St Joseph's is the oldest Catholic Church building still in use in Wellington and was the first Catholic church building in the Porirua basin. Prior to its construction, Catholic services in what was known as the Pahatanui [sic] Small Farms District, were held in a private residence by Father Petijean SM. In August 1876, Henry Abbott, Roderick Mulhern, and Patrick Murphy donated money to acquire land for a new church from local landowner, Thomas Hollis Stace.

The new church was designed by Thomas Turnbull, a significant Wellington-based architect. Turnbull's design was a simple timber Gothic church measuring 18 ft. x 38 ft. [5.5m x 11.5m] and containing seating for 100 people. It was built by Blackie and Foster, and completed in 1878. The church was consecrated by Bishop Francis Redwood (later Archbishop) on 28 April 1878. The first priest was Father John Joseph Lane, who was appointed parish priest of the Hutt in 1886. Father Lane, later Dean Lane, continued to serve the Hutt Valley and Porirua Basin until his death in the 1920s.

St Joseph's is noted for the use of 'poor man's stained glass', a form of printed, coloured transparent paper, imitating the forms and colours of glass. Adjacent to the church is a graveyard where a number of early settlers to the Pauatahanui area are buried.

St Joseph's is significant as it is the oldest Catholic Church building still in use in Wellington and the first Catholic Church in the Porirua basin. It was designed by notable architect Thomas Turnbull, and is a perfectly realised simple Gothic church.