Mother Gonzaga Barry founded a school at Portland, on Victoria’s south west coast, after spending time there convalescing in around 1881.

In December 1884, M. Gonzaga and community of five went to Portland and founded Loreto Convent, Portland, in a six room cottage belonging to D. Edgar in Bentinck Street, ‘Bayview Cottage’, which had been used by Mary MacKillop and family as a school.  Mother Boniface Volcher was the first Superior and Mother Raphael Gallavan the first Mistress of Schools.

Later ‘Seaview Cottage’ next door was purchased which was to become the boys’ college, St. Aloysius.

In 1900 the front of the Convent was built and in 1903 the wing with the spire was added.

This is now the site of Bayview College, Portland.