Geraldton, Diocese of (GERALDTONENSIS), in Australia, established in 1898, comprises the territory lying between the southern boundary of the Kimberley district and a line running eastward from the Indian Ocean along the 30th parallel of south latitude until it reaches the 120th degree of longitude, whence it follows the 29th degree of latitude to the south Australian border. It is a suffragan of Adelaide. There are 28 churches in the diocese, attended by 10 secular and 4 regular priests; 5 boarding and 12 primary schools with 747 pupils in charge of 51 sisters. The Presentation nuns, who made a foundation from Ireland in 1890, have 28 sisters in 6 communities; Dominican nuns from Dunedin, New Zealand, arrived in 1899, and have 4 communities with 24 sisters. The first bishop of the see, Right Rev. William Bernard Kelly, was consecrated August 14, 1898. The Bishop of Geraldton also has jurisdiction over the Vicariate of Kimberley.
THOMAS F. MEEHAN