Research :: Australian Christian Church Histories

Albert Park, VIC - St Silas and St Anselm Anglican

Address: Corner Bridport & Ferrars Streets, , Albert Park Victoria, 3206

First services were held in the Albert Hall, Bevan Street, then for 50 years in a wooden building on the site of the present service station. It was enlarged in stages. The present building was constructed by Melbourne church architect Louis Williams in 1925. In 1969 the Hall was incorporated into the lower part of the Church building.…

Bentleigh, VIC - St Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Greek Orthodox

Year Built: 1928

Address: 531 Centre Road, , Bentleigh Victoria, 3204

The Foundation stone was laid on 23 June 1928.

Clifton, QLD - St James and St John's Catholic

Address: Clifton Leyburn Road, , Clifton Queensland, 4361

His Grace, Archbishop Dunne on October 21, 1888, opened the first Catholic Church built in Clifton. It was situated on the block on which the current presbytery now stands. Mr M. T. O'Brien was the builder and it cost 247. It was only six months old when discussions commenced about enlarging the church. James Mowen, a prominent Clifton…

Coogee, NSW - St Mary and Joseph Catholic

Address: 246 Malabar Road South, , Coogee New South Wales, 2034

Gawler, SA - St Peter and Paul Catholic

Year Built: 1850

Address: 1 Parnell Square, , Gawler South Australia, 5118

The Gawler Catholic Mission began with the appointment of two English Cistercian Monks – Frs Norbert and Wolfrey, by Bishop of Adelaide, Doctor Murphy – and they arrived in Gawler in August 1848 from Tasmania. The church is built on the site of Gawler's first Roman Catholic church, built in 1850, which was South Australia's second…

Goulburn, NSW - St Peter & Paul's Catholic Cathedral

Year Built: 1843

Address: Bourke Street, Goulburn, New South Wales, 2580

The first Mass in the Goulburn District was celebrated by Father Therry in 1833 at Matt Healey's Inn (now called Riversdale). The Cathedral was built in two stages and was constructed around the original 1843 church (when the cathedral exterior was completed the old church was demolished and the materials were removed outside through…

Horsham, VIC - St Michael and St John's Catholic

Year Built: 1987

Address: Corner Roberts & Urquhart Streets, , Horsham Victoria, 3400

The first Mass to be held in Horsham was in 1857 by visiting Priest Fr. Patrick Madden. The first church was opened by Bishop O'Connor on 12 November 1876, a wooden building facing west to McPherson Street.* The first Catholic church seems to have been built in record time following its establishment as a parish when separated from…

Old Noarlunga, SA - St Philip and St James Anglican

Year Built: 1850

Address: Church Hill Road, , Old Noarlunga South Australia, 5168

Built in 1850 of local stone quarried from the cliffs on the Onkaparinga River in Old Noarlunga , hauled across the river and up the hill by bullock teams and hard sweat. Walls are of ironstone quarried from the cliffs of the Onkaparinga River and hauled to the site by a winch powered by bullocks. Simple buttresses divide the walls…

South Melbourne, VIC - St Peter and Paul Catholic

Year Built: 1869

Address: Corner Dorcas & Montegue Streets, , South Melbourne Victoria, 3205

The area where this church stands was once known as Emerald Hill before becoming South Melbourne. Father John O'Connell was appointed to the charge of Emerald Hill and Sandridge in 1854 and this meant that Emerald Hill was the first strictly suburban Parish in the Diocese. Built of bluestone and of Gothic style the Architect was TA…

St Leonards, VIC - St Philip and James Catholic

Address: Portarlington Road, , St Leonards Victoria, 3223

Tarlee, SA - St John and St Paul Catholic

Address: Clare Road, , Tarlee South Australia, 5411

Thornbury, VIC - St James the Great Anglican

Year Built: 1976

Address: Pender Street, , Thornbury Victoria, 3071

A Foundation stone was laid on 2 October 1976 by the most Reverend Frank Woods K.B.E. D.D. Archbishop of Melbourne. Another Foundation stone was laid on 8 June 1969 by Robert Dann Archdeacon. The builder recorded on this stone was A.F.K. Block and the Architect was M.J. Flynn.

West Geelong, VIC - St Peter and Paul Catholic

Year Built: 1864

Address: Mercer Street, , Geelong West Victoria, 3218

On the 25's October 1849, Acting Vicar-General, Rev. N.J. Coffey applied for 2 acres of land near the village of Ashby. The-Governors finally approved the grant on 25 October 1850. By 1855, a brick school had been built on the site now occupied by the Presbytery. The school was used as a venue to celebrate mass on Sundays and holidays of…