In July 1909, two little girls and one little boy were tending cattle on a hill just south of the town of Cudworth when they saw a bright light appear on the hilltop. The little boy saw in that light a beautiful barefooted woman wearing white with a long golden chain and cross around her neck. As she appeared very sad, the children rushed to help her. She walked down the hillside to the west and disappeared. The children returned home to tell their parents what they’d seen and people quickly began to gather on the hill. 

The little boy died shortly afterwards and the two girls grew up, moved away and had families. The story was not forgotten but the site was eventually closed off by its owner, understandably frustrated by the crowds on his pasture. 

In the 1930s, while the district was experiencing a terrible drought, an old man appeared to a local farmer in a dream. He told him to erect a cross on the hill where the beautiful woman had appeared. The day this was accomplished, the rains came. The farmer, ignoring the dream at first, put it off until the old man returned insistent. 

The next day the farmer enlisted the help of a neighbour. They found the cross where the old man said it would be and they carted it up to the top of the Hill. That evening the rains came. 

There are a great many memories and stories associated with the Shrine. They have been lovingly compiled and recorded by Gloria Chernitsky. This compilation will be available at the pilgrimage.