In the early days of settlement, the Catholic people of Merbein had to travel by either horse and buggy or bicycle to Mildura to attend Mass. This was no easy feat as the condition of the dirt road was subject to weather and needed constant maintenance.

Mass was first celebrated in Merbein on the first Sunday in May, 1920. From this time onwards, one of the Priests travelled from Mildura each week to say Mass in the original Merbein ANA Hall in Commercial Street. Seating was canvas deck chairs and later some long stools. Sometimes the deck chairs were known to collapse during Mass. The Hall also served as a picture theatre for the screening of black and while films and stills. It was not an ideal venue but still better than travelling into Mildura.

To enable the children of Merbein to have religious instruction, two Sisters of Mercy travelled to Merbein in a gig every Sunday . They prepared the children for the Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation. Clearly there was a need for, not only a Catholic Church in Merbein, but also a Catholic School.

The Church school was often packed out during the regular missions when the mission priests would visit every Catholic family in the area. The missions commenced with mass at 6am followed by Benediction and then the parishioners converted the building back to school use.

1927 12 December, the new Catholic Church school was opened in Box Street, Merbein. A great day for Merbein. In those days priests and people fasted from midnight. After Mass the families large and small stayed behind and shared community news.
1928 The Merbein Catholic Church / School were built at a cost of 1,650 pounds. Families mingled socially at dances and other functions in efforts to support the parish and reduce the debt on the school.
1956 April 8th, the stone was laid for Our Lady’s Church Merbein and was built at a cost of 16,400 pounds and was opened by Bishop O’Collins. Fr T Hussey was Parish Priest at the time.
1965 Millewa became part of the new Merbein Parish.
1966 10 July, Merbein Presbytery opened.
1992 May 31st, the Blessing and opening of extensions to Our Lady’s Catholic School Merbein.
1999 23 March, Sr Marion McDonald RSM was appointed Pastoral Leader of the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, Werrimull & Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Merbein.
2003 Two new classrooms were added to Our Ladys School. An additional basketball court was also built to accommodate the increased number of students.
2006 Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the blessing and opening of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Merbein.