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St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED

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Point of interest
Exterior
Exterior
Property grounds
Pool

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms5 bathroomsSleeps 10

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Free Wi-Fi

Explore the area

View map
St Albans, NSW
  • Place, Wollemi National Park
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Hawkesbury River
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Place, Macquarie University
    ‪60 min drive‬

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.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi

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House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Important information

You need to know

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. Del Rio Golf Course and Jubilee Vineyard Estate 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.
View more Holiday homes in Lower MacdonaldOpens in a new window
Map
St Albans, NSW

What's nearby

  • Wollemi National Park - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Hawkesbury River - 8 min drive - 8.1 km
  • Norwest Business Park - 54 min drive - 72.3 km
  • Hillsong Church - 56 min drive - 73.8 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

Does St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

How much does it cost to stay at St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED?

As of 31 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED on 9 June 2026 start from AU$1,600, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

How much is parking at St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is St Albans St Joseph's Guest House PETS WELCOMED located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is within 9 miles (15 km) of Cobham Hall Museum, Ferry Artists and Village Green. Hawkesbury River and Hawkins Lookout are also within 9 miles (15 km).

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 window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 12 out of 14 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 14 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 14 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 14 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 14 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

patrick r.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Property was fantastic for pets, very spacious and lots of grass area for dogs to run.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Luc D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Super unique place!

We all had such a great time. Thanks Steve
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Pat A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

St Joseph’s

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Interesting to read the history of the church being convict built in 1839, burnt down in 1888 and rebuilt by the new owner some 101 years later. Now an amazing venue and holiday stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Laken G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Weekend Away

Wow! This property is beautiful and so unique. It’s such a stunning location. Absolutely perfect for a weekend away. I’ve never seen a more well set up kitchen too! Perfect for cooking big lunches/dinners!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Aimee G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best place I have stayed in

This amazingly renovated church is like no other place you will stay. It has everything and more The bedrooms are all great sizes with en suites and amazing views with natural daylight coming in through every windows lighting up the inside The pool was the cherry on the cake, it really made the stay perfect having the pool walking distance but it also felt like you was somewhere else with the view from that area My friends and I cannot wait to stay here again, we loved it and Steve the host is really nice and responded quickly to any text queries
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Monika D.

Breathtaking property!

Staying in St Joseph’s guest house was an experience in itself. It’s an absolutely stunning property with plenty of living spaces, well equipped kitchen and refreshing swimming pool. The bedrooms were clean and beds were super comfortable with good quality linen. Each bedroom has on suite which made it easy for our group of 10. The house is located in a very quiet area, away from the road and any noises, which makes it a perfect hide away location for getting away from the city and busy lifestyle. We had no phone reception and no internet, which was a perfect for getting lost in a book or enjoying hours of dinning with a group of friends. The grounds are well kept and our Labrador loved running in and out and around of the house. The owner was communicative even on Christmas Day. I recommend St Joseph’ guest house for those who want to get away from the busyness of everyday life and spend quality time enjoying company of friends and family.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Linzi N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Christmas break with friends

Fabulous property, Steve very relaxed and easy to communicate with.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Graham S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place and great host

Great stay. Host very accommodating during pandemic times.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

8/10 Good

Margy S.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Birthday celebration

Very good. But tv and washing not working
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tony H.

Fantastic, comfortable, everything provided for maximum comfort and enjoyment.

We stayed for an end of year staff party/get together and we were blown away by the beauty and uniqueness of the place. It was a huge property with so many nooks, crannies and relics to explore. Everything was neat and readily available and our host was welcoming and helpful. We would stay again in a heartbeat!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019
Archival

4/10 Poor

Camilla D.

Unorganised and dirty

We booked the guesthouse for our wedding. Upon arrival we discovered the house was very dirty, kitchen equipment was greasy and very unhygienic, several light bulbs not working. We contacted the owner to let him now it needed to be properly cleaned for our wedding. The owner promised to send a cleaner who never arrived and we had to clean the entire house ourselves. Very disappointing and such a shame the management is poor as it is a beautiful place.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Louise M.

Excellent property

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this venue and was an optimum place for our wedding celebrations.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Trent J.

Majestic

The photographs should speak for themselves, but this place lives up to the expectation. The spaces are vast and well appointed and the location is beautiful. You will not be disappointed.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Cheree H.

Absolutely Amazing

Our stay at St Joseph's Guest House was an absolute pleasure. The church has everything you could think of for a relaxing and elegant 5 star getaway. We enjoyed all this property has to offer. The kitchen is wonderful to entertain in, hosting all the mod cons. We enjoyed sitting out on the private back deck, overlooking the grounds and pool. We really enjoyed looking around the property that holds a lot of history for the area. Steve the owner is an amazing host and has done an outstanding job on bringing back to life this grand old building. I would totally recommend to grab a few friends and book out the entire place for a weekend or even longer. Thank you from all the girls, we really enjoyed our weekend getaway.

About the host

Hosted by Steve Kavanagh

Host profile image
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.

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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