plunge pool for warm summer days, with plenty of lawn area for activities and even weddings.
Our property is an 1839 convict-built sandstone Catholic Church, which was purchased in 2009 and restored by myself, Steve, over three years. We've lovingly restored the church over the years from the crumbling, uninhabitable state it was in when we acquired it. Nothing brings us more joy than sharing this beautiful part of the world with guests - old and new.
While staying true to the original aesthetic, we pieced it back together and made some changes along the way. See that steel steeple on the church? And the gap beneath it? That’s our rooftop lounge area, complete with fire pit for you to toast marshmallows in comfort. Plus, we’re pretty confident it’s the best old church to witness a sunset from, this side of Europe.
PET FRIENDLY 🐕
WORK FROM HOME AT THE CHURCH.
We have amazing satellite NBN Wi-Fi
Wedding packages and pricing (*includes venue hire please ask on enquiry.):
Lunchtime weddings for 60 guests are our specialty as the curfew is 9:30pm.
It's a BYO property which means there's full flexibility to create your own day in a way that feels personal to you.
Our team can also help organise local transport for your guests, an Aboriginal smoking ceremony, a celebrant, catering, party hire and everything else you can possibly think of. Just touch base with us for a chat.
In St Albans Village, we have a pub and free camping available on the Macdonald River just across the road if you have additional people staying during the week or on the weekend.
---
Then yoga for everyone at the school of arts building St Albans at 8am.$15
The community tennis courts are available upon request.
Just ask at the pub.
Amazing convict walking tracks throughout the valley.
AWARDS: 2013 National Trust Award for Best Restored Heritage Building NSW.
We hope to welcome you at St Joseph's Guesthouse soon.
Looking forward to chatting
Regards Steve.
* Five bedrooms, four with ensuite
* Lounge room with large TV and Gas Fireplace
* Deck and plunge pool
* Onsite, lunch time weddings/events permitted on request (pls send an enquiry)
* Fire pit
* Pet Friendly
* Amazing satellite NBN Wi-Fi
Hi there, thanks for visiting St Joseph's Guesthouse on Stayz.
You'll find our beautiful property in St Albans, just two hours from Sydney and Newcastle. The church features accommodation for 10 guests onsite in five separate bedrooms - four with ensuites and one with an in-room clawfoot bath. There's also a large kitchen, dining area, lounge room with television and gas fireplace, big deck and a plunge pool for warm summer days, with plenty of lawn area for activities and even weddings.
Our property is an 1839 convict-built sandstone Catholic Church, which was purchased in 2009 and restored by myself, Steve, over three years. We've lovingly restored the church over the years from the crumbling, uninhabitable state it was in when we acquired it. Nothing brings us more joy than sharing this beautiful part of the world with guests - old and new.
While staying true to the original aesthetic, we pieced it back together and made some changes along the way. See that steel steeple on the church? And the gap beneath it? That’s our rooftop lounge area, complete with fire pit for you to toast marshmallows in comfort. Plus, we’re pretty confident it’s the best old church to witness a sunset from, this side of Europe.
PET FRIENDLY 🐕
WORK FROM HOME AT THE CHURCH.
We have amazing satellite NBN Wi-Fi
Wedding packages and pricing (*includes venue hire please ask on enquiry.):
Lunchtime weddings for 60 guests are our specialty as the curfew is 9:30pm.
It's a BYO property which means there's full flexibility to create your own day in a way that feels personal to you.
Our team can also help organise local transport for your guests, an Aboriginal smoking ceremony, a celebrant, catering, party hire and everything else you can possibly think of. Just touch base with us for a chat.
In St Albans Village, we have a pub and free camping available on the Macdonald River just across the road if you have additional people staying during the week or on the weekend.
---
Then yoga for everyone at the school of arts building St Albans at 8am.$15
The community tennis courts are available upon request.
Just ask at the pub.
Amazing convict walking tracks throughout the valley.
AWARDS: 2013 National Trust Award for Best Restored Heritage Building NSW.
We hope to welcome you at St Joseph's Guesthouse soon.
Looking forward to chatting
Regards Steve.
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Pool
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Have a question?
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House Rules
Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 11:00 AM
Children
Children allowed: ages 0–17
Events
Events allowed
Pets
Pets allowed
Smoking
Smoking allowed: in designated areas
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events are allowed on site
Host has indicated that there is no carbon monoxide detector on the property, but there are gas appliances; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
Property registration number PID-STRA-27040
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property
About the area
Lower Macdonald
Located in Lower Macdonald, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Wisemans Ferry Golf Club and Del Rio Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Marramarra National Park and Maroota Ridge State Conservation Area. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
St Albans, NSW
What's nearby
- Wollemi National Park - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
- Hawkesbury River - 8 min drive - 8.1 km
- Hawkins Lookout - 12 min drive - 15.0 km
- Norwest Business Park - 54 min drive - 72.3 km
- Macquarie University - 60 min drive - 78.8 km
Restaurants
- Convict Road Kiosk - 16 min drive
- Riverbend Restaurant - 16 min drive
- Settlers Arms Inn - 11 min drive
- Australis Retreat at Wisemans Ferry - 16 min drive
- Wisemans Ferry Inn Hotel - 15 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window9.0/10
Cleanliness
10/10
Check-in
9.8/10
Communication
9.8/10
Location
9.6/10
Listing accuracy
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Luc D.
3 Jul 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Super unique place!
Luc D.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
10/10 Excellent
Pat A.
28 Aug 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
St Joseph’s
Pat A.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
10/10 Excellent
Laken G., Bondi Beach
17 Aug 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful Weekend Away
Laken G.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
10/10 Excellent
Aimee G.
7 Jan 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Best place I have stayed in
Aimee G.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022
10/10 Excellent
Monika D.
7 Jan 2019
Breathtaking property!
Monika D.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
10/10 Excellent
Linzi N.
1 Jan 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Christmas break with friends
Linzi N.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2021
10/10 Excellent
Graham S.
2 Aug 2021
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place and great host
Graham S.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021
8/10 Good
Margy S.
10 Jun 2021
Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Birthday celebration
Margy S.
10/10 Excellent
Tony H., Newcastle
9 Jan 2019
Fantastic, comfortable, everything provided for maximum comfort and enjoyment.
Tony H.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019
This review was submitted before 2018 and can't be verified.
4/10 Poor
Camilla D.
31 Jan 2017
Unorganised and dirty
Camilla D.
This review was submitted before 2018 and can't be verified.
10/10 Excellent
Louise M.
27 Jul 2015
Excellent property
Louise M.
This review was submitted before 2018 and can't be verified.
10/10 Excellent
Trent J., New South Wales, Australia
20 Apr 2015
Majestic
Trent J.
This review was submitted before 2018 and can't be verified.
10/10 Excellent
Cheree H.
16 Mar 2015
Absolutely Amazing
Cheree H.
About the host
Hosted by Steve Kavanagh
Hey there, I’m Steve.
I bought this unique property in 2009 when the church was roofless and full of trees growing inside. We fixed this place up with a helping hand from friends, family and a bunch of talented tradesmen. After three years of building, we completed the marathon rebirth of this once-grand building, with a few additional touches.
Our achievements were recognized in 2013 when we won the National Trust Best-Restored Heritage Building in NSW, an award we’re very proud of and are now so happy to be hosting weddings at our beautiful church.
This is also the perfect spot for a weekend away for a group of 10 people! Relax in lounge areas or by the pool.
I bought this unique property in 2009 when the church was roofless and full of trees growing inside. We fixed this place up with a helping hand from friends, family and a bunch of talented tradesmen. After three years of building, we completed the marathon rebirth of this once-grand building, with a few additional touches.
Our achievements were recognized in 2013 when we won the National Trust Best-Restored Heritage Building in NSW, an award we’re very proud of and are now so happy to be hosting weddings at our beautiful church.
This is also the perfect spot for a weekend away for a group of 10 people! Relax in lounge areas or by the pool.
Why they chose this property
We're confident this is one of the most unique buildings you’ll ever stay in. It is the largest sandstone structure built outside the Sydney basin in the 1830s and the oldest Catholic Church on mainland Australia.
What makes this property unique
The church and its surrounding district of Wisemans Ferry and St Albans are very historic to early settlement. The church also offers a lot of of privacy as it is set on 5 acres of grass and bushland. Yet it is only 2 hours from the CBD of Sydney and Newcastle.
Languages:
English
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