 Treacy was sent as leader of the Christian Brothers, together with three confrères Dominic Fursey Bodkin, John Barnabas Lynch and Patrick James Nolan, who arrived in Melbourne in the "Donald McKay" in November 1868 to find the Catholic school system receiving some state aid, but in a parlous condition under the control of local parish priests.Treacy opened a primary school in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne in 1869.Undaunted by lack of money, Treacy initiated a colony-wide campaign to finance land and buildings.