This book offers for the first time a complete English translation of Bishop Rosendo Salvado's 1883 Report to Propaganda Fide, the Roman congregation responsible for Catholic missionary work overseas. Its purpose was to give a detailed account of the Benedictine mission among the Noongar people of Western Australia, illustrated by the origins, development and present condition of New Norcia from 1844 to 1883. The Report is a primary source of great value to those interested in the history of the Benedictine mission of New Norcia, and to those with an interest in Colonial Australia and the history of multi-cultural contact between Indigenous Australians and Europeans. It is also a fascinating, first-hand account of the scandals that were being played out in the Perth Catholic diocese between 1847 and 1883, recording not only the missionary achievements, but also the setbacks and failures caused by the harsh climate, diseases, ecclesiastical politics and greed. The Report also discusses events in the wider world affecting the monastic community, such as the political and economic developments within colonial society and the introduction of new technologies. New Norcia emerges as a popular destination for visitors from Australia and overseas, including Colonial Governors, clergy from other Christian denominations, government surveyors, explorers, technicians laying the telegraph line, merchants, gold-diggers, bootleggers and Noongar people from other areas. Throughout the pages of this book, we discover the adult life of Bishop Rosendo Salvado (1814-1900), one of the most fascinating figures in the history of Colonial Australia and a missionary characterized by an extraordinary blend of idealism and pragmatism. Stefano Girola was born in Milan and now lives in Brisbane where he was awarded a PhD in Studies in Religion from the University of Queensland for his thesis on the policies and attitudes of the Catholic Church with regard to Australia's Indigenous peoples, 1885-1967. He has published widely in this area of research and in the history of Italian migration to Australia. Stefano is an Honorary Fellow at the ACU School of Theology (Brisbane) and teaches History at the University of Southern Queensland (Springfield). In 2012 he was awarded the annual Abbot Placid Spearritt Memorial Scholarship. Emeritus Professor John Neylon Molony was Head of the History Department at the Australian National University. He is the author of fourteen books. He continues to write in retirement and has just completed a study of James Cook's voyage to Eastern Australia on HMS Endeavour.