Hughenden, QLD - St Francis Catholic

History and Architecture:

Residents first celebrated Mass in the little old school that was situated where the main road now runs at the inter-section of Grey Street and Mowbray Street.

Father Mouton came in 1887 and celebrated Mass for the first years in the old Court-house every Sunday that he was in town. A little organ, the property of the Town Council, was at the disposal of the Cath-olics and the members of the other chur-ches, who also used the Courthouse on Sun-days.

The first Church was built by Father Mouton towards the end of 1888. (It seems the contractor was Jack Shea, whose wife was a Miss McNamara). Father dedicated the Church to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In the scanty records he has left, he records December 8th, 1888, that half of the opening collection was £35 odd. On September 4, 1898, a meeting of the Church Committee was held, Rev. Father Cassar presiding. Father Cassar explained that the object of the meeting was to consider the ad-visability of either painting or enlarging the Church. The advice of an architect was obtained, who came to Hughenden for the purpose. On January 1, 1899, the contract was signed for the extension of the church.

Bishop Sheil on the 4th of August 1918 laid a foundation stone for a new Catholic Church according to the Catholic Advocate.

The most recent Church which closed in late 2018 after 50 years of serving the Catholic community was demolished due to problems with the building foundations caused by cracking. Reactive soils meant it was too dangerous to allow mass to continue to be held at the church.