On 4 May 1899, he was appointed Bishop of Rockhampton, where he completed the cathedral, built 19 churches and established 10 schools, 8 institutions for lay women, and 2 communities of nuns.[2][4]
^ abc"BISHOP HIGGINS DEATH". The Advocate. Vol. XLVII, no. 2244. Melbourne. 25 September 1915. p. 23. Retrieved 4 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
^Hale, Frances O'Kane. Higgins, Joseph (1838–1915). Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
^"PERSONAL". The Advertiser. Vol. XLVI, no. 14, 173. South Australia. 22 March 1904. p. 4. Retrieved 6 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.