1905
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MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE
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PARISH OF ST JOSEPH CESSNOCK |
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FOUNDED 1905 |
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DIOCESE MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE |
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PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH |
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| PARISH | CHURCH |
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| THE CITY OF CESSNOCK OWES ITS FOUNDATION TO COAL AND ITS GROWTH TO WINE. FOUNDED TO SERVICE THE HUNTER COAL MINES, CESSNOCK BECAME A MAJOR CENTRE FOR THE INDUSTRY DURING THE LATE 19th AND EARLY 2Oth CENTURIES. WITH THE DECLINE OF COAL, CESSNOCK FOUND NEW LIFE AS THE CENTRE OF THE HUNTER VALLEY WINE INDUSTRY. TODAY IT IS A BIG BUSTLING TOWN PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE MANY VINEYARDS IN THE AREA. THE PARISH OF CESSNOCK WAS FOUNDED IN 1905 FROM BRANXTON TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE MANY CATHOLICS WHO FLOCKED TO THE AREA TO WORK THE MINES. TODAY IT FORMS THE ECCLESIASTICAL CENTRE OF A LARGE AREA STRETCHING SOUTH PAST WOLLOMBI TO THE BORDERS OF THE DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA. NEXT |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE MASSIVE CHURCH OF ST JOSEPH WAS BUILT IN 1952 TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL CHURCH OF CESSNOCK AT NULKABA ABOUT 1KM NORTH OF THE PRESENT TOWN CENTRE. THE CHURCH EXPRESSES THE CONFIDENCE OF POST-WAR CATHOLICISM AND FORMS THE FOCAL POINT OF A COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS INCLUDING A HALL AND LARGE PRESBYTERY. THE CHURCH IS DOMINATED BY ITS TALL SQUARE TOWER AND ITS SURMOUNTING CROSS. THE NAVE IS BROAD AND TOPPED BY STRONG BLOCKY CROSSES. THE WEST WINDOWS ARE TALL NARROW AND RECTANGULAR. THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THE CHURCH IS ALMOST FACTORY LIKE, AN APPRORIATE STYLE FOR A TOWN THAT RELIED SO HEAVILY ON INDUSTRY FOR ITS BEING. NEXT |
 | IN COMMON WITH MOST CATHOLIC CHURCHES ST JOSPEH'S UNDERWENT AN INTERNAL REORGANISATION DURING THE 1970's TO BRING IT INTO CONFORMITY WITH THE NEW LITURGY. THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE IN THE SANCTUARY WHERE THE WHOLE AREA HAS BEEN OPENED OUT INTO THE NAVE. A LOVELY MARBLE ALTAR TABLE FORMS THE CENTRAL FOCUS ALONG WITH A MATCHING CHAIR BEHIND THE ALTAR AND AN AMBO AND FONT TO THE RIGHT. THE TABERNACLE IS MOUNTED ON A COLUMN STAND AGAINST THE EAST WALL. SEASONAL BANNERS AND DECORATION ADD A MODERN TOUCH. THE WONDERFUL AND, FOR AUSTRALIAN CHURCHES, UNUSUAL ROOD CROSS MOUNTED HIGH ON THE EAST WALL WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL SANCTUARY FURNISHINGS AND SURVIVED THE REORGANISATION. THE DISPLACED SEATING HAS BEEN RELOCATED BEHIND THE ALTAR TO PROVIDE A KIND OF DEVOTIONAL CHAPEL AROUND THE TABERNACLE. NEXT |
 | DURING THE REORGANISATION OF THE CHURCH THE BACK PART OF THE NAVE WAS ENCLOSED BY A WOOD AND GLASS PANELLED WALL TO FORMA A NARTHEX. ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS NARTHEX IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOWER WHICH IS MARKED BY THE WAR MEMORIAL DOORWAY COMMEMORATING THE DEAD OF WORLD WARS. GUARDED BY SOLDIERS ON BOTH SIDES UNDER THE MOTTO "WE HAVE SERVED GOD AND COUNTRY UNTO DEATH" ARE THE MEMORIAL BOOKS LISTING THE NAMES OF THOSE OF THE PARISH WHO FELL FIGHTING FOR THE COUNTRY. BEYOND THE ENTRANCE IS AN AREA OF SMALL ROOMS AND THE STAIRWAY UP INTO THE TOWER. NEXT |
PLASTER STATIONS OF THE CROSS ADORN THE CHURCH AND NARTHEX WALLS, THE LATTER A RESULT OF THE WALL INSTALLED DURING THE REORGANISATION. |
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| THE LOVELY SHRINE OF THE SACRED HEART LOCATED IN THE NORTH WALL WAS CONSTRUCTED DURING THE REORGANISATION OF THE CHURCH. | AT THE REAR OF THE CHURCH IN THE FORMER BAPTISTRY IS THE BEAUTIFUL CHAPEL AND ALTAR DEDICATED TO BLESSED MARY MCKILLOP. | MATCHING THE SACRED HEART SHRINE ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS THE MARIAN SHRINE DEDICATED TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP. |
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| TOP STATION CHURCHES | ||
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| STATION CHURCHES |
| WOLLOMBI |
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| CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL, WOLLOMBI | |
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STATION |
| THE HISTORIC VILLAGE OF WOLLOMBI LIES ON THE ORIGINAL GREAT NORTHERN ROAD BUILT UNDER GOVERNOR DARLING. WOLLOMBI SITUATED AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE ROAD WAS INTENDED TO BE THE GATEWAY TO THE HUNTER VALLEY. THE ROAD HOWEVER PROVED UNSUITABLE AND WHEN THE CENTRAL COAST ROUTE WAS SURVEYED THE ROAD AND ITS ASSOCIATED TOWNS DWINDLED INTO INSIGNIFICANCE. TODAY IT SURVIVES LARGELY ON THE TOURIST TRADE. WOLLOMBI HAS HAD A CATHOLIC PRESENCE SINCE 1840 WHEN THE CHURCH WAS BUILT BUT WITH THE DECLINE OF THE VILLAGE IT BECAME JUST A STATION. TODAY IT IS STILL USED FOR REGULAR SERVICES EACH MONTH. NEXT | |
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| THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE LOVELY SANDSTONE CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL WAS LAID BY BISHOP JOHN BEDE POLDING IN 1840. IT WAS BUILT IN THE SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH GOTHIC POPULAR AT THE TIME AND CONSISTED OF A NAVE, SACRISTY AND PORCH. THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY LOWER THAN THE PRESENT SITE CLOSER TO THE CREEK BUT IT WAS DESTROYED IN A MAJOR FLOOD IN THE EARLY 1890's. THE CHURCH WAS REBUILT ON HIGHER GROUND USING THE ORIGINAL STONE AND BLESSED BY BISHOP MURRAY IN 1893. THE STAINED GLASS WINDOW OF ST MICHAEL WAS ADDED IN MORE RECENT TIMES. | ||
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| TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES | ||
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |||
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| NULKABA | |||
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| CHURCH OF ST PATRICK, NULKABA | |
 | THE LOVELY SANDSTONE CHURCH AT NULKABA WAS THE ORIGINAL CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR THE CESSNOCK AREA. IT WAS BUILT IN 1892 ALONG THE POKOLBIN ROAD IN SIMPLIFIED ENGLISH GOTHIC. WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF ST JOSEPH'S IT BECAME REDUNDANT AND WAS EVENTUALLY SOLD AND TODAY IS USED AS A PRIVATE WEDDING CHAPEL. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES STATION CHURCHES OTHER BUILDINGS |
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| OTHER BUILDINGS |
| CESSNOCK CATHOLIC HALL |
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| CATHOLIC HALL, CESSNOCK | |
 | THE LARGE CATHOLIC HALL LOCATED NEXT DOOR TO THE CHURCH IS AN IMPRESSIVE EARLY 20th CENTURY BUILDING WITH AN ECCLESIASTICAL FEEL PROVIDED BY THE CLASSICAL ROUND-HEADED WINDOWS. THE HALL IS OLDER THAN THE CHURCH AND THE OLDEST BUILDING ON THE PRESENT SITE. A PLACE OF GATHERING FOR THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY TODAY IT CONTINUES TO SERVE THE FAITHFUL AS A PLACE TO MEET AND SOCIALISE. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES OTHER BUILDINGS |
