Murray Bridge, SA - St John the Baptist Anglican

History and Architecture:

In 1884 Anglicans held services at the newly-opened Bridge-port Hotel.

Their first Church, the Church of St. John the Baptist,was built in 1887 at a cost of £434-l0-0. It is a plain, small limestone building with an unfinished porch. For several years it was under the control of the River Murray Mission, which also used a steamboat ("Etona 1" and 11Etona 2") to conduct services along the· river.

Archdeacon Bussell travelled on the boat and was priest-in-charge of the church until. 1911. There is a memorial plaque to him in the sanctuary of the church. Saint John the Baptist Pro- Cathedral in Murray Bridge is Australia's smallest cathedral and the rural city's oldest church.

Once recognised as the world's smallest church, this building was erected in 1887, with original plans being drawn up by Mr S Williams, a local building contractor in 1886.

The Church of Saint John the Baptist at Murray Bridge was dedicated and licensed by Bishop G.W. Kennion on February 2nd 1887.  The total cost of the building was £434 10 shillings.

When Bishop R. Porter was enthroned as the first Bishop of the Murray on April 16th 1970, the little Church became the Pro-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and was recognised as the "Smallest Cathedral in the World"

Regular services are held in the tiny cathedral at Murray Bridge.  The Diocese of The Murray was created from the Diocese of Adelaide in 1970, and takes its name from the Murray River, Australia's most important River, which flows through the Diocese before reaching the sea. It was the last new Diocese to be created in Australia.