Bairnsdale, VIC - St Mary's Catholic

Year Built: 1936

Denomination: Roman Catholic

Saint: Mary

Address: 268 Main Street, Bairnsdale, Victoria, 3875

Architect: A.A. Fritsch

Traditional Owners: Gunaikurnai people

Last Updated: 15/11/2023

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History and Architecture:

The History of St Mary's Catholic parish started in 1861 when a reservation of an area from the Lands Department of Victoria was made on the corner of Pyke and Nicholson streets with a frontage to Main street. By 1869 a suitable wooden building had been erected and was valued at £169.  A new brick church was built in 1883.

The current church was erected in two parts. The Sanctuary end was begun on 19 October 1913 , and the tower was completed n 1937.

Clergy:

This list may not contain every serving cleric, past or present, for this church.
Further submissions welcomed.

Years Name Annotation D.o.B D.o.D
1883 - 1889 Father Patrick O'Donohue 1910
1883 - 1900 Father D. B. Verlin
1888 - 1888 Father M. P. Curran
1889 - 1891 Father J. B. Collier
1891 - 1892 Father Maurice Hoyne 1930
1891 - 1893 Father J. Nolan 1949
1892 - 1893 Father P. J. McCormick
1893 - 1898 Father Martin Hayes 1925
1898 - 1911 Father T. H. Hurley 1922
1900 - 1901 Father M. Roche
1891 - 1908 Father J. Synott
1907 - 1909 Father Felix Gavin 1974
1909 - 1954 Father C. F. Cremin 1954
1911 - 1913 Father Daniel McMahon 1951
1912 - 1913 Father P. J. Sterling 1939
1913 - 1916 Father W. H. O'Connor
1915 - 1916 Father Richard Buckley 1946
1916 - 1920 Father James Fitzpatrick 1960
1919 - 1925 Father W. Ryan
1925 - 1926 Father J. E. O'Mara
1927 - 1940 Father J. O'Donnell
1929 - 1935 Father W. Walsh
1935 - 1936 Father C. Donavan
1937 - 1938 Father P. S. Crowe
1940 - 1941 Father W. Hannify
1940 - 1942 Father D. J. Dunne
1942 - 1944 Father John Raymond Cunningham 1980
1942 - 1946 Father W. McLoughlin
1942 - 1945 Father J. Kennedy RAAF Chaplain
1945 - 1947 Father F. Ruth
1946 - 1948 Father E Hynes 1996
1947 - 1951 Father J. Ward
1948 - 1949 Father J. Daly
1949 - 1953 Father G. Todd
1951 - 1955 Father F. O'Regan
1953 - 1967 Father W. Walsh
1955 - Father J. Allman
1955 - 1958 Father R. Wilson
1956 - 1957 Father W. Shanahan
1957 - 1965 Father T. O'Connell
1958 - 1961 Father J. Coffey
1961 - 1962 Father P. Harris
1962 - 1964 Father J. Phelan
1964 - 1966 Father E Spiteri
1965 - 1967 Father J. Davine
1967 - 1972 Father P. S Crowe
1968 - 1970 Father G. Coffey
1970 - Father B. Martin
1970 - 1972 Father P. Kooloos
1970 - 1974 Father J. O'Kelly
1974 - 1975 Father P. Davine
1974 - Father T. Johnson
1979 - Father P. Slater
1976 - Father B. Mahoney
1977 - 1979 Father J. Ward
1980 - 1982 Father L Cusak
1982 - Father W. Shanahan
1972 - 1974 Father G. Todd
1977 - 1980 Father E Hynes 1996

Organ:

No information currently available. Submissions welcomed.

Source:

1. St Mary's Church Bairnsdale one hundred years of faith 1883 - 1983. The Church that Grew. SLT 282. 9456 S22E