1856
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BATHURST
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PARISH OF ST PATRICK WELLINGTON |
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FOUNDED 1856 |
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DIOCESE BATHURST |
| PARISH CHURCH | STATION CHURCHES | HISTORIC CHURCHES | OTHER BUILDINGS |
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PARISH CHURCH OF ST PATRICK |
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| PARISH | HISTORY | CHURCH |
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 | PARISH |
| WELLINGTON IS THE SECOND OLDEST TOWN WEST OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. LOCATED IN THE WELLINGTON VALLEY AT THE JUNCTION OF THE MACQUARIE AND BELL RIVERS AND AT THE FOOT OF MT ARTHUR, WELLINGTON IS A VERY TYPICAL AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY TOWN. IT WAS GAZETTED IN 1846 AND BECAME A MUNICIPALITY IN 1879. BY THE TIME IT WAS DECLARED A MUNICIPALITY, WELLINGTON HAD ALREADY BEEN A PARISH FOR 23 YEARS HAVING BEEN FORMED IN 1856. A CENTRE FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL HAMLETS DOTTING THE HILLS AROUND THE TOWN, IT INCLUDED STATIONS AT EUCHAREENA, STORE CREEK, STUART TOWN, MUMBIL, FASHIONS MOUNT, DRIPSTONE, WUULLUMUN, KAISER, BODANGORA AND GOLLANSVILLE TO THE EAST, SUNTOP, MICKETYMULGA, ARTHURVILLE, YEOVAL AND OBLEY TO THE WEST AND BAKER'S SWAMP TO THE SOUTH. TODAY ONLY STUART TOWN AND YEOVAL REMAIN OF THESE MANY STATIONS. NEXT |
| FIRST AND SECOND CHURCHES OF ST PATRICK, WELLINGTON | ||||||
| THE PRESENT ST PATRICK'S IS THE THIRD CHURCH OF THAT NAME TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF WELLINGTON. THE FIRST WAS A SMALL CHAPEL BUILT CA. 1856 ON THE SAME SITE AS THE CURRENT CHURCH. THIS WAS REPLACED BETWEEN 1863 AND 1875 BY A CHURCH BUILT BEHIND AND AT RIGHT-ANGLES TO THE CURRENT ONE ON THE SITE OF THE CURRENT PRESBYTERY | ||||||
| THIRD CHURCH OF ST PATRICK, WELLINGTON |  | |||||
| IN 1914 IT WAS DECIDED THAT A LARGER CHURCH WAS NEEDED AND THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE PRESENT ST PATRICK'S WAS LAID BY DOCTOR DUNNE THE BISHOP OF BATHURST. COMPLETED IN 1917 THE CHURCH MAKES A POWERFUL STATEMENT OF CATHOLIC CONFIDENCE AND STILL DOMINATES THE TOWN TO THIS DAY. THE CHURCH IS THE MAIN FEATURE IN A COMPLEX THAT INCLUDES THE CONVENT AND THE INFANT DE PRAGUE HALL. NEXT | ||||||
 | THE CHURCH IS BUILT IN ENGLISH GOTHIC POPULAR AT THE TIME FOR CHURCHES AND DESIGNED BY HENNESSY AND HENNESSY. THE NAVE HAS PAIRED WINDOWS IN EACH BAY AND A POWERFUL FRONT DOMINATED BY THE STATUES OF ST PATRICK, PATRON OF THE CHURCH, AND ST FRANCIS XAVIER, A REMINDER THAT UNTIL THE 60's AUSTRALIA WAS REGARDED AS MISSION TERRITORY, A MAGNIFICENT TRIPLET WINDOW AND A TWO METRE CEMENT CROSS SURMOUNTING THE GABLE. THE GEM OF THE CHURCH EXTERIOR IS THE GREAT SOUTH-WEST TOWER WITH ITS BATTLEMENTS AND PINNACLES. ORIGINALLY IT WAS CAPPED BY AN OCTAGONAL SPIRE RISING TO 37 METRES BUT THIS WAS REMOVED IN THE 60's AFTER A TERMITE INFESTATION WAS DISCOVERED. THE INTERIOR HAS BEEN PRESERVED UNLIKE MANY OLD CHURCHES WITH THE ORIGINAL WHITE CARRERA MARBLE ALTARS, PULPIT (MOVED FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CHANCEL IN THE 1960's RENOVATIONS) AND ALTAR RAILS, THE GIFT OF THE VEECH FAMILY, BEING RETAINED. THE MENSA OF THE ALTAR WAS MOVED FOWARD INTO THE SANCTUARY TO ACCOMODATE THE NOVUS ORDO MASS. ON ONE SIDE OF THE SANCTUARY IS THE NUN'S CHAPEL USED BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY. IN ADDITION TO THE ALTAR THE CHURCH BOASTS SOME BEAUTIFUL STAINED GLASS WINDOWS, EIGHT OF WHICH WERE TRANSFERRED FROM THE FORMER CHURCH. TOP STATION CHURCHES |
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| STATION CHURCHES | ||
| BODANGORA | STUART TOWN | YEOVAL |
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| CHURCH OF ST PAUL, BODANGORA | |
 | GOLDMINING COMMENCED AT BODANGORA IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY. BY THE END OF THE CENTURY THERE WERE THREE MAIN MINES EMPLOYING 700 MEN. THE SETTLEMENT WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS MITCHELL'S CREEK AND LATER AS DAVISVILLE. TODAY IT IS LITTLE MORE THAN A GHOST TOWN.
THE ORIGINAL WOODEN CHURCH IN THE AREA WAS LOCATED AT KAISER BUT WAS MOVED TO BODANGORA 1899. THIS WAS BLOWN DOWN IN A FREAK WIND STORM IN 1907. THE SAME YEAR CARDINAL MORAN LAID THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE NEW CHURCH WHICH WAS OPENED IN 1909.THOUGH NOT USED FOR MASSES SINCE 1964, IT IS STILL USED FOR OCCASIONAL SERVICES. TOP STATION CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, STUART TOWN | |
 | STATION |
| THE HISTORIC GOLD MINING TOWN OF STUART TOWN IS LOCATED SOUTHEAST OF WELLINGTON. TODAY A QUIET RURAL BACKWATER, IT WAS ONCE A THRIVING COMMUNITY OF MINERS AND GOLD SEEKERS. A STATION OF WELLINGTON STRETCHING BACK OVER A CENTURY, STUART TOWN REMAINS THE MASS CENTRE FOR THE SMALL SETTLEMENTS ALONG THE OLD GOLD AND RAIL ROUTE BETWEEN ORANGE AND WELLINGTON. NEXT | |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE ATTRACTIVE BRICK CHURCH OF ST JOHN DOMINATES THE TOWN FROM ITS EMINENCE ON THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE VILLAGE. CONSTRUCTED IN SIMPLIFIED GOTHIC WITH A NAVE, PORCH AND SACRISTY AND POINTED WINDOWS. AS IS OFTEN THE CASE WITH RURAL CHURCHES A FREE-STANDING BELLTOWER IS LOCATED TO THE SIDE OF THE CHURCH. TOP STATION CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF OUR LADY, YEOVAL | |
| STATION | |
| THE SMALL TOWN OF YEOVAL IS LOCATED TO THE WEST OF WELLINGTON. IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL SETTLEMENT THAT OWES ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE RICH AGRICULTURAL REGION FOR WHICH IT IS THE SERVICE CENTRE. DESPITE ITS SIZE, YEOVAL WAS NEVER A PARISH BEING ORIGINALLY PART OF WELLINGTON AND LATER CUMNOCK PARISHES BEFORE RETURNING TO WELLINGTON IN THE 80's. | |
 | CHURCH |
| THE PRESENT CHURCH IS THE SECOND TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF YEOVAL. FROM THE EARLY 1900's UNTIL THE 60's ST DAVID'S WAS THE STATION CHURCH. THEN IN THE EARLY 70's ST COLUMBA'S SCHOOL SERVED AS THE MASS CENTRE PENDING COMPLETION OF THE PRESENT CHURCH IN 1974. THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY IS BUILT IN MODERN STYLE IN THE SHAPE OF A PENTAGON TO ENABLE THE CONGREGATION TO ENCIRCLE THE SANCTUARY. AN UNUSUAL SKYLIGHT SURMOUNTED BY A SLIM SPIRE COMPLETES THE CHURCH. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | ||||||
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| ARTHURVILLE | BAKER'S SWAMP | DRIPSTONE | FASHIONS MOUNT | GOLLANSVILLE | KAISER | |
| MICKETYMULGA | MUMBIL | OBLEY | STORE CREEK | SUNTOP | WUULUMUN | |
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| CATHOLIC CHURCH, ARTHURVILLE |
| A SMALL FARMING COMMUNITY WEST OF AND A STATION OF WELLINGTON FROM THE EARLY DAYS IT BRIEFLY POSSESSED A STATION CHURCH WHICH WAS LATER DEMOLISHED. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, BAKER'S SWAMP | |
 | A SMALL FARMING LOCALITY SOUTH OF WELLINGTON AND A STATION UNTIL THE 1960's TODAY ONLY SOME LARGE PINE TREES REMAIN TO MARK THE LOCATION OF THE FORMER CHURCH. SOLD WHEN THE STATION WAS CLOSED THE CHURCH WAS RELOCATED TO COMOBELLA WHERE IT WAS CONVERTED INTO A HAYSHED. THOUGH BARELY RECOGNISABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE THE WALLS AND WINDOWS CAN STILL BE SEEN FROM THE INSIDE. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST AGNES OF THE SPRINGS, DRIPSTONE | |
 | THE SMALL VILLAGE AT DRIPSTONE JUST TO THE EAST OF WELLINGTON WAS ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPRINGS. TODAY IT IS JUST A CLUSTER OF HOUSES AROUND A DISUSED RAILWAY STATION. THE VILLAGE POSSESSED A SUBSTANTIAL BRICK CHURCH FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL THE 1960'S WHEN DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO WELLINGTON, ITS USE DECLINED AND IT WAS SOLD. THE BUILDING WAS LATER HERITAGE LISTED AND THE SHELL STILL STANDS BESIDE THE WELLINGTON-LAKE BURRENDONG ROAD. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CATHOLIC CHURCH, FASHIONS MOUNT |
| FASHIONS MOUNT WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF SMALL VILLAGES DROWNED BY LAKE BURRENDONG WHEN THE DAM WAS BUILT IN THE 60's. A STATION OF WELLINGTON FROM THE EARY DAYS IT WAS CLOSED IN THE 50's WHEN THE VILLAGE WAS EVACUATED. A LITTLE WOODEN CHURCH EXISTED HERE BRIEFLY DURING THE 40's BUT IN THE EARLY 50's IT WAS REMOVED TO MUMBIL WHERE IT BECAME THE STATION CHURCH. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS, GOLLANSVILLE | |
 | GOLLAN WAS A SMALL COMMUNITY THAT GREW UP NEAR THE GOLLAN FAMILY PROPERTY, GOLLANSVILLE. STRONG CATHOLICS, THE FAMILY DONATED LAND FOR A CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE STATION EXISTED UNTIL 1980 BUT WITH THE GENERAL DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF FARM WORKERS IT WAS CLOSED. THE LITTLE GALVANISED IRON CHURCH WITH ITS ATTRACTIVE FRONT PORCH SERVED THE AREA FOR MANY YEARS. THE LAND ON WHICH IT HAD BEEN BUILT HAD NOT INCLUDED IN THE SALE OF THE GOLLANSVILLE PROPERTY BUT IN 2004 IT WAS FINALLY DECIDED TO SELL THE LAND BACK TO THE PRESENT OWNERS. THE DISUSED CHURCH STILL STANDS IN PRETTY ISOLATION SURROUNDED BY TREES JUST OFF THE SPICER'S CREEK ROAD. TOP STATION CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH, KAISER |
| KAISER WAS A MINING COMMUNITY TO THE EAST OF WELLINGTON WHICH EXPERIENCED A BRIEF GOLD RUSH IN THE LATER 19th CENTURY. IT DISAPPEARED WITH THE OPENING OF THE BODANGORA MINE AND TODAY IS ONLY AN HISTORICAL MEMORY. THE WOODEN CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1877 AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PERTHVILLE SISTERS OPENED A SMALL COTTAGE CONVENT. BY 1899 THE BODANGORA MINE HAD OPENED AND DRAWN MOST OF THE POPULATION TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL AND SO THE CHURCH WAS MOVED THERE. IN 1907, JUST PRIOR TO ITS OFFICIAL OPENING THE CHURCH BLEW DOWN DURING A FREAK WIND STORM AND ALL TRACE OF IT DISAPPEARED. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL, MICKETYMULGA |
| THE SMALL LOCALITY OF MICKETYMULGA WAS ANOTHER OF THE MANY FARMING COMMUNITY STATIONS SERVED FROM WELLINGTON. IN COMMON WITH THESE OTHER RURAL CHURCHES IT SUFFERED FROM THE DECLINE IN THE RURAL POPULATION OCCASIONED BY CHANGES TO FARMING METHODS AND WAS CLOSED IN THE LATE 60's. AN ATTRACTIVE BRICK CHURCH, OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL WAS DEMOLISHED WHEN THE STATION CLOSED. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST THERESE, MUMBIL | |
 | MUMBIL, A CLUSTER OF HOUSES AND A HOTEL, IS A SMALL COMMUNITY CLOSE TO BURRENDONG DAM. IT WAS A STATION OF WELLINGTON FOR MANY YEARS BUT PROXIMITY TO STUART TOWN AND DECLINING CONGREGATIONS REMOVED THE NEED FOR THE STATION AND IT WAS CLOSED IN THE LATER 1900's. THE SMALL CHURCH OF ST THERESE WAS ORIGINALLY LOCATED AT FASHIONS MOUNT BUT DURING THE 50's WHEN PLANS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BURRENDONG DAM WERE DEVELOPED IT WAS REALISED THAT THIS VILLAGE WOULD BE DROWNED IN THE LAKE, SO THE CHURCH WAS MOVED TO MUMBIL. WITH THE CLOSING OF THE STATION THE CHURCH WAS SOLD AND CONVERTED INTO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST, OBLEY |
| A DOT ON THE MAP NORTH OF YEOVAL IN AN AREA OF LARGE FARMS, OBLEY WAS A STATION FIRST OF WELLINGTON AND THEN CUMNOCK. THE STATION SERVED THE FARM WORKERS OF THE AREA UNTIL THE 1960's. THE LITTLE CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST DATED FROM THE EARLY 1900's AND WAS THE LOCAL MASS CENTRE UNTIL IT WAS CLOSED DURING THE 1960's. IT WAS LATER DEMOLISHED AND NO TRACE OF IT REMAINS. TOP STATION CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST THOMAS MORE, STORE CREEK |
| A SMALL RAILWAY SETTLEMENT ON THE ORANGE-WELLINGTON LINE THAT BECAME A STATION OF WELLINGTON AROUND THE MID 1900's. THE STATION SERVED THE RAILWAY WORKERS OF THE AREA UNTIL THE 1960's. THE CHURCH OF ST THOMAS MORE LASTED ONLY A FEW YEARS. IT WAS LATER DEMOLISHED AND NO TRACE OF IT REMAINS. TOP STATION CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, SUNTOP | |
 | SUNTOP IS SET AMONG SHEEP FARMS TO THE WEST OF WELLINGTON OF WHICH IT WAS A STATION UNTIL THE 1960's. THE SMALL, ISOLATED IRON CHURCH AT SUNTOP WAS USED FROM THE EARLY 1900's. IT IT IS NOW A PRIVATE HOME. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES NEXT |
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| CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH, WUULUMUN | |
 | A TINY COMMUNITY SITUATED AMONG THE HILLS EAST OF WELLINGTON AND SURROUNDED BY FARMS, WUULLUMUN WAS A STATION OF WELLINGTON FROM THE EARLY DAYS. WITH THE DECLINE IN THE RURAL POPULATION THE STATION WAS CLOSED IN THE MID 1900's. THE SIMPLE LITTLE WOODEN CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH WAS CLOSED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE STATION AND WAS LATER SOLD AND CONVERTED INTO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES OTHER BUILDINGS |
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| OTHER BUILDINGS | |
| WELLINGTON MERCY CONVENT | WELLINGTON CHURCH HALL |
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| MERCY CONVENT OF ST IGNATIUS, WELLINGTON | |
 | THE SISTERS OF MERCY ARRIVED FROM BATHURST DURING THE 1880's TO ESTABLISH THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. THE CONVENT WAS BUILT IN 1886/89 AND IS A HERITAGE LISTED BUILDING. IT IS A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF VICTORIAN COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE. A SMALL NUMBER OF SISTERS STILL WORK IN THE PARISH AND THE CONVENT IS STILL IN USE. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS NEXT |
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| INFANT DE PRAGUE HALL, WELLINGTON | |
 | THE INFANT DE PRAGUE HALL WAS ORIGINALLY A METHODIST CHURCH BUILT IN 1900. IT WAS SOLD TO THE CATHOLICS IN 1938 FOR USE AS A SCHOOL BUT WHEN THE NEW ST MARY'S SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1954 IT WAS CONVERTED INTO THE PARISH HALL IN WHICH CAPACITY IT STILL SERVES TODAY. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES OTHER BUILDINGS |
