What’s In a Name delves into the fascinating stories and personalities behind some of the city’s best-known street names. This week the Journal looks at central Dandenong’s Halpin Way, named in honour of Sister Ann Halpin.
A reminder of Ann Halpin’s legacy takes pride of place in central Dandenong.
Greater Dandenong Council unveiled an interpretive sign bearing the story of how the new Halpin Way got its name in September 2013.
Ms Halpin was a City of Greater Dandenong Living Treasure and passed away in 2009 following a seven-month battle with a brain tumour.
She was born in 1939 in St Kilda, the eldest and only girl of six children born to William and Nance Halpin.
At age 20, Ms Halpin was working in a bank. At 21, her strong need to help others through education drew her to join the Presentation Sisters.
Her training as a teacher took her to Our Lady of Lourdes, Armadale, and her first position as principal was at St Joseph’s in Boronia.
She arrived in Dandenong as the St Mary’s Primary School principal in 1974 and became part of the strong commitment to Dandenong the Presentation Sisters had held since the first sisters arrived there to teach in 1912.
After further study she took on parish pastoral work and encountered isolated refugees and migrants, particularly women.
She approached her colleagues with a vision to help through breaking down language and cultural barriers.
The Presentation Sisters vacated their Langhorne Street home and opened the doors to Wellsprings for Women in 1995.
At first, 10 women attended for two hours on a Friday morning. The centre now helps hundreds of women and is open weekdays for English lessons, craft courses, computer training and more.
Presentation Sister Bernadette Keating said Sr Halpin was creative and a born organiser with a deep concern for people.
“Ann’s spirit is with us to this day and this signage will remind us that it’s still there in the future,” she said.
Sr Halpin’s brother John Halpin said she was a humble and simple person.
“She would be mortified to see what was happening today in her honour,” he said.
“Ann simply loved the people of Dandenong.
“It was the only place for her to be.”
