From 1878, Father Chevier would celebrate Mass once in every three months in the Malvern region, in either road board offices or at Greendale Primary School.

Father O'Donnell oversaw the construction of the presbytery in September 1889 (now demolished) and extensions to the wooden church.

[1][4] The foundation stone was blessed on 11 October 1936 by Bishop Matthew Brodie and dedicated to Saint Joseph.

[5] In 2017, the church was repainted from its distinctive and often-mocked light-blue to its new colours of 'Double Dolphin Grey' and 'Oil Stone'.

[6][5] After a review of New Zealand building codes following the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake, the new church was built to handle large seismic events.