SITUATED ON THE BELUBULA RIVER, 18 KILOMETRES FROM ITS JUNCTION WITH THE LACHLAN RIVER, CANOWINDRA IS ON THE FERTILE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL TABLELANDS, WITH A CLIMATE SUITABLE FOR MOST FORMS OF RURAL PRODUCTION. THE TOWN WAS SURVEYED IN 1860, THE FIRST ROAD BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1874 AND THE RAILWAY ARRIVED IN 1888. AS IT WAS ADJACENT TO ONE OF THE FEW CROSSINGS OF THE RIVER THE TOWN WAS DEVELOPED IN A STEADY BUT PIECEMEAL STYLE AS A MAJOR AGRICULTURAL CENTRE. DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY NEARBY COPPER AND GOLD MINES AT BELMORE (NOW MOORBEL) ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE TOWNS GROWTH. TODAY CANOWINDRA IS AN ATTRACTIVE AND TRANQUIL RURAL SERVICE CENTRE NOTED IN PARTICULAR FOR ITS WELL-KNOWN HISTORIC CURVING MAIN STREET.

THE HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CANOWINDRA GOES BACK TO ARRIVAL OF FR PHILIP RYAN TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE PARISH OF CARCOAR IN THE LATE 1860's. IN 1873 FR RYAN BUILT A CHURCH IN CANOWINDRA THEN A STATION OF HIS PARISH. BY 1910 CANOWINDRA WAS A THRIVING CENTRE AND IN THAT YEAR IT WAS ELEVATED TO A PARISH IN ITS OWN RIGHT WITH STATIONS AT CARGO, CUDAL, EUGOWRA AND MOORBEL. ANOTHER STATION WAS OPENED AT BILLIMARI IN THE 1940's BUT LATER TRANSFERRED TO COWRA. IN 1928 EUGOWRA ALONG WITH CUDAL WAS DETACHED FROM CANOWINDRA BUT WITH THE DECLINE IN PRIESTLY NUMBERS THE PARISHES WERE DE FACTO REUNITED IN THE 1990's.

IN 1873 EDWARD COADY GAVE LAND SUFFICIENT FOR A CHURCH AND CEMETARY ON THE CANOWINDRA-EUGOWRA ROAD AT A PLACE NOW KNOWN AS CHAPEL HILL. THE CHURCH WAS BUILT OF LACHLAN PINE AND FINISHED IN POLISHED WOOD. IT WAS NAMED FOR ST EDWARD THE CONFESSOR TO HONOUR THE DONOR. BY THE EARLY 1890's THE TOWN CENTRE HAD MOVED CLOSER TO THE BELUBULA RIVER AND IN 1892 THE OLD CHURCH WAS MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION IN TILGA STREET AND ENLARGED. IT WAS REPLACED BY THE BRICK CHURCH IN 1903 AFTER WHICH THE OLD CHURCH WAS SOLD OFF.

THE NEED FOR A LARGER CHURCH FOR THE GROWING TOWN WAS RECOGNISED BY COWRA PRIEST, FR O'KENNEDY, AND ON 11 MAY 1902 THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE NEW CHURCH WAS LAID BY BISHOP DUNNE. THE ARCHITECT, J. J. COPEMAN, DESIGNED AN IMPRESSSIVE CHURCH COMPLETE WITH SPIRED TOWER (BELOW LEFT) BUT AS WAS USUAL AT THE TIME THE CHURCH WAS TO BE BUILT IN STAGES AS FINANCES MADE IT POSSIBLE. THE FIRST STAGE WAS COMPLETED IN 1903 AND COMPRISED THE NAVE OF THE CHURCH (BELOW RIGHT). IN 1913 FR DORAN UNDERTOOK THE NEXT STAGE OF THE BUILDING ADDING THE CHANCEL, SACRISTY AND THE BASE OF THE TOWER (BELOW LEFT). FURTHER EXTENSIONS WERE COMPLETED IN 1968 AND INCLUDED A NARTHEX, NEW SACRISTIES AND A LARGE WING ON THE CONVENT SIDE OF THE CHURCH FOR ADDITIONAL SEATING (BELOW RIGHT). IN THE GROUNDS ARE THE LADY GROTTO (PRE-1913) AND A STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART. ANOTHER MARBLE STATUE OF ST EDWARD SURMOUNTS THE NARTHEX ROOF. TODAY THIS NEAT AND UNPRETENTIOUS CHURCH CONTINUES TO BE THE PARISH HOME OF THE PEOPLE OF CANOWINDRA AS IT HAS FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS.

(ABOVE) THE ORIGINAL DESIGN BY THE ARCHITECT, J J COPEMAN.

(ABOVE) THE 1903 SECTION OF THE CHURCH COMPRISING THE NAVE.

(BELOW) THE CHURCH IN 1913 WITH THE ADDITION OF THE TOWER.

(BELOW) THE PRESENT CHURCH WITH THE NARTHEX ADDED IN 1968 .

(LEFT TO RIGHT) THE LADY GROTTO, THE 1902 FOUNDATION STONE, THE 1913 FOUNDATION STONE AND THE SACRED HEART STATUE.

THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE INTERIOR OF ST EDWARD'S CHURCH HIDES A WEALTH OF TREASURES. PAST THE CHANCEL ARCH IS A QUITE SYMPATHETICALLY RENOVATED SANCTUARY WITH ITS BEAUTIFUL EARLY 20th CENTURY EAST WINDOW AND AN ATTRACTIVE WOODWORK RETABLE WITH THE OLD TABERNACLE INCORPORATED. THE ORIGINAL MENSA HAS BEEN MOVED FORWARD ONLY SO FAR AS NECESSARY TO ALLOW THE PRIEST TO FACE THE PEOPLE. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST ARE THE ORNATE BRONZE CANDLESTICKS ON EACH SIDE OF THE TABERNACLE AND THE ATTRACTIVE HANGING SANCTUARY LAMP.

TO THE RIGHT THROUGH THE SQUARE ARCH IS THE 1968 WING PRESENTLY USED AS THE WEEKDAY MASS CHAPEL WHILE THE TRADITIONAL STATUES OF OUR LADY AND THE SACRED HEART ARE MOUNTED EITHER SIDE OF THE CHANCEL ARCH. THE PENDANT LIGHTS ARE FROM 2001. THE CHURCH ALSO POSSESSES SOME LOVELY STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS AND A SUPERB SET OF THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS.

THE CHANGING FACE OF THE SANCTUARY. (TOP LEFT) THE FIRST WHITE WOODEN ALTAR OF 1903, (BOTTOM LEFT) THE MAGNIFICENT MARBLE ALTAR INSTALLED IN 1935 AND (RIGHT) THE RENOVATED SANCTUARY FOLLOWING THE LITURGICAL CHANGES OF THE LATE 60's.

(ABOVE) THE 1935 MARBLE ALTAR AND (RIGHT) THE EAST WINDOW.

THE STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART ^^^
ST LEONARD OF PORT MAURICE WINDOW.

THE FAUX MARBLE FONT MOVED FROM THE BAPTISTRY IN THE NARTHEX IN THE 1970's.

THREE OF THE MAGNIFICENT FRAMED STATIONS OF THE CROSS. THESE WERE ORIGINALLY FRAMED IN HEAVY GUILT AND HUNG HIGH ON THE WALLS. WHEN THE CHURCH WAS RENOVATED IN THE 1970's THE STATIONS WERE REFRAMED AND MOUNTED LOWER DOWN THE WALL.

<<<< THE DEVOTIONAL CRUCIFIX AND OUR LADY OF FATIMA >>>>
^^^ THE WEST WINDOW SET WITH VICTORIAN STAINED GLASS ^^^.

(LEFT) THE NAVE LOOKING WEST AND (RIGHT) THE 1968 WING ORIGINALLY BUILT TO PROVIDE EXTRA SEATING AND NOW THE SIDE CHAPEL.

LIKE MANY OTHER MID-WESTERN TOWNS GOLD WAS THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH CARGO WAS BUILT. IN 1869 CARGO WAS PROCLAIMED A GOLDFIELD AND IN THE NEXT THIRTY YEARS THE TOWN GREW TO AROUND 7,000 INHABITANTS. AFTER THE RUSH ENDED CARGO BECAME A SERVICE TOWN FOR THE SURROUNDING FARMING AREA A ROLE WHICH THE VILLAGE STILL FULFILLS TODAY AMID REMINDERS OF ITS ONCE BUSTLING AND BOISTEROUS PAST.

CARGO BECAME A STATION OF ORANGE IN 1872 AND A CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1875. IN 1880 A PERMANENT CATHOLIC PRESENCE WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH A CONVENT SCHOOL. THIS PRESENCE CONTINUED FOR 85 YEARS. IN 1910 CARGO TRANSFERRED TO THE PARISH OF CANOWINDRA WHERE IT REMAINS A VERY ACTIVE STATION TODAY.

THE FIRST CARGO CHURCH WAS A SMALL WOODEN BUILDING ERECTED IN 1875 (ABOVE LEFT). IT SERVED AS A CHURCH / SCHOOL UNTIL 1907 WHEN THE NEW CHURCH (ABOVE RIGHT) WAS BUILT AND AS THE CONVENT SCHOOL UNTIL 1939 WHEN IT WAS DEMOLISHED. IN 1907 CARGO WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE PARISH OF COWRA AND WORK WAS IMMEDIATELY COMMENCED ON A NEW BRICK CHURCH TO REPLACE THE OLD WOODEN CHURCH / SCHOOL. THE CHURCH AS OPENED IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR COMPRISED THE PRESENT NAVE AND PORCH AS SEEN BELOW LEFT. IN 1940 THE SANCTUARY WAS REBUILT IN APSIDAL FORM AND A NEW SACRISTY AND SIDE ROOMS ADDED (BELOW RIGHT).

THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH WAS REORGANISED FOLLOWING VATICAN II YET RETAINS MUCH OF ITS ORIGINAL FURNISHINGS. ESPECIALLY NOTABLE ARE THE TWO FINE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IN THE CHANCEL. THE OLD TABERNACLE WAS TAKEN FROM THE ORIGINAL ALTAR AND THEN INSERTED AUMBREY-LIKE IN THE CHANCEL WALL.

(BELOW) THE SIMPLE REORGANISED SANCTUARY AND (RIGHT) THE PLAIN CRUCIFIX WHICH ADORNS THE EAST WALL OF THE SANCTUARY.

(LEFT TO RIGHT) THE ST PETER WINDOW, THE SANCTUARY LAMP, AND THE ST PATRICK WINDOW IN HONOUR OF THE CHURCH PATRON.

ALTHOUGH ONLY TWO MILES SEPARATE CANOWINDRA AND MOORBEL (ORIGINALLY BELMORE) THE LATTER ALWAYS THOUGHT OF ITSELF AS A DISTINCT COMMUNITY. IT WAS LARGELY DUE TO THIS THAT A CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS BUILT THERE AND OPERATED BETWEEN 1923 AND 1965.

THE LOCAL COMMUNITY HAD AGITATED FOR SOME TIME FOR A SCHOOL AND IN 1920 THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FINALLY ACCEDED TO THEIR REQUEST. AS A RESULT MANY CATHOLICS PREFERRED THEIR CHILDREN TO ATTEND THE LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL. FR DORAN THEREUPON INITIATED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BRICK CHURCH / SCHOOL DEDICATED TO THEN BLESSED THERESE THAT OPENED IN 1923.

PROXIMITY TO CANOWINDRA ULTIMATELY REDUCED THE NECESSITY OF A SEPARATE FACILITY IN MOORBEL AND THE SCHOOL CLOSED IN 1961 AND THE CHURCH IN 1965. IN 1969 THE BUILDING WAS SOLD OFF AS REDUNDANT AND IS NOW A PRIVATE HOME.

CANOWINDRA IS A TYPICAL SMALL RURAL PARISH IN ITS COLLECTION OF BUILDINGS. THESE PRESENTLY INCLUDE A PRESBYTERY, A CONVENT AND A SCHOOL IN ADDITION TO THE CHURCH. THREE PREVIOUS BUILDINGS HAVE ALSO SERVED AS PRESBYTERIES, ONE OF THEM ALSO AS THE FIRST CONVENT. NEXT DOOR TO THE CHURCH IS THE BEAUTIFUL SECOND CONVENT BUILDING WHICH SERVED THE SISTERS FROM 1910 TO 2005. OVER TIME SEVERAL BUILDINGS EXISTED TO CATER FOR THE SOCIAL NEEDS OF THE PARISH INCLUDING ST PATRICK'S HALL (ORIGINALLY THE TECHNICAL 'SCHOOL'), ST EDWARD'S HALL, ST EDWARD'S TENNIS COURTS IN RYALL STREET (OPENED IN 1958 AND NOW DEMOLISHED) AND MOST RECENTLY THE PARISH CENTRE CONVERTED FROM THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL BUILDING IN 1994. BEYOND CANOWINDRA THERE WERE ALSO A CONVENT AND SCHOOL AT CARGO AND A SCHOOL AT MOORBEL. THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY IN CANOWINDRA HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE. IN ADDITION TO MAINTAINING A RETAIL OUTLET IN TOWN THEY ALSO OPENED A FACILITY FOR HOMELESS MEN IN 1985, ST KEVIN'S FARM, WHICH WAS LATER PURCHASED AND OPERATED BY THE MATTHEW TALBOT HOSTELS. THE FACILITY CLOSED IN 1997.

SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CANOWINDRA AS A STATION FOUR DISTINCT BUILDINGS HAVE SERVED AS HOMES FOR THE PRIESTS ASSIGNED THERE. THE FIRST WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A BANDBOX AND WAS QUICKLY SUCCEEDED BY THE MORE IMPOSING SECOND. THE THIRD PRESBYTERY, WHICH SERVED FROM 1917 IS STILL IN USE BY THE SCHOOL. THE PRESENT PRESBYTERY (LEFT) WAS BUILT IN 1977.

THE ORIGINAL 'PRESBYTERY' IN SHORT STREET WAS ESSENTIALLY AN OVERNIGHTER FOR VISITING PRIESTS. IT PROBABLY DATED FROM 1892 WHEN THE CHURCH WAS MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION.

THE SECOND PRESBYTERY WAS BOUGHT BY FR O'KENNEDY AND COMPLETED BEFORE 1908. IT WAS USED BRIEFLY AS THE CONVENT AND THEN THE PRESBYTERY FROM 1911 TO 1917. IT STILL EXISTS.

THE THIRD PRESBYTERY IN TILGA STREET NEXT TO THE SCHOOL WAS OCCUPIED FROM 1917 AND WAS BOUGHT FROM FR DORAN IN 1921. IT IS STILL USED AS THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BLOCK.

THE CURRENT PRESBYTERY IS LOCATED IN SUTTOR STREET AND WAS OPENED IN 1977. IT IS A MODERN UNOBTRUSIVE BUNGALOW IN KEEPING WITH MODERN CONCEPTS OF THE PRIESTLY FUNCTION.

ST EDWARD'S HALL, A PLAIN WEATHERBOARD BUILDING EQUIPPED WITH A RAISED STAGE, A WELL-FINISHED DANCE FLOOR AND A COMPACT KITCHENETTE, WAS COMPLETED IN 1949 TO CATER FOR THE SOCIAL SIDE OF THE PARISH. IT WAS HERE THAT HOUSIE NIGHTS WERE HELD AS WELL AS EUCHRE PARTIES, FETES, AND THE ANNUAL WATTLE DANCE RUN BY THE CHILDREN OF MARY SODALITY AROUND AUGUST 1. PREVIOUSLY THE DANCE WAS HELD IN THE STRAND THEATRE AND WAS ONCE THE MOST IMPORTANT CATHOLIC EVENT AFTER THE 'BALL'.


FOR 45 YEARS THE HALL SERVED THE NEEDS OF THE PARISH UNTIL 1994 WHEN AS PART OF A RATIONALISATION OF PARISH BUILDINGS IT WAS SOLD. THE HALL WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO MOORBEL (LEFT) AND CONVERTED INTO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE STILL IN USE TODAY.

MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION AND A NUMBER OF PHOTOS USED ON THIS PAGE COME FROM THE THE CENTENARY HISTORY OF PARISH ST EDWARD'S CHURCH COMPILED BY THE PARISH CENTENARY COMMITTEE WHILE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS FOR CARGO WERE OBTAINED FROM CANOWINDRA AND DISTRICT CHURCHES - A PICTORIAL HISTORY PRODUCED BY THE CANOWINDRA AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY. BOTH THESE INFORMATIVE SOURCES ARE HEREWITH ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE.