St Johns Church and Cemetery

Once the largest Catholic Community north of Adelaide, just 5kms SE of Kapunda

5 kms South East of Kapunda, the town of "Johnstown" was established by a large Irish Catholic community. They established the church of Saint John the Evangelist with the corner stone laid on April 2nd 1850, by Bishop Francis Murphy.

A presbytery was built at the same time as the church and a graveyard was established some 70 metres from the church entrance.

Father Fallon was appointed the first parish priest and remained living in the presbytery until his death, on 25 March 1860. Father Fallon was succeeded by Father Michael Ryan (died 24-08-1865). Others who served as parish priest, included: Father Jeremiah Moynahan (died 21-12-1867),

Father Hyland (died 13-04-1868),

Father Byrne

Father James Martin (who died in 1921).

A new cemetery was established close by (Saint John's Catholic), in 1861, sometimes known as "the lower cemetery".

In 1869 the church was converted into a school and convent, after the completion of a new Catholic Church within Kapunda (St Rose of Lima). This Reformatory was run by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and founded by St. Mary MacKillop, it ran successfully until 1909 when costings forced it to close