BREWONGLE IS A SMALL VILLAGE JUST TO THE SOUTH-EAST OF BATHURST THAT HAS ESCAPED THE DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAS ENGULFED A LARGE PART OF BATHURST'S FORMERLY PRISTINE RURAL HINTERLAND. BREWONGLE WAS ORIGINALLY A STATION OF FISH RIVER (NOW OBERON) PARISH. FOR A FEW YEARS A PARISH SCHOOL WITH 35 PUPILS WAS HELD IN THE VILLAGE. IN 1893 BREWONGLE PASSED TO KELSO AND THEN THE CATHEDRAL. REGULAR MASSES WERE HELD IN THE VILLAGE THOUGH THE LOCAL CATHOLIC FAITHFUL OFTEN HAD TO GO TO KELSO CHURCH ON SUNDAYS TO MASS. LOCAL LEGEND SAYS THAT A STAUNCHLY CATHOLIC LANDOWNER FROM BREWONGLE WAS NEARLY KILLED DUE TO A LIGHTNING STRIKE WHILE GOING TO MASS ONE DAY AND SO GAVE LAND FOR A CHURCH TO BE BUILT LOCALLY. WHATEVER THE TRUTH A PLAIN LITTLE IRON CHAPEL OF EASE WAS BUILT THERE IN THE 1930's. IT CONTINUED TO BE USED FOR SOME 30 YEARS BEFORE BEING SHUT DURING THE 1960's. THE OLD CHURCH IS NOW USED AS A STORAGE HUT.

EGLINTON WAS A SMALL VILLAGE JUST TO THE WEST OF BATHURST CITY THAT HAS RECENTLY BEEN ABSORBED INTO A FAST GROWING OUTER SUBURBAN FRINGE BELT.

DURING THE EARLY 1900's THE CATHEDRAL MAINTAINED A REGULAR MASS STATION IN EGLINTON. IN 1954 ASSISTED BY STRONG SUPPORT FROM A LOCAL CONGREGATION THE ATTRACTIVE LITTLE CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA WAS CONSTRUCTED. THE CHURCH WAS BUILT OF RED-BRICK WITH A TRADITIONAL DESIGN OF CHANCEL, NAVE, SACRISTY AND PORCH. IT WAS USED OVER ABOUT TWENTY YEARS FIRSTLY AS PART OF THE CATHEDRAL PARISH AND THEN OF THE NEW WEST BATHURST PARISH FROM 1960 ONWARDS. AROUND 1974 THE PARISH DECIDED TO CLOSE THE STATION AND THE CHURCH WAS THEN DEMOLISHED THE TWO STAINED GLASS WINDOWS BEING PASSED ON TO THE PARISH CENTRE IN BATHURST. THE LAND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD FOR A MODERN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

DURING THE 1950's WHEN PLANS WERE BEING MADE FOR THE RENEWING OF THE CATHEDRAL THREE HUTS WERE BOUGHT FROM BATHURST MIGRANT CAMP TO BE RE-ERECTED IN WEST, SOUTH AND EAST BATHURST. THE ONE PUT UP AT GORMANS HILL (EAST BATHURST) WAS LOCATED OPPOSITE THE ENTRANCE WAY TO ST VINCENT'S HOSPITAL AFTER WHICH IT WAS NAMED. IT WAS A PLAIN OBLONG BUILDING AS CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN IN THE PHOTO TAKEN AT THE OPENING OF THE CHURCH BY BISHOP NORTON (LEFT). THE CHURCH CONTINUED IN USAGE AFTER THE CATHEDRAL RENOVATIONS WERE COMPLETED AND IT WAS NOT FINALLY CLOSED DOWN UNTIL THE MID-70's. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF BISHOP THOMAS' DIOCESAN CATHOLIC GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL NEXT DOOR TO THE HOSPITAL THE OLD BUILDING WAS FIRST USED AS PART OF THE SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE BEING FINALLY DEMOLISHED.

THE HISTORIC VILLAGE OF KELSO LIES TO THE EAST OF BATHURST AND WAS ONE OF THE OLDEST VILLAGES TO THE WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS. IT CAN LAY CLAIM TO AN EVEN LONGER PEDIGREE THAN BATHURST CITY ITSELF. WITH NEWER TIMES MODERN DEVELOPMENT HAS AT LAST CAUGHT UP WITH KELSO AND TODAY IT IS A GROWING SUBURB ABSORBED INTO ITS NEIGHBOUR. THE CATHOLIC HISTORY OF KELSO TOWN GOES BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF THE CHURCH IN THE WEST. IT WAS HERE IN THE GOLDEN FLEECE INN THAT THE FIRST MASS TO BE CELEBRATED IN BATHURST TOOK PLACE THOUGH IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE 1870's THAT A PERMANENT PRESENCE IN THE FORM OF A CATHOLIC SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED. IN 1886 THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH MOVED FROM WHITE ROCK INTO KELSO TO TAKE OVER THE SCHOOL. FROM 1892 UNTIL AROUND 1922 KELSO FORMED A PARISH WITH BOUNDARIES SET BY PEEL, SUNNY CORNER KIRKCONNELL O'CONNELL AND BREWONGLE. A WOODEN CHURCH (<<) WAS ERECTED IN 1886 AND SERVED KELSO AS A PARISH AND STATION CHURCH UNTIL 1960. AFTER CLOSURE THE COMPLEX WAS SOLD AND THE BUILDINGS USED FIRSTLY AS AN ANTIQUE SHOP AND LATER A HOME.

FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF PASTORAL CARE NEEDS UNDERTAKEN THROUGH BATHURST PARISH IN 1979 WITH THE AIM OF SERVING THE CHANGING POPULATION OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE KELSO REGION WHICH HAD NOW BEEN ABSORBED BY BATHURST AND WAS IN THE MIDST OF A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION BOOM, IT WAS DECIDED TO RE-ESTABLISH A MASS STATION IN KELSO. A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THIS REVIEW AND ALSO DUE TO THE POPULATION GROWTH IN THE SUBURB HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL HAD OPENED IN THE ONCE ANGLICAN MARSDEN COLLEGE AND ACCORDINGLY THE LOVELY OLD SCHOOL CHAPEL WAS CONVERTED TO SERVE AS THE NEW STATIONAL CHURCH.
NAMED AFTER THE SCHOOL OF WHICH IT WAS A PART, THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY LASTED ONLY ABOUT TEN YEARS BEFORE THE STATION WAS ONCE AGAIN CLOSED. TODAY IT FORMS A PART OF THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION CENTRE IN KELSO AS WELL AS BEING USED BY THE SCHOOL.

DURING THE 1870's A CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS ERECTED ON THE PALING YARDS ROAD AT LIMEKILNS BETWEEN PEEL AND WATTLE FLAT AND A MARRIAGE IN THE CHURCH WAS RECORDED IN 1886. BY THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY HOWEVER THE CHURCH HAD FALLEN INTO DISUSE AND IT WAS TRANSPORTED TO S0FALA IN 1913. IN 1924 THE BUILDING WAS AGAIN RELOCATED, THIS TIME TO WATTLE FLAT TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL CHURCH THERE. AS THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION (SHOWN AT LEFT) THIS SIMPLE LITTLE WOODEN BUILDING CONTINUED TO SERVE THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT SEVENTY YEARS UNTIL DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED IN 1998.

TOP

HISTORIC CHURCHES

MOUNT DAVID

MOUNT DAVID LIES MIDWAY BETWEEN ROCKLEY AND BURRAGA. IT WAS THE LOCATION OF A MAJOR COPPER MINE FROM THE EARLY 1900's. IN THE 1920's THE ORE BODY WAS EXHAUSTED AND THE MINE CLOSED. THESE DAYS THE ONCE THRIVING MINING SETTLEMENT HAS DWINDLED INTO A TINY HAMLET.

MOUNT DAVID WAS A MASS STATION OF ROCKLEY PARISH. STARTING WITH THE OPENING OF THE MINE MASSES WERE HELD IN AN OLD STABLE MADE WITH SLABS AND LINED WITH BOARDS FROM BROKEN UP BOXES. IN 1919 AN IMPRESSIVE NEW CHURCH WAS BUILT OUT OF CONCRETE BLOCKS LARGELY USING VOLUNTEERS TESTAMENT TO THE FAITH OF THE MAINLY CATHOLIC POPULATION. AFTER THE DECLINE OF THE VILLAGE HOLDING OF MASS WAS DISCONTINUED FROM THE 60's. LATER THE CHURCH WAS SOLD AND TODAY IT IS USED AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF O'CONNELL LIES SOUTH-EAST OF BATHURST ON THE ROAD LEADING TO OBERON. ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS IN THE AREA, IT WAS ONCE A SERVICE CENTRE FOR A RICH FARMING AREA. AFTER SUFFERING FROM A STEADY DECLINE DURING THE 20th CENTURY IT HAS TODAY BECOME A GROWTH AREA OF THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING TOWN OF BATHURST.

IN 1864 O'CONNELL BECAME THE CENTRE OF THE FISH RIVER PARISH THAT COVERED A BROAD AREA SOUTHWARD TO PORTER'S RETREAT. AROUND 1880 THIS PARISH WAS RENAMED O'CONNELL PLAINS. FIVE YEARS LATER THE PARISH TOWN WAS MOVED TO OBERON WHERE IT HAS REMAINED TO THIS DAY. O'CONNELL THEN BECAME A STATION OF OBERON, KELSO AND LAST BATHURST. ST FRANCIS' WAS ONE OF TWO CHURCHES BUILT AROUND BATHURST IN THE 1860's BY DEAN GRANT, THE OTHER BEING AT PEEL. FINALLY IN 1877 A LITTLE CONVENT AND A CONVENT SCHOOL WERE FOUNDED BY THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH THAT LASTED TILL 1954. THE STATION ITSELF WAS CLOSED IN 1964. TODAY THAT CHURCH AND CONVENT ARE THE SOLE REMINDER OF O'CONNELL'S STRONG AND HISTORICAL CATHOLIC PAST.

THE BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI DATES BACK TO 1868 WHEN DEAN GRANT UNDERTOOK THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN PEEL AND O'CONNELL. DESIGNED BY EDWARD GELL THE CHURCH WAS BLESSED IN 1869.

THE CHURCH IS CONSTRUCTED FROM ROUGH-HEWN SANDSTONE AND MORTAR IN A TYPICALLY GOTHIC STYLE WITH NAVE AND CHANCEL. ENTRANCE IS VIA AN IMPRESSIVE SPIRED SOUTH-WEST TOWER WITH THREE NARROW LANCETS MARKING THE ENGLISH PERPENDICULAR STYLE EASTERN END. THE LANCET MOTIF IS RETAINED IN THE NAVE WALLS AND WEST END WHICH ALSO CONTAINS A SMALL EYE-WINDOW. THE NAVE WALLS AND TOWER ARE SUPPORTED BY PLAIN BUTTRESSES IN THE EARLY ENGLISH STYLE.

BOTH IN ITS DESIGN AND ATMOSPHERE O'CONNELL RESEMBLES AN ENGLISH COUNTRY CHURCH WHICH HAS BEEN TRANSPORTED INTO THE ANTIPODES - A RARITY IN THE PREDOMINANTLY IRISH AND FRENCH INFLUENCED ARCHITECTURAL STYLES MORE USUAL IN 19th CENTURY AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES.

PEEL, TODAY A LITTLE VILLAGE NORTH OF BATHURST, WAS ONCE CONSIDERED TO BE A 'COMING' TOWN. THOUGH UNFULFILLED, IT WAS A VISION SHARED BY DEAN GRANT WHO WAS HOLDING MASSES THERE ONCE A MONTH AS EARLY AS 1857. ALTHOUGH A PRIEST WAS APPOINTED TO PEEL IN THE 1860's MOST OF ITS LIFE HAS BEEN SPENT AS A STATION, VARIOUSLY OF BATHURST, KELSO, BATHURST AND WEST BATHURST. THE STATION WAS CLOSED AROUND 1972.

IN MARCH OF 1859 TENDERS WERE CALLED FOR A RED BRICK CHURCH TO BE ERECTED IN PEEL. AFTER DELAYS THE CHURCH WAS COMPLETED IN 1860 AND OPENED ON NEW YEAR'S DAY 1861. POPULARLY KNOWN AS ST MARY'S, IT CONSISTED OF A NAVE WITH A BIG WEST PORCH. AS DESIGNED IT WAS ALSO MEANT TO INCLUDE A CHANCEL AND A TOWER SIMILAR TO O'CONNELL, THOUGH THIS NEVER EVENTUATED. A SCHOOL WAS OPENED IN THE CHURCH IN 1868. THIS WAS LATER STAFFED BY THE JOSEPHITES. THE CHURCH WAS EXTENSIVELY RENOVATED FOR ITS CENTENARY IN 1961 BUT CLOSED SOON AFTER AND SOLD. MUCH ALTERED, IT IS NOW USED AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

THE AREA WHICH IS KNOWN TODAY AS PERTHVILLE AND WAS FIRST CALLED QUEEN CHARLOTTE'S VALE IS A SMALL RURAL HAMLET JUST TO THE SOUTH OF BATHURST OF WHICH IT IS A STATION. IN THE 1870's IT WAS CHOSEN BY BISHOP QUINN TO BE THE NEW HOME FOR THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH AND TODAY THE LARGE CONVENT COMPLEX STILL DOMINATES THE VILLAGE. IN 1964 PERTHVILLE PASSED BRIEFLY TO THE NEW PARISH OF SOUTH BATHURST ONLY TO BE RETURNED TO THE CATHEDRAL PARISH IN THE COURSE OF THE PARISH REORGANISATION OF 1979.

DURING THE MID 1800's A SMALL WOODEN CHURCH / SCHOOL WAS ERECTED IN PERTHVILLE (LEFT). FROM 1872 UNTIL 1886 THIS TINY CHURCH SERVED AS THE ORATORY FOR THE SISTERS, A SCHOOL ROOM FOR THE LOCAL CHILDREN AND A SUNDAY MASS CENTRE FOR THE POPULATION OF PERTHVILLE. IN 1886 THE BUILDING WAS RELOCATED TO ANOTHER SITE NEXT TO THE NEW CHURCH WHERE UNTIL IT WAS FINALLY DEMOLISHED IN 1957 IT WAS USED AS THE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND WHERE A STATUE OF OUR LADY NOW MARKS THE SITE OF THE FORMER CHURCH/SCHOOL.

IN 1886 THE OLD CHURCH WAS REPLACED BY A MUCH LARGER STRUCTURE. THE NEW ST JOHN'S WAS AN IMPRESSIVE RED BRICK BUILDING WITH A PRETTY CREAM TRIM. AS FIRST ERECTED THE CHURCH CONSISTED OF JUST A NAVE AND CHANCEL BUT IT WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THE ADDITION OF A SACRISTY AND WEST PORCH IN 1912 (>>>).

ST JOHN'S CHURCH SERVED THE LOCAL PERTHVILLE COMMUNITY FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS. BY THE EARLY 80's THE NUMBERS ATTENDING HAD REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY AND THE CHURCH WAS PROVING TOO BIG AND DRAUGHTY FOR THE SMALL NUMBER ASSISTING. IN DUE COURSE THE CHURCH WAS THEN CLOSED AND LATER REPLACED AS LOCAL MASS CENTRE BY THE LARGER CHAPEL OF ST JOSEPH AT THE CONVENT.

AFTER ITS CLOSURE THE OLD CHURCH LAY IDLE FOR SOME YEARS UNTIL IN 2000 IT WAS FULLY RENOVATED AND CONVERTED INTO TWO UNITS FOR USE AS A HOME FOR THE PERTHVILLE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH.

RAGLAN IS A SMALL VILLAGE LOCATED ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE EAST OF BATHURST AND KELSO. FOR MOST OF ITS EXISTENCE IT WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A WHISTLESTOP ON THE WESTERN RAILWAY BUT THE RECENT RESIDENTIAL EXPANSION OF BATHURST CITY HAS SEEN THE SETTLEMENT DRAWN INTO THE GREATER BATHURST CONURBATION.

IN THE 1950's A CHAPEL OF EASE FOR THE CATHEDRAL PARISH WAS BUILT OPPOSITE THE RAILWAY GATES NEXT TO RAGLAN STATION AND THEN USED AS A MASS STATION FOR SOME 15 YEARS BEFORE BEING CLOSED DOWN. IT WAS A SIMPLE TIN SHED SIMILAR TO THE CHURCHES FOUND AT BREWONGLE AND VITTORIA AND WAS DEDICATED TO ST ANTHONY OF PADUA. AS A RESULT OF THE CHANGES IN POPULATION AND TRANSPORT ATTENDANT ON BATHURST'S EXPANSION THE STATION WAS CLOSED IN THE EARLY 1970's AND THE SITE SOLD FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

TOP

HISTORIC CHURCHES

SOUTH BATHURST

THE BRICK CHURCH / SCHOOL OF ST PHILOMENA WAS ERECTED IN SOUTH BATHURST IN 1901 AND FOR SIXTY YEARS WAS A STATION OF THE CATHEDRAL BEFORE BECOMING A NEW PARISH IN ITS OWN RIGHT WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERTHVILLE AND THE LAGOON IN 1964. THE AREA COVERED BY THE PARISH WAS EXTENDED ca 1975 BY THE AMALGAMATION WITH ROCKLEY PARISH. JUST FOUR YEARS LATER THE PARISH WAS SUPPRESSED AND THE AREA REABSORBED INTO THE CATHEDRAL PARISH. IN 1988 THE STATION WAS CLOSED.

ST PHILOMENA'S IN SOUTH BATHURST WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED AS A CHURCH / SCHOOL IN 1901 BY THE BISHOP OF BATHURST DR DUNNE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF MILLTOWN AS IT WAS THEN KNOWN. IT CONSISTED OF A SINGLE HALL-TYPE STRUCTURE USED DURING WEEKDAYS AS THE SCHOOL AND ON SUNDAYS AS THE CHURCH. IT WAS HOWEVER TO BE JUST THE BEGINNING.

IN 1912 AN APSIDAL CHANCEL WAS ADDED TO THE CHURCH / SCHOOL AS A PERMANENT SANCTUARY (LEFT). THIS ADDITION, CORRECTLY ORIENTED TO THE EAST AND THUS ABUTTING DIRECTLY ONTO THE STREET, COULD BE CLOSED OFF DURING THE WEEKDAYS WHEN THE CHURCH FUNCTIONED AS A SCHOOL THUS PERMITTING THE HOLY SACRAMENT TO BE RESERVED (BELOW RIGHT). IN 1922 AND 1936 FURTHER EXTENSIONS WERE MADE BUT THESE WERE ADDITIONAL TO THE PRIMARY SCHOOL ITSELF RATHER THAN THE CHURCH (LEFT).

DESPITE THE EXTRA CLASSROOOMS SPACE WAS STILL LIMITED AND WHEN IN 1960 A NEW ST PHILOMENA'S CHURCH WAS TO BE ERECTED AROUND THE CORNER THE ORIGINAL CHURCH BECAME SIMPLY ONE OF THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS. IN 1989 FOLLOWING THE RELOCATION OF THE SCHOOL IN 1983 AND THE CLOSURE OF THE CHURCH IN 1988 THE BUILDINGS WERE SOLD AND ALL BUT ONE DEMOLISHED. THE ORIGINAL 1901 BUILDING STILL REMAINS HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH NOW CONVERTED INTO A POPULAR BED AND BREAKFAST (BELOW LEFT).

THE IMPETUS FOR A NEW CHURCH IN SOUTH BATHURST WAS A DIRECT OUTCOME OF THE DECISION TO REFURBISH THE CATHEDRAL. TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONGREGATION THUS DISPLACED FROM THEIR NORMAL PLACE OF WORSHIP THREE FORMER BARRACKS WERE PURCHASED FROM THE BATHURST MIGRANT CAMP AND RELOCATED TO EAST, WEST AND SOUTH BATHURST FOR USE AS CHURCHES. HERE THE FORMER BARRACKS WERE FULLY RENOVATED AND REFURBISHED FOR THEIR IMPORTANT NEW ECCLESIASTICAL USAGES.

THIS CHURCH IN SOUTH BATHURST (RIGHT) PROVED ITSELF SUCH A SUCCESS THAT IT WAS THEN MADE A PARISH CHURCH IN 1964. SADLY THIS YEAR PROVED TO BE THE PEAK AND WAS FOLLOWED BY A STEADY DECLINE IN NUMBERS AND VOCATIONS. THUS IN 1979 THE PARISH WAS RE-AMALGAMATED WITH THE CATHEDRAL PARISH AND IN 1988 THE CHURCH WAS CLOSED. IN 1989 THE CHURCH WAS SOLD AND DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR MODERN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

TRIANGLE FLAT IS A TINY RURAL LOCALITY ON THE ROAD BETWEEN TRUNKEY AND ROCKLEY WHERE A SMATTERING OF FARMHOUSES ARE THE ONLY INDICATION TODAY OF ONE OF THE OLDEST COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION. FROM THE LATE 1800's TRIANGLE FLAT WAS A MASS STATION OF ROCKLEY PARISH AND IN 1926 ON THE INITIATIVE OF FATHER McKEON A SMALL CHURCH WAS ERECTED (LEFT). AS WAS THE COMMON PRACTICE AT THE TIME THE CHURCH WAS AN UNPRETENTIOUS TIN BUILDING WHICH CONSISTED OF JUST NAVE AND PORCH. IN THE MID-60's THE CHURCH WAS CLOSED ALTHOUGH THE SMALL CEMETERY REMAINS. FOLLOWING THE CLOSURE OF THE CHURCH IT WAS SOLD THEN TRANSPORTED A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD TO ROCKLEY AND REDEDICATED AS THE ANGLICAN CHAPEL OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

THE VILLAGE OF VITTORIA LIES ON THE HIGHWAY WESTWARD OF BATHURST AND WAS ONCE AN OUTSTATION OF CARCOAR. IT HAD A CHAPEL OF EASE BUILT DURING THE 1870's AT THE FAR END OF THE TOWN BY FATHER RYAN WHICH IN 1877 BECAME PART OF BATHURST CATHEDRAL PARISH. IN 1882 IT BECAME PART OF THE ORANGE PARISH BEFORE IT RETURNED IN 1918 TO BATHURST. MADE OF CORRUGATED IRON AS WAS COMMONLY THE CASE IN SMALL STATION CHURCHES OF THE TIME, IT WAS A PLAIN CHURCH CONSISTING OF A NAVE WITH A PRIEST'S ROOM EQUIPPED WITH A FIREPLACE ALLOWING A PRIEST TO STAY OVERNIGHT FOR EARLY MASS. IN 1964 IT PASSED TO WEST BATHURST BUT IT WAS EFFECTIVELY DISCONTINUED IN 1961. THE SMALL CHURCH CONTINUED IN DISREPAIR AND AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF NEGLECT IT WAS SOLD. TODAY THE NOW DERELICT CHURCH STILL STANDS ABANDONED JUST BY THE ROADSIDE CONSTITUTING A SAD REMINDER OF PAST CATHOLIC HISTORY.

AS ONE OF THE OLDER PARISHES IN AUSTRALIA BATHURST HAS A RICH HERITAGE OF CATHOLIC BUILDINGS FURTHER INCREASED BY SUCCESSIVE AMALGAMATIONS WITH PARISHES AT KELSO, ROCKLEY, SOUTH BATHURST AND WEST BATHURST IN ADDITION TO STATIONS FROM SEVERAL OTHERS. THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST FIVE CATHEDRAL PRESBYTERIES AS WELL AS PRESBYTERIES AT WEST BATHURST, SOUTH BATHURST AND ROCKLEY. A PRESBYTERY WAS BUILT AT KELSO IN 1893 ON THE LIMEKILNS ROAD AND WAS USED UNTIL THE PARISH CLOSED IN 1922. IT WAS SOLD IN 1934. THE PARISH PRIESTS OF THE FORMER PARISH OF FISH RIVER (O'CONNELL PLAINS) RESIDED AT THE BATHURST PRESBYTERY. UNTIL 1965 WHEN A NEW EPISCOPAL RESIDENCE WAS BUILT BY BISHOP THOMAS THE CATHEDRAL PRESBYTERIES WERE ALSO THE HOME OF THE BISHOP. CATHOLIC EDUCATION WAS IMPORTANT FROM THE VERY EARLY DAYS AND SEVERAL DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS OPERATED IN THE PARISH FROM THE 1840's UNTIL THE 1870's WITH SOME CONTINUING INTO THE 1880's. AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EDUCATION ACTS OF 1866 AND 1880 MOST WERE TAKEN OVER BY RELIGIOUS ORDERS. AMONG THESE SCHOOLS THE MOST IMPORTANT WAS THE SCHOOL WHICH OPERATED IN BATHURST FROM 1842 TO 1872 BUT OTHERS EXISTED AT TRUNKEY CREEK, PERTHVILLE, WATTLE FLAT, KELSO AND BREWONGLE. DUE TO THE LACK OF FACILITIES THE MAJORITY OF THESE WERE HELD IN THE LOCAL CHURCHES. BECAUSE OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE AS THE DIOCESAN SEAT BATHURST WAS ESPECIALLY BLESSED BY THE PRESENCE OF SEVERAL RELIGIOUS ORDERS. THE FIRST OF THESE ORDERS TO ARRIVE IN BATHURST WERE THE SISTERS OF MERCY IN 1866. IN 1908 THE VARIOUS HOUSES OF MERCY SISTERS IN THE DIOCESE WERE AMALGAMATED AND THE PROVINCIAL HOUSE AND NOVITIATE (ST JOSEPH'S MOUNT) WERE OPENED IN SOUTH BATHURST. DURING THEIR 140 YEARS AT BATHURST THE SISTERS OF MERCY HAVE OPENED FIVE CONVENTS (ST MARY'S, ST JOSEPH'S, ST JOSEPH'S MOUNT, ST AGNES' AND ST CATHERINE'S), THREE SCHOOLS (ST MARY'S, ST PHILOMENA'S, HOLY FAMILY) AN ORPHANAGE (ST JOSEPH'S), AN AGED CARE FACILITY (ST CATHERINE'S) AND ST AGNES HOSTEL. DURING 1872 THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH OF THE SACRED HEART ARRIVED IN QEEN CHARLOTTES VALE (LATER PERTHVILLE) TO FOUND A NEW BRANCH OF THAT ORDER. BETWEEN 1872 AND THEIR DEPARTURE IN 1876 THEY FOUNDED NEW SCHOOLS AT PERTHVILLE, WATTLE FLAT, TRUNKEY CREEK AND EVANS PLAINS. IN 1875 BISHOP QUINN ESTABLISHED HIS OWN DIOCESAN INSTITUTE OF THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH WITH THEIR MOTHERHOUSE AT PERTHVILLE. THEY WENT ON TO TAKE CHARGE OF FOUNDATIONS AT WATTLE FLAT AND EVANS PLAINS AS WELL AS FOUNDING IN THEIR OWN RIGHT CONVENTS AND SCHOOLS AT ROCKLEY, PEEL, O'CONNELL, WHITE ROCK, KELSO, LOCKSLEY AND WEST BATHURST. OTHER ORDERS ADDED, EACH IN THEIR OWN SMALL WAY, TO THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH IN BATHURST. THESE INCLUDED THE DOMINICAN SISTERS WHO OPENED A CONVENT AND SCHOOL IN SOUTH BATHURST IN THE 1920's AND THE SISTERS OF CHARITY WHO OPENED ST VINCENT'S CONVENT AND HOSPITAL AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. BOY'S EDUCATION WAS NOT NEGLECTED EITHER AND THE PATRICIAN BROTHERS AND DE LA SALLE BROTHERS WERE BOTH RESPONSIBLE FOR ST PATRICK'S HIGH SCHOOL AT VARIOUS TIMES. THEIR FORMER MONASTERY IS TODAY THE CENTREPIECE OF THE DIOCESAN CHANCERY. CERTAINLY THE MOST IMPOSING SCHOOL IN BATHURST IS ST STANISLAUS' COLLEGE, FOUNDED BY BISHOP QUINN IN 1867 AND RUN BY THE VINCENTIAN FATHERS SINCE 1889. IN 1875 BISHOP QUINN ALSO FOUNDED THE DICESAN SEMINARY OF ST CHARLES BORROMEO OF THE SACRED HEART WHICH WAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS ATTACHED TO ST STANISLAUS' COLLEGE. DURING RECENT YEARS THE VINCENTIANS HAVE ALSO OPENED A SMALL COMMUNITY HOUSE IN SOUTH BATHURST. WITH THE DECLINE IN VOCATIONS MANY OF THE WORKS OF THE CHURCH ARE NOW HANDLED BY LAY PEOPLE UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIOCESE. AMONG THESE RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE CATHOLIC HERITAGE OF THE TOWNSHIP ARE THE CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL LATER RENAMED MACKILLOP COLLEGE, HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL AT KELSO, AND THE MACQUARIE CARE CENTRE. AS THE DIOCESAN TOWN BATHURST IS ALSO THE HOME OF BOTH THE DIOCESAN CHANCERY AND SUCH DIOCESAN OFFICES AS CENTACARE THE CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FUND AND THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION CENTRE. AMONG THE MANY MINOR STRUCTURES TO BE FOUND IN THE PARISH WERE PURPOSE-BUILT CHURCH HALLS AT BURRAGA AND WEST BATHURST AS WELL AS THE PARISH CENTRE WHICH REPLACED PREVIOUS PARISH HALLS INCORPORATED INTO THE DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL AND ST PATRICK'S HIGH SCHOOL. DURING THE WAR YEARS A CUSA HUT WAS OPENED AT THE ARMY CAMP. AT A LATER DATE THIS WAS MOVED TO ST JOSEPH'S COLLEGE AS A RECREATIONAL HALL. THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY OPERATES TWO RETAIL OUTLETS. THE AFTERLIFE WAS ALSO PROVIDED FOR WITH A MORTUARY CHAPEL AT BATHURST CEMETERY AND THE EXISTENCE OF THREE HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT GRAVEYARDS AT O'CONNELL, WATTLE FLAT AND ARKELL.

GIVEN BATHURST IS APPROACHING ITS SECOND CENTURY AS A PARISH IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE HOMES USED BY PARISH PRIESTS AND DIOCESAN BISHOPS SHOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL INCARNATIONS. THE EARLIEST KNOWN PRESBYTERY WAS DEAN GRANT'S DEANERY BUILT AROUND 1853. ON THE COMING OF BISHOP QUINN AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF SEVERAL BUILDING PROJECTS ABOUT THE CATHEDRAL THE PRESBYTERY WAS MOVED TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS UNTIL BISHOP DUNNE ERECTED THE MAGNIFICENT BISHOP'S HOUSE IN 1904. IN 1991 A MODERN PRESBYTERY WAS BUILT WHICH RETURNED TO THE MODEST STYLING MORE REMINISCENT OF THE EARLIEST DAYS.

LITTLE IS KNOWN OF THE EARLIEST LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF THE PRIESTS ASSIGNED TO BATHURST UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF DEAN GRANT IN 1853. THE DEAN HAD HAD A HOUSE CONSTRUCTED BESIDE THE CHURCH IN KEPPEL STREET KNOWN AS THE DEANERY (ABOVE LEFT) AND IN 1865 THIS WAS MADE THE FIRST CATHEDRAL PRESBYTERY AS WELL AS THE FIRST BISHOP'S RESIDENCE. IN 1867 THE BISHOP EXCHANGED HOMES WITH THE SISTERS OF MERCY AND RESIDED IN THE FORMER CONVENT AT 100-102 GEORGE STREET (ABOVE RIGHT) UNTIL 1873 WHEN THE SISTERS OFFERED TO THE BISHOP A HOUSE IN WILLIAM STREET (BELOW LEFT) WHICH THEY HAD PURCHASED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION.

THE FORMER DARGAN HOUSE (ABOVE LEFT) WHICH WAS PURCHASED BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY IN 1873 BECAME THE THIRD HOUSE TO BE USED AS A PRESBYTERY AND RESIDENCE. IT SERVED AS SUCH UNTIL BISHOP DUNNE BUILT A NEW PRESBYTERY AND RESIDENCE IN 1904. IT WAS BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE OLD DEANERY AND WAS USUALLY REFERRED TO AS BISHOP'S HOUSE (ABOVE RIGHT). IN THE 1960's BISHOP THOMAS DEEMED BISHOP'S HOUSE UNINHABITABLE AND HAD A NEW EPISCOPAL RESIDENCE BUILT IN BENTINCK STREET THUS SEPARATING THE BISHOP'S RESIDENCE AND PRESBYTERY. BISHOP'S HOUSE WAS DEMOLISHED AND THE CLERGY WERE THEN ACCOMODATED FIRST IN ST AGNES HOSTEL AND LATER AT THE FORMER ST JOSEPH'S ORPHANAGE UNTIL THE NEW CATHEDRAL PRESBYTERY WAS COMPLETED IN 1991.

IN 1991 THE CATHEDRAL PRESBYTERY CAME HOME TO THE SITE OF THE OLD CONVENT AND SECOND RESIDENCE WITH THE OPENING OF THE PRESENT MODERN BUILDING (ABOVE). THIS BUILDING INCLUDES THE PARISH OFFICE AS WELL AS A SMALL WEEK-DAY CHAPEL (RIGHT).

ROCKLEY HAS THE OLDEST PRESBYTERY IN THE CATHEDRAL PARISH HAVING BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN THE 1870's WHEN ROCKLEY WAS MADE A PARISH. IT WAS BUILT OF LOCAL SANDSTONE AND BRICKS WITH THE WIDE VERANDAH TYPICAL OF AUSTRALIAN COLONIAL HOMES (ABOVE LEFT). A SPECIAL POINT OF INTEREST ARE THE ORIGINAL STABLES WHICH STILL STAND BEHIND THE PRESBYTERY (ABOVE RIGHT). ALTOUGH NO LONGER IN USE, THE PRESBYTERY BUILDING REMAINS CHURCH PROPERTY AND IS CURRENTLY RENTED OUT PRIVATELY BY THE PARISH.

TOP

OTHER BUILDINGS

SOUTH BATHURST PRESBYTERIES

WHEN THE PARISH OF SOUTH BATHURST WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1964 IT BECAME NECESSARY TO FIND A PRESBYTERY FOR THE NEW PARISH PRIEST. THE INITIAL PRESBYTERY (ABOVE LEFT) WAS A FIBRO / TIMBER COTTAGE LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF LEWIN STREET. THIS WAS SOLD WHEN A PERMANENT PRESBYTERY (ABOVE RIGHT) WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1973 IN VINE STREET. THIS BUILDING, A PLAIN 1970's STYLE BRICK DOMESTIC STRUCTURE, WHILE NO LONGER A PRESBYTERY IS STILL IN USE AS A RESIDENCE FOR SEVERAL PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE.

TOP

OTHER BUILDINGS

WEST BATHURST PRESBYTERY

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW PARISH OF WEST BATHURST DURING 1964 NECESSITATED THE SETTING UP OF A PARISH INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING NATURALLY A RESIDENCE FOR THE PARISH PRIEST. IN DUE COURSE A BUILDING FOR THIS PURPOSE WAS ERECTED ADJACENT TO THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH CONVENT AND CONVENT SCHOOL (LEFT).

THIS FINE TWO-STORY BRICK HOUSE TYPICAL OF THE 1960'S STYLE OF DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE WAS A FITTING HOME FOR PASTOR OF THE CHURCH AND IS A REMINDER THAT EVEN AS LATE AS THE 1960's THE PRESBYTERY WAS CONSIDERED AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE NERVE CENTRE OF A CATHOLIC PARISH AND NOT JUST AS A CLERGY HOUSE.

WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE PARISH IN THE EARLY 21st CENTURY THE PRESBYTERY WHICH STILL STANDS WAS RENTED OUT AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE BEING THEN SUPERFLUOUS TO PARISH REQUIREMENTS.

A MODERN DIOCESE NEEDS A MUCH LARGER ADMINISTRATIVE CADRE THAN WAS SO WHILE MOST WERE RUN FROM THE BISHOP'S HOUSE WITH THE AID OF A FEW PRIESTS. INEVITABLY THIS HAS LED TO THE MOVING OF DIOCESAN CHANCERIES INTO MODERN OFFICES. THOUGH BATHURST WAS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS IT HAS NONETHELESS BEEN BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THE HISTORIC ST PATRICK'S MONASTERY AS THE CENTRE PIECE WITH TWO UNOBTRUSIVE BRICK WINGS ERECTED IN THE 1980's ON EITHER SIDE TO ACCOMODATE THE EVER EXPANDING REQUIREMENTS OF A DIOCESAN ADMINISTRATION.

TOP

WEBSITE

OTHER BUILDINGS

CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FUND

THE OFFICES OF THE CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FUND ARE LOCATED IN A WING OF THE CHANCERY COMPLEX FACING KEPPEL STREET. THE BUILDING IS A 1980's DOMESTIC STYLE REDBRICK OFFICE STRUCTURE WHICH IS SITUATED ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL AND THE EARLY ST MICHAEL'S CHURCH. UNTIL RECENTLY IT WAS THE BATHURST HEADQUARTERS OF CENTACARE ALSO BEFORE THAT ORGANISATION MOVED INTO THE FORMER ST MARY'S PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDING ROUND THE CORNER IN WILLIAM STREET. THE CDF IS AN IMPORTANT ADJUNCT TO THE CHURCH'S WORK AS IT PROVIDES FINANCING FOR PARISH AND DIOCESAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

TOP

CDF WEBSITE

OTHER BUILDINGS

PARISH CENTRE

DURING THE 1970's A CHAPEL HAD BEEN BUILT IN THE GROUNDS OF ST MARY'S COLLEGE DONATED BY FORMER COLLEGE STUDENTS AS A MARK OF THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATED EDUCATIONAL MISSION OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY OVER THE PREVIOUS CENTURY.

AFTER THE SUBSEQUENT CLOSURE OF THE COLLEGE AND CONVENT AND THEIR DEMOLITION IN 1983 THE CHAPEL WAS CONVERTED INTO A HALL AND PARISH CENTRE FOR THE CATHEDRAL PARISH. ITS MOST NOTABLE FEATURES ARE THE TWO STAINED GLASS WINDOWS WHICH WERE TAKEN FROM THE FORMER CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA AT EGLINTON AND INSTALLED IN THE WEST WINDOW OF THE CHAPEL.

TODAY THIS INTERESTING DIAMOND-SHAPED BUILDING IS PRIMARILY USED TO HOST PARISH MEETINGS, PARISH GROUPS AND SOCIAL GET-TOGETHERS. IN SHARP CONTRAST TO THE HISTORIC COLLEGE WHICH IT WAS ERECTED TO SERVE THE CHAPEL HAS GAINED A NEW LEASE OF LIFE TO CARRY IT FORWARD INTO THE 21st CENTURY. BELOW CAN BE VIEWED THE HALL INTERIOR AND THE BEAUTIFUL STAINED GLASS WINDOWS BROUGHT FROM THE FORMER EGLINTON STATION CHURCH.

AS THE PARISH OF WEST BATHURST GREW IN SIZE AND THE NEED FOR ADDED BUILDINGS FOR THE SCHOOL BECAME MORE PRESSING, A DECISION WAS TAKEN TO BUILD A MULTI-PURPOSE STRUCTURE THAT WOULD SERVE AS BOTH A PARISH FUNCTION CENTRE AND A SCHOOL ASSEMBLY HALL. ASSUMPTION HALL AS IT WAS DULY NAMED IS PART OF THE PARISH COMPLEX AND IS LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE CHURCH. IT IS BUILT WITH A SIMILAR STYLE AND MATERIALS TO THE CHURCH TO HARMONISE THE ARCHITECTURAL ASTHETICS WHICH ARE THE MARK OF BOTH THE RED-BRICK CHURCH AND ADJACENT SCHOOL.

TOP

OTHER BUILDINGS

EDUCATION CENTRE

IT WAS AROUND 1980 THAT THE THEN DISUSED MARSDEN GIRL'S SCHOOL IN GILMOUR ROAD WAS PURCHASED AND BECAME HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL. IN THE 1990's A NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS BUILT AND THE FORMER MARSDEN SCHOOL WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN OVER AS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1983 TO ADMINISTER ALL DIOCESAN PARISH SCHOOLS. THE COMPLEX COMPRISES THE EDUCATION OFFICE ITSELF LOCATED IN HEREFORD HOUSE, A RELIGIOUS EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTRE IN THE OLD MERRICK BUILDING AND THE FORMER HOLY FAMILY CHURCH WHICH STILL SERVES AS THE CHAPEL FOR THE HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL.

THE CENTREPIECE OF THE COMPLEX IS HEREFORD HOUSE (BELOW) ERECTED BY JAMES RUTHERFORD IN 1880. A LOVELY OLD VICTORIAN MANSION IT WAS PURCHASED BY THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN 1925 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A NEW GIRL'S SCHOOL. TODAY IT IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE OF THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE.

SITUATED NEXT TO HEREFORD HOUSE IS THE MERRICK BUILDINGAAA ORIGINALLY USED AS CLASSROOMS FOR THE MARSDEN SCHOOL AND THEN LATER FOR HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL. THIS IMPRESSIVE BUILDING WITH ITS DOMINANT TOWER IS A VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF INTER-WAR ARCHITECTURE NOW USED AS THE CATHOLIC RESOURCE CENTRE.

THE ROOTS OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN BATHURST REACH BACK TO 1842 WHEN A DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED USING THE CHURCH AS THE SCHOOLROOM. AS WAS THE CASE AT THE TIME THE SCHOOL WAS STAFFED BY LAY TEACHERS WHO WERE PAID BY THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT. WHEN THE NEW CHURCH WAS BUILT THE OLD CHURCH CONTINUED TO BE USED AS A SCHOOL FOR SOME YEARS UNTIL REPLACED IN THE MID-1860's BY A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING (ABOVE). THE DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS - THE BOY'S SCHOOL FACING KEPPEL AND THE GIRLS SCHOOL FACING GEORGE STREET - PLUS A PARISH HALL. THE PASSAGE OF THE PUBLIC INSTRUCTION ACT BROUGHT ABOUT IMPORTANT CHANGES, MOST NOTABLY WITH THE TRANSFER OF TEACHING TO RELIGIOUS ORDERS. THE SISTERS OF MERCY TOOK OVER THE TEACHING OF THE GIRLS IN 1866. IN 1872 THE HEADMASTER OF THE BOY'S SCHOOL RETIRED AND IN 1873 THE SECONDARY BOYS WERE MOVED TO THE NEW ST STANISLAUS' COLLEGE LEAVING THE SISTERS OF MERCY WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TEACHING THE PRIMARY SCHOOL BOYS TILL THE COMING OF THE PATRICIAN BROTHERS AND THE FOUNDING OF ST PATRICK'S SCHOOL IN 1885

TOP

OTHER BUILDINGS

CATHEDRAL SCHOOL

FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY FROM TEACHING IN THE EARLY 1980's AND THEN THE DEMOLITION OF ST MARY'S COLLEGE AND CONVENT THE QUESTION OF HOW TO CONTINUE THE EDUCATIONAL MISSION OF THE CATHEDRAL PARISH WAS ADDRESSED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CATHEDRAL SCHOOL TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRIMARY EDUCATION OF BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS. IN A RETURN TO THE EARLIEST BEGINNINGS OF EDUCATION AT THE CATHEDRAL THE SCHOOL WAS LAY-STAFFED. INITIALLY THE SCHOOL USED SOME OF THE REMAINING BUILDINGS OF THE OLD SCHOOL BUT IN 1999 A MODERN SCHOOL COMPLEX WAS COMPLETED ON THE CATHEDRAL SITE (ABOVE).

TO THE LEFT CAN BE SEEN THE NEW QUADRANGLE SURROUNDED ON ITS THREE SIDES BY THE MODERN BRICK SCHOOL BUILDINGS FORMALLY BLESSED BY BISHOP DOUGHERTY IN 1999 (ABOVE). BELOW CAN BE SEEN SOME OF THE OLDER BUILDINGS THAT ARE STILL BEING USED BY THE SCHOOL. THE BUILDINGS INCLUDED AMONGST OTHERS A CLASSROOM BLOCK (LEFT) AND THE OLDEST BUILDING STILL IN USE THE SEVERE AND PRACTICAL CLOTHING POOL (RIGHT).

IN 1957 THE SISTERS OF MERCY OPENED A SMALL PRIMARY SCHOOL IN EAST BATHURST DEDICATED TO THE HOLY FAMILY. LOCATED IN ST VINCENT'S PARK IT WAS INTENDED TO CATER FOR THE GROWING POPULATION OF EAST BATHURST. TWO FACTORS THEN INTEREVENED TO CHANGE THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL. IN 1967 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL OPENED ON THE SAME SITE AND THE FOCUS OF POPULATION GROWTH SHIFTED TO KELSO. AS A RESULT THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED AND IN 1980 A NEW SCHOOL DEDICATED TO THE HOLY FAMILY WAS OPENED IN THE FORMER ANGLICAN MARSDEN GIRLS SCHOOL (BELOW). THE SCHOOL WHILE AN ADEQUATE STOP-GAP WAS NOT TRULY SUITABLE AS A PRIMARY SCHOOL AND IN THE 1990's A NEW SCHOOL (ABOVE & BELOW) MORE SUITED TO THE AGE GROUP WAS BUILT BEHIND THE ORIGINAL MARSDEN SCHOOL WHICH THEN BECAME THE LOCATION OF THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE.

THIS UNUSUAL BUILDING WITH ITS TWIN APSIDAL ENDS WAS THE CHAPEL OF MARSDEN SCHOOL AND LATER BECAME HOLY FAMILY CHURCH

TOP

OTHER BUILDINGS

MACKILLOP COLLEGE

DURING THE LATE 1960's THE DIOCESE OF BATHURST BEGAN A MAJOR REORGANISATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES IN THAT CITY. THIS WAS PROMPTED BY SIGNIFICANT DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTH IN THE AREA AND THE INCREASINGLY CRAMPED SITE OF THE OLD ST MARY'S COLLEGE IN THE CATHEDRAL GROUNDS. THE FIRST STEP IN THIS RE-ORGANISATION WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW CATHOLIC GIRL'S SCHOOL ADJACENT TO ST VINCENT'S HOSPITAL IN EAST BATHURST. ORIGINALLY NAMED THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC GIRL'S HIGH SCHOOL IT WAS A DIOCESAN VENTURE STAFFED JOINTLY BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY AND THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH. FOLLOWING THE CLOSURE OF ST MARY'S COLLEGE THE SCHOOL BECAME THE ONLY CATHOLIC GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL IN THE CITY. SINCE THE LATE 1980's THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN LAY-STAFFED. ITS NAME WAS CHANGED IN 1995 TO MACKILLOP COLLEGE TO HONOUR THE FOUNDER OF THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH.

THE NEW COLLEGE WAS A TYPICAL LATE 60's STYLE UTILITARIAN EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS CONSISTING OF SEVERAL SINGLE-STORY WINGS BUILT IN SPACIOUS GROUNDS. THE CONSTRUCTION WAS OF RED BRICK AND LACKED THE RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM WHICH IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE OLDER STYLE OF CATHOLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS ERECTED IN THE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURIES. IT THUS REFLECTS THE POST-CONCILIAR ETHOS OF THE CHURCH SCHOOL.

MACQUARIE CARE CENTRE WAS BUILT AND OPENED IN 1948 BY THE NSW DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. IT WAS OPERATED BY THE MID-WESTERN AREA HEALTH SERVICE AND ADMINISTERED BY THE BATHURST BASE HOSPITAL UNTIL 1985. FOLLOWING THE RATIONALISATION OF HEALTH SERVICES, MACQUARIE CARE CENTRE WAS PLACED UNDER THE CARE OF ST VINCENT'S HOSPITAL. CATHOLIC HEALTHCARE WAS APPOINTED MANAGER OF MACQUARIE CARE CENTRE BY THE DIOCESE IN OCTOBER 1996. IN THE LATE 1990S, MACQUARIE CARE CENTRE WAS REBUILT. THE FACILITY WAS HANDED OVER TO CATHOLIC HEALTHCARE IN OCTOBER 2004. MACQUARIE CARE CENTRE COMPRISES A RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE COMMUNITY. THE RESIDENTIAL SERVICE OFFERS A HOMELIKE ENVIRONMENT WITH A COTTAGE FEEL. ALL ROOMS HAVE VIEWS OF THE GARDEN, WHICH IS PLANTED TO ENCOURAGE BIRDS TO VISIT. FLOWERS ARE GROWN FOR PICKING AND FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS, WHICH ARE PLACED THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY. THERE IS A PRODUCTIVE VEGETABLE GARDEN AND ORCHARD TENDED BY THE RESIDENTS.

IN AN EARLIER AGE FUNERALS WERE USUALLY PERFORMED AT THE CEMETERY AND WHERE THE CEMETERY WAS SEPERATED FROM THE CHURCH A MORTUARY CHAPEL WAS FREQUENTLY BUILT TO PERMIT THE FUNERAL RITES OF THE CHURCH TO BE HELD IN SITU. A SUPERB EXAMPLE IS THIS PRETTY LITTLE CHAPEL, NOW SADLY NEGLECTED, BUILT IN 1901 IN THE CATHOLIC SECTION OF BATHURST CEMETERY.

TOP

OTHER BUILDINGS

O'CONNELL CEMETERY

DATING BACK TO THE 1850S WHEN O’CONNELL WAS THE PARISH CENTRE OF THE FISH RIVER DISTRICT AND CLOSED FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS THIS CHURCHYARD CEMETERY CONTAINS MANY OF THE DISTRICT'S PIONEERS. MOST OF THE MEMORIALS ARE OF SANDSTONE, SOME OF WHICH ARE STILL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION FOR THEIR AGE, SKILFULLY ENGRAVED IN QUALITY STONE. INDEED, SOME OF THE ORNAMENTAL ENGRAVING IS PARTICULARLY BEAUTIFUL. THE MAJORITY OF THE STONES ARE HOWEVER BADLY ERODED BY WEATHER AND VERY DIFFICULT TO READ. AMONGST THE INSCRIPTIONS ARE THREE COMMEMORATING PERSONS WHO WERE KILLED IN A RAILWAY ACCIDENT ON 25 APRIL 1890 WHEN A RUNAWAY TRAIN FROM THE RAGLAN STATION CRASHED INTO ANOTHER TRAIN CLOSE TO THE BATHURST STATION. TODAY THE CEMETERY IS LOCATED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY BUT THE OWNERS HAVE TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO MAINTAIN THE CEMETERY IN A FIT STATE

TOP

CEMETERY INFORMATION

OTHER BUILDINGS

WATTLE FLAT CEMETERY

WATTLE FLAT WAS NOT ONLY AN IMPORTANT GOLD-MINING CENTRE BUT AN EARLY STRONGHOLD OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH. THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY WHICH IS LOCATED BEHIND THE SMALL CATHOLIC CHURCH OF BLESSED MARY MACKILLOP CONTAINS THE GRAVES OF MANY OF THE CATHOLIC PIONEERS OF THE AREA DATING BACK TO THE 1860's. THIS WELL MAINTAINED GRAVEYARD IS STILL ACTIVELY USED TODAY.

TOP

CEMETERY INFORMATION

OTHER BUILDINGS

RELIGIOUS ORDERS

PARISH DIRECTORY

I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE NUMEROUS PEOPLE, LAY, CLERICAL AND RELIGIOUS WHO HAVE GIVEN OF THEIR TIME TO HELP PREPARE THIS PAGE. A SPECIAL VOTES OF THANKS IS DUE TO MRS JACKIE GRANT, DIOCESAN ARCHIVIST, FOR HELP ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AND FOR HER UNSTINTING SUPPORT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT.