1910
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MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE
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PARISH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT KURRI KURRI |
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FOUNDED 1910 |
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DIOCESE MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE |
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PARISH CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT |
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| PARISH | CHURCH |
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 | PARISH |
| THE ORIGINS OF THE TOWN OF KURRI KURRI GO BACK TO THE FIRST YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY WHEN THE GREAT GRETA COAL SEAM WAS DISCOVERED. KURRI KURRI WAS LAID OUT IN 1903 AS A DORMITORY TOWN FOR THE THOUSANDS OF MINERS WHO FLOCKED TO WORK THE COAL FIELDS. ALTHOUGH THE MINING INDUSTRY DECLINED AFTER THE GREAT DEPRESSION, KURRI KURRI CONTINUED AS A SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE SURROUNDING FARMLANDS AND LATER WINERIES. TODAY IT IS A MAJOR TOWNSHIP OF SOME 10,000 INHABITANTS. THE RAPID GROWTH OF KURRI KURRI LED TO ITS BEING DECLARED A PARISH ONLY 8 YEARS AFTER ITS FOUNDING. TAKING IN BOTH KURRI KURRI AND ITS SITER TOWN OF ABERMAIN THE PARISH HAS MAINTAINED A CONTINUOUS TRADITION FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS. NEXT |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE PRESENT PARISH CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DATES FROM THE LATE 50's AND REFLECTS THAT ERA'S GROWING MODERNITY COMBINED WITH TRADITIONAL LITURGICAL ORGANISATION. A LARGE CHURCH WITH A HIGH LONG NAVE AND A SHALLOW PORCH BELOW A MODERN WEST WINDOW AND A LARGE STATUE OF THE BLEESED VIRGIN PROCLAIM THE CONFIDENCE OF POST-WAR CATHOLICISM AS WELL AS BEING A REMINDER OF THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF CATHOLICS AMONG THE MINERS WHO ORIGINALLY SETTLED THE TOWN. SEVERAL ADDITIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE MAIN BODY TO ACT AS SACRISTIES, CONFESSIONALS AND A BAPTISTRY. A CRYPT IS LOCATED UNDER THE EAST END DUE TO THE SLOPING NATURE OF THE SITE. HIGH CROSSES ON EACH GABLE RECALL A TRADITIONAL TOUCH TO THE CHURCH. NEXT |
 | AMONG THE INTERSTING FEATURES OF THE CHURCH ARE THE TALL CELESTORY WINDOWS ABOVE THE SQUARE NAVE WINDOWS THUS REVERSING THE USUAL PROPORTIONS CHARACTERISTIC OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. THE PORCH GABLE IS TILED IN AN ATTRACTIVE BLUE TINT WITH TWO DECORATIVE DOORS. OTHERWISE DECORATION IS KEPT TO A MINIMUM. THE GROUNDS ARE WELL-KEPT WITH THE CONVENT NEXT DOOR AND A NEW HALL AT THE BACK. SEVERAL BUSHES GROW AROUND THE CHURCH PROVIDING AN ORGANIS AND LONG TERM FEEL TO THE SITE. TOP STATION CHURCHES |
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| STATION CHURCHES |
| ABERMAIN |
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CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER, ABERMAIN |
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| ABERMAIN TODAY IS VIRTUALLY A SUBURB OF KURRI KURRI BUT ITS ORIGINS LIE IN THE OPENING OF THE ABREMAIN COLLIERY IN 1903. ABERMAIN GREW AS WORKERS ARRIVED TO WORK THE MINE AND CONTINUED AS A SERVICE CENTRE ATTACHED TO KURRI KURRI. ABERMAIN HAS BEEN A STATION OF KURRI KURRI SINCE ITS FOUNDATION. A SMALL INFANTS SCHOOL WAS LOCATED THERE AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. NEXT |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE PRESENT CHURCH IS A MODERN STRUCTURE BUILT IN THE 70's TO A UNIQUE DESIGN OF VERTICAL AND DIAGONAL PLANES. THE MAIN BODY IS A SQUARE BLOCK FORMING THE NAVE WITH A HIGH TRIANGULAR SKYLIGHT OVER THE SANCTUARY AND A SECOND TRIANGLULAR ENTRANCE PORCH. A SEMI-DETACHED BELLTOWER IS LOCATED AS PART OF THE COVERED DRIVEWAY. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES |
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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| OTHER BUILDINGS |
| KURRI KURRI PRESBYTERY |
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| HOLY SPIRIT PRESBYTERY, KURRI KURRI | |
 | THE PRESBYTERY IS LOCATED NEXT DOOR TO THE CHURCH AND IS A HOMELY DOMESTIC BUILDING WITH AN ATTRACTIVE FRONT VERANDAH AND PORCH. A CROSS OVER THE PORCH GABLE DECLARES THE BUIDING'S PURPOSE. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES OTHER BUILDINGS |
