1915
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BATHURST
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PARISH OF ST JOSEPH GILGANDRA |
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FOUNDED 1915 |
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DIOCESE BATHURST |
| PARISH CHURCH | STATION CHURCHES | HISTORIC CHURCHES |
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PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH |
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| PARISH | CHURCH |
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| PARISH |
| THE FIRST BUILDING ERECTED ON THE FUTURE TOWN SITE OF GILGANDRA WAS THE BUSHMAN'S ARMS HOTEL, LICENSED IN 1866. A BRIDGE OVER THE CASTLEREAGH WAS BUILT IN 1884 AND GILGANDRA WAS PROCLAIMED A TOWN IN 1888. THE TOWN'S POSITION ON THE NEWELL HIGHWAY HAS MADE IT AN ACTIVE SERVICE CENTRE BOTH FOR THE DISTRICT AND THE CONSTANT THROUGH TRAFFIC. GILGANDRA BECAME A PARISH IN 1915 WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN AREA NORTH TO GULARGAMBONE AND TOORAWEENAH AND WEST TO COLLIE ON THE BORDER WITH THE DIOCESE OF WILCANNIA. IN 1964 GULARGAMBONE AND TOORAWEENAH BECAME A SEPARATE PARISH BUT WITH THE DECLINE IN VOCATIONS TOORAWEENAH WAS RESTORED TO GILGANDRA IN THE LATE 80's. WITH THE SUPPRESSION OF NORTH DUBBO AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE STATION OF EUMUNGERIE WAS ALSO ATTACHED TO GILGANDRA. |
| CHURCH |
| THE MODERN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE PARISH SCHOOL. BUILT IN THE 1970'S IN RESPONSE TO THE LITURGICAL CHANGES FOLLOWING VATICAN II, ITS UNUSUAL DESIGN CREATES VARIOUS OPEN SPACES FOR THE CONGREGATION TO GATHER FOR BOTH FELLOWSHIP AND WORSHIP. TOP STATION CHURCHES |
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| STATION CHURCHES | |
| COLLIE | TOORAWEENAH |
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| CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS, COLLIE | |
 | STATION |
| THE TINY LOCALITY OF COLLIE BETWEEN GILGANDRA AND WARREN, IS DOMINATED BY ITS TWO CHURCHES STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER JUST OFF THE HIGHWAY. COLLIE HAS BEEN A STATION OF GILGANDRA SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT. | |
| CHURCH | |
| THE WEATHERBOARD CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS WAS BUILT IN THE 1930's OF A UNIQUE CLASSICAL DESIGN COMPLETE WITH A COLONNADED PORCH. TOP STATION CHURCHES NEXT | |
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| CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, TOORAWEENAH | |
 | STATION |
| THE SUBSTANTIAL VILLAGE OF TOORAWEENAH NESTLES ON THE NEWELL HIGHWAY WITHIN SIGHT OF THE WARRUMBUNGLES. A STATION OF GILGANDRA UNTIL 1964 WHEN IT WAS SEPARATED WITH GULARGAMBONE, IT WAS RETURNED TO GILGANDRA WHEN THE FORMER WAS SUPPRESSED IN THE 1980's. | |
| CHURCH | |
| THE PRETTY WHITE AND BLUE CHURCH WAS BUILT IN THE 1930's AND CONSISTS OF A SIMPLE NAVE AND SIDE PORCH. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES |
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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| EUMUNGERIE |
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| CHURCH OF ST THERESE, EUMUNGERIE | |
| THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF EUMUNGERIE LIES ON THE NEWELL HIGHWAY NORTH OF DUBBO. ORIGINALLY A RAIL SETTLEMENT TODAY IT IS A QUIET RURAL BACKWATER. EUMUNGERIE WAS ESTABLISHED AS A STATION OF DUBBO IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE 1930's THAT A CHURCH WAS BUILT. IN 1953 IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE NEW PARISH OF NORTH DUBBO. WHEN THAT PARISH WAS SUPPRESSED IN THE LATE 80's THE EUMUNGERIE STATION WAS CLOSED AND THE VILLAGE INCLUDED IN THE AREA OF GILGANDRA PARISH. THE LITLE WOODEN STATION CHURCH OF ST THERESE SERVED THE COMMUNITY FOR SOME 50 YEARS. IN THE 80's THE CHURCH WAS SOLD AND CONVERTED INTO A PRIVATE HOME. IN 2003 IT BURNT DOWN IN AN ACCIDENTAL FIRE. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES STATION CHURCHES | |
