churcharchitecture

Christ Church a beautiful feature more than 90 years on Ashley Schipper 18 April 2021 Standing tall on the corner of Woongarra and Maryborough Streets, Christ Church Anglican Church has been a prominent structure in the Bundaberg CBD ever since it was first constructed in 1927. Featuring a gothic style with characteristics including pointed arches with moldings in porches, windows, and arcades, the Anglican church is heavily influenced by English and European architecture. Photos depicting the church from its early construction stages show just how much effort the build required. Local man and church member Ken Parsons is the current owner of the historic photos, who said he was gifted them by a neighbor some years ago. Ken, who was married in Christ Church and who is also a member, said the photos served as a reminder to the community of the significance of the building. “These photos show just how hard it was originally to build the church,” he said. “It really is something special- just the age of it, the stained glass windows, the colour of the bricks, and the inside of the building is beautiful.” The Bundaberg Regional Libraries’ heritage research team published an article outlining the history of the site and the effort that went into the build. The construction of Christ Church was first established after the Bishop of Brisbane, W.T.T Webber, visited Bundaberg in 1886 and promised the people of the parish that a permanent church would be built. The structure was completed in 1927 after more than 40 years of planning and preparation, but fittings and interior were not completed until the mid-1930s. The design and plans for the church were drawn by the Diocesan Architect Mr. J Hingeston Buckeridge of Sydney and showed a simple but spacious and beautiful building that would accommodate up to 600 worshippers. The cost was estimated at 6000 pounds with extra funds for the construction raised by subscriptions, appeals, bazaars, and individual donations from Bundaberg residents.

Christ Church build a mammoth effort Due to various reasons, the building of the church was delayed until after World War I and saw Mr. F.H Faircloth appointed as architect. The original plans, first drawn by Mr. Buckeridge, were adapted to allow for the use of bricks and concrete as the primary building material. The foundation stone for the church was finally laid on August 9, 1920, by Bishop Le Fenu. Construction of the church was a rigorous day labor task, with workers using rope pulleys, blocks, and tackles as the main mechanisms for the build. The open roof was constructed in Oregon pine and was the only section built by contract labor.

The Christ Church grand reveal Christ Church was officially opened on Sunday, 20 February 1927 by the Archbishop of Brisbane, the Most Rev. G. Sharp. In 1928 the Rev A. H Osborn became the new Rector of Christ Church. It was during his incumbency that much of the interior of the building was designed and installed, with many of the interesting features a direct result of the Reverend's trips to England and Europe. The Lychgate and Wayside Cross were erected after 1930 and the creeper vine covering these structures was grown from a cutting brought back from Glastonbury Abbey. Rev. Osborn also collected the remains of several stained glass windows from overseas for Christ Church. Many of the other features of the building have been donated by pioneer families in Bundaberg. The fine wooden reredos in the sanctuary were donated by the Buss family, who were also responsible for the cost of building the church tower. One of the more spectacular features of Christ Church is a brass lectern with the figure of an eagle attached, which was donated by Miss Tanner in memory of her brother the Rev. E. Tanner, who was the first ordained Anglican priest in Bundaberg. The lectern was made in England and is acknowledged as one of the finest lecterns in Australia.

Restoration works a first for Christ Church In 2019, the church underwent multiple restoration projects for the first time since its construction. The steeple was given a fresh coat of paint and the window glass was removed and re-worked earlier in the year. Six Peace Bells were also introduced to the building and the original organ was transformed back to its former glory. The pipe organ, which is housed in an organ chamber built over the north side of the church, has been a feature of the church since 1927. It is one of only three in Australia and is unique in that it is mechanical rather than pneumatic.

Source: www.bundabergnow.com/2021/04/18/christ-church-a-beautiful...

Historic Holy Rosary Church steps into the modern age Megan Dean 7 November 2020 The long and interesting history of Bundaberg’s Catholic community dates back to the early 1870s but that hasn’t stopped the parish from moving into the 21st century. A range of improvements is planned for the Holy Rosary Church including air conditioning, solar, and landscaping. Catholic Parish of Bundaberg Manager Norm Whyte said the upgrades were being made with the church’s proud history in mind. The iconic building holds a commanding presence in the Bundaberg CBD, on the corner of Woongarra and Barolin Streets, but Norm said it hadn’t always been so. “We started with very humble beginnings with just a very small timber building as a church,” Norm said. “That building still stands in our Catholic cemetery. “As far as we know that little chapel was very likely the very first church in Bundaberg. “We think,” Norm clarified. “It’s a bit of a hazy history.” Norm said that small timber church had recently undergone renovations as part of the Catholic Parish’s commitment to preserving its history. Prior to that he said there was already a Catholic presence in the community with the first mass delivered in the Adams hotel, a one-story timber building now better known as the Metropolitan Hotel. The proprietor then was Walter Adams, Bundaberg’s first member to the Queensland Legislative Assembly. “They used to let the priest use a room in the hotel to celebrate mass, that’s how it actually began.” In 1876 the Sisters of Saint Joseph, founded by Saint Mary MacKillop, arrived in Bundaberg ahead of Father Rossolini who moved his residence from Mt Perry to Bundaberg in December of that year. The Sisters of Saint Joseph began St Joseph’s school which remains a part of the community today. Saint Mary MacKillop is known to have visited Bundaberg on two occasions. Father Rossolini was responsible for the building of the Holy Rosary church in Bundaberg. “With his Italian background, he commissioned Fransis Stanley, the architect of colonial Queensland, to design the Holy Rosary Church,” Norm said. “The style of Holy Rosary church is neo classical, inspired by the temples of ancient Rome.… it’s quite unique. “It is locally heritage listed with the Bundaberg Regional Council.” Catholic Parish of Bundaberg parishioner and archivist Cathryn King has carried out extensive work to preserve the region’s Catholic history. Her own personal history in the region, dating back to when her mother’s family arrived in the region in 1872, combined with a graduate diploma in local and applied history make her uniquely qualified for the job. Some of the interesting facts she has uncovered include the fact that Father Rossalini, by request, was buried “10 feet under and 10 feet in”. She said no one alive today was quite certain of the exact location “but they were very careful during the renovations of 1987/88”. While celebrating and preserving this colourful history Norm said plans were underway to modernise the Holy Rosary Church, including installing live streaming cameras to make services more accessible. “I guess you could say we are bringing it into the 21st century,” Norm said. “We’re getting the building air-conditioned, which is a major achievement knowing that we are dealing with such a significant building. “That’s also combined with solar panels. “Anything we’ve done with that building over the years we’ve been very careful to preserve it in any way we can and not detract from its architecture.” Norm was also excited to announce that within the very near future a significant landscaping project would be undertaken within the church grounds. Source: www.bundabergnow.com/2020/11/07/holy-rosary-church-bundab...

Blackstone is a suburb of Ipswich in the City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. The district was originally called Bundamba Creek but this caused confusion with nearby Bundamba, so the postmistress Mrs Orr proposed the name Blackstone, believed to be a place in Ireland.[3 The area is renowned for its mining history and in 1866 Welshman Lewis Thomas established one of the first mines in the area.[4] Blackstone has a rich Welsh history with Lewis Thomas having populated the community with Welsh miners and their families, who in turn established their own Cambrian choir and church in 1886, a School of Arts in 1891, a Soccer club in 1890, and public school in 1887. Blackstone Congregational Church was established in 1879 and was designed by architect Will Haenke. The church originally faced Thomas Street, but circa 1900 a new church building was constructed to face Mary Street with the original building being retained as a hall. In December 2007 the Samoan Methodist Church purchased the church with Samoan-language services being conducted from 27 January 2008.[6] Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstone,_Queensland