COONAMBLE IS A SMALL COUNTRY TOWN OF SOME 3000 PEOPLE ON THE CASTLEREAGH RIVER 569 KM NORTH-WEST OF SYDNEY. IT IS ESSENTIALLY A SERVICE CENTRE TO THE LARGEST SHIRE IN NSW COVERING THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE WARRUMBUNGLES AND THE ALLUVIAL PLAINS OF THE CASTLEREAGH. WHEAT, SHEEP AND CATTLE ARE THE ECONOMIC MAINSTAYS. THE TOWN WAS SURVEYED IN 1859 AND GAZETTED IN 1861. DURING 1870'S THE LOCAL ECONOMY CHANGED ITS FOCUS FROM CATTLE TO SHEEP AND AMIDST A GENERAL ECONOMIC EXPANSION THE POPULATION INCREASED FROM 209 TO 1680 IN 1901. A BRIDGE WAS BUILT OVER THE RIVER IN 1883 (REPLACED IN 1983) AND THE FIRST BORE SOUTH OF THE DARLING RIVER WAS DRILLED IN 1894. THIS LATTER EVENT ALONG WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE RAILWAY IN 1903 GREATLY BENEFITED THE TOWN. TODAY COONAMBLE REMAINS A PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE RIVERSIDE TOWN THAT CONTINUES IN ITS VITAL ROLE OF REGIONAL HUB AS IT HAS FOR THE PAST 150 YEARS.

COONAMBLE WAS ORIGINALLY A PART OF DUBBO PARISH BECOMING A SEPARATE PARISH IN 1874 JUST 13 YEARS AFTER THE TOWN WAS GAZETTED. IT EXTENDED FROM COOLAH TO THE MAQUARIE MARSHES AND FROM BALLADORAN TO THE QUEENSLAND BORDER AND WAS THUS THE MOTHER PARISH OF COONABARABRAN, COOLAH, GILGANDRA, WALGETT AND MUNGINDI. IN 1876 COONAMBLE TRANSFERRED TO MAITLAND DIOCESE AND REMAINED THERE FOR ELEVEN YEARS. ALTHOUGH THIS TIME WAS SHORT IT WAS TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE AUSTRALIAN CHURCH AS IT WAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMING OF THE FIRST BRIGIDINE SISTERS TO AUSTRALIA. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MUCH REDUCED IN SIZE THE PARISH STILL COVERED A WIDE AREA AND INCLUDED STATIONS AT QUAMBONE, WEETALIBAH (GILGOOMA), TERIDGERIE, COMBARA AND ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS GULARGAMBONE. COONAMBLE REMAINS A VERY VIBRANT CENTRE OF THE FAITH TODAY.

COONAMBLE'S FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH, A SIMPLE 'GOD BOX' OF PIT-SAWN TIMBER, WAS BUILT IN 1870. IT WAS A TYPICAL 'BUSH' CHURCH OF THE TIME AND ALSO TYPICALLY IT WAS USED AS THE PARISH SCHOOL FROM 1883 UNTIL 1893. THERE IS SOME DISCREPANCY OVER THE SUBSEQUENT FATE OF THE FIRST CHURCH. AFTER THE SECOND CHURCH WAS COMPLETED THE BODY OF THE OLD CHURCH WAS APPARENTLY MOVED TO GULARGAMBONE AT SOME POINT AS THEIR FIRST CHURCH WHILE A PART OF THE CHURCH AT LEAST REMAINED IN COONAMBLE AND WAS USED THERE AS THE SCHOOL WEATHERSHED AND AN AD HOC CLASSROOM UNTIL IT WAS FINALLY DEMOLISHED.

BY 1892 THE OLD CHURCH/SCHOOL HAD BEEN FOUND INADEQUATE AND FATHER O'DOWD HAD A NEW CHURCH ERECTED ADJACENT TO IT. THIS NEW CHURCH BUILDING WAS AN IMPRESSIVE STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF WEATHERBOARD AND WITH AN ATTRACTIVE STEEPLE. IT WAS IN FACT CONSIDERED BY SOME NAYSAYERS TO BE OVER-AMBITIOUS BUT IT PROVED ITS WORTH OVER THE FORTY-SIX YEARS THAT IT WAS IN USE AND WAS ALWAYS FULL. IN 1938 IT WAS DISMANTLED AND TRANSPORTED TO GULARGAMBONE WHERE IT BECAME THE SECOND CHURCH OF THAT TOWN. IT STILL STANDS TODAY ALBEIT AS AN ABORIGINAL CO-OPERATIVE NOT A CHURCH.

BY THE MID-1930's THE OLD CHURCH WHICH THOSE NAY-SAYERS HAD SAID WOULD NEVER BE FILLED BUT WHICH REGULARLY CATERED TO OVERFLOW CONGREGATIONS WAS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT TO SERVE THE CATHOLICS OF COONAMBLE AND SO THE DECISION WAS TAKEN TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW CHURCH. IN 1938 THE CHURCH WAS DISMANTLED AND TAKEN DOWN TO GULARGAMBONE THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE MAGNIFICENT NEW SPANISH MISSION STYLE CHURCH WAS DULY LAID BY BISHOP NORTON ON SEPTEMBER 11 OF THE SAME YEAR.

THE CHURCH WAS DESIGNED BY HENNESSY, HENNESSY AND CO. OF SYDNEY IN THE SAME STYLE AS THE OLD PYMBLE CHURCH WHICH WAS NOT ONLY A RARITY IN AUSTRALIA BUT CERTAINLY UNIQUE IN THE BATHURST DIOCESE. DESIGNED TO HOLD IN EXCESS OF 700 PEOPLE AND ONE OF THE LARGEST CHURCHES IN THE DIOCESE, IT COST FOR THE TIME THE PRINCELY SUM OF £15,400. THE STATUE ABOVE THE FRONT DOOR REPRESENTS THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. WITH ITS SQUARE TOWER AND STRONG PROFILE THE CHURCH IS TO THIS DAY ONE OF COONAMBLE'S OUTSTANDING LANDMARK BUILDINGS.

(LEFT) THE IMPRESSIVE WEST FACADE AND TOWER OF THE CHURCH AND (BELOW) THE COMPLETED CHURCH AS IT APPEARED A FEW YEARS AFTER ITS OPENING.

'THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY' IS AN APT DESCRIPTION OF ONE OF THE LOVELIEST INTERIORS IN THE DIOCESE OF BATHURST, ONE THAT BREATHES THE SPIRITUALITY OF PRE-VATICAN CATHOLICISM. THE LONG SWEEPING NAVE WITH ITS DECORATIVE ROOF BEAMS LEADS TO A SANCTUARY SO EXPRESSIVE OF THE CENTRALITY OF THE REAL PRESENCE IN CATHOLIC LIFE. RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE CHANCEL ARE SHALLOW TRANSEPTS WHICH ONCE HELD THE SIDE ALTARS AND NOW PROVIDE SEATING FOR THE CONGREGATION. ON THE NORTH SIDE IS THE STATUE GIVEN BY BISHOP NORTON OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND IN THE SOUTH TRANSEPT STANDS THE FONT.

THE RE-ORDERING OF THE SANCTUARY WAS SYMPATHETICALLY DONE, RETAINING THE BEAUTIFUL HIGH ALTAR AND ADDING A HARMONISING PORTABLE ALTAR FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE REVISED ORDER OF MASS. THE MATCHING AMBO IS LOCATED TO THE LEFT. OFF THE SANCTUARY IS THE FORMER NUN'S CHANCEL WHICH HAS NOW BEEN MADE INTO THE WEEKDAY CHAPEL.

<<<< THE STATUE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND THE FONT >>>>
vv THE NEW MARBLE ALTAR MADE TO HARMONISE WITH THE HIGH ALTAR vv

GULARGAMBONE IS A VIBRANT SMALL COMMUNITY SITUATED 550 KILOMETRES NORTH-WEST OF SYDNEY. ESTABLISHED ON THE BANKS OF THE CASTLEREAGH RIVER IN 1883, GULARGAMBONE IS PRIMARILY AN AGRICULTURAL AREA, WITH WHEAT, SHEEP, CATTLE AND SAWMILLING AS IT’S MAIN ENTERPRISES. DURING THE 1990’s GULARGAMBONE, LIKE MANY COUNTRY TOWNS, WITNESSED A SHARP DOWNTURN IN THE RURAL ECONOMY WITH BANKS CLOSING AND BUSINESSES LEAVING TOWN. HOWEVER THE LOCAL PEOPLE RALLIED AND HAVE SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER RURAL TOWNSHIPS IN HOW A PROACTIVE COMMUNITY CAN SUSTAIN THEIR TOWN IN THE FACE OF GREAT ADVERSITY.

GULAR AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN WAS A STATION OF COONAMBLE FROM THE 1890's ONWARDS WHEN A SMALL STATION CHURCH WAS ERECTED. IN 1915 GILGANDRA WAS SEPARATED FROM COONAMBLE AND A FEW YEARS LATER GULAR BECAME A STATION OF THE NEW PARISH, A STATUS IT WOULD MAINTAIN FOR JUST UNDER FIFTY YEARS. IN 1958 THE PERTHVILLE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH ESTABLISHED A SCHOOL IN THE TOWN. IN 1964 BISHOP THOMAS TOOK ADVANTAGE TO THE BOOM IN PRIESTLY NUMBERS TO CREATE SEVERAL NEW PARISHES, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE PARISH OF GULARGAMBONE TOGETHER WITH TOORAWEENAH. THIS HIGH NUMBER OF VOCATIONS ALONG WITH THE LARGE CONGREGATIONS OF THE 50's COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED HOWEVER AND AFTER TWENTY ODD YEARS THE SCHOOL CLOSED AND THE PARISH WAS SUPPRESSED. IN 1983 GULARGAMBONE RETURNED TO ITS FIRST HOME IN THE PARISH OF COONAMBLE.

GULARGAMBONE'S FIRST CHURCH, DEDICATED TO ST PHILOMENA, WAS ERECTED AROUND 1893. IT WAS A SMALL PIT-SAWN TIMBER 'GOD-BOX' AND STOOD A SHORT WAY FROM THE PRESENT SITE. THIS CHURCH WAS MOVED FROM THE PARENT PARISH OF COONAMBLE, WHERE IT HAD BEEN THE FIRST PARISH CHURCH, TO ACCOMODATE THE NEW TOWNSHIP OF GULAR AND STILL STANDS AS A PRIVATE HOME TODAY.

CONTINUING A TRADITION BEGUN WITH THE FIRST CHURCH IN 1893, THE STATION RECEIVED A NEW CHURCH IN 1938 AGAIN COURTESY OF COONAMBLE ALTHOUGH THE LATTER WAS NO LONGER GULARGAMBONE'S PARENT PARISH. COONAMBLE HAD JUST COMMENCED BUILDING ITS MAGNIFICENT NEW CHURCH AND RATHER THAN DEMOLISH THE STILL SOLID OLD CHURCH IT WAS OFFERED TO GULARGAMBONE AND GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED. THE CHURCH WAS CUT INTO SECTIONS AND TRANSPORTED TO GULAR WHERE IT WAS REASSMBLED INTO THE NEW ST PHILOMENA'S CHURCH. BY SHEER SIZE THE CHURCH BECAME THE DOMINANT BUILDING OF THE LITTLE TOWNSHIP AND PROVIDED A FITTING PLACE OF WORSHIP FOR THE CATHOLICS OF GULARGAMBONE FOR JUST OVER FORTY YEARS BECOMING A PARISH CHURCH IN 1964. BY 1982 HOWEVER TIME WAS TAKING ITS TOLL AND, WITH THE PARISH ABOUT TO BE SUPPRESSED, BISHOP THOMAS GAVE PERMISSION FOR THE SALE OF THE BUILDING. THE CHURCH WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE OLD SCHOOL AND THE BUILDING SOLD TO AN ABORIGINAL CO-OPERATIVE. THE CHURCH STILL STANDS TODAY (ABOVE) AS IMPOSING AS IT WAS WHEN FIRST BUILT OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

IN 1981 ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL WAS CLOSED AND THUS WAS AVAILABLE FOR USE WHEN THE OLD CHURCH CAME TO BE SOLD A FEW YEARS LATER. THE DECISION WAS THEN TAKEN TO CONVERT THE SCHOOL BUILDING FOR USE AS THE NEW MASS CENTRE AND, AS THE SACRED HEART CHURCH, IT WAS BLESSED AND OPENED IN 1985. TODAY THE LITTLE CHURCH STILL FORMS THE HEART OF A VERY ACTIVE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY.

THE SIMPLE INTERIOR WAS ORGANISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEW POST VATICAN II LITURGICAL PRINCIPLES.

QUAMBONE IS A SMALL VILLAGE WHICH LIES TO THE WEST OF COONAMBLE. IT IS OFTEN KNOWN AS THE GATEWAY TO THE MARSHES DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE WETLANDS OF THE MACQUARIE MARSHES. SET AMID PLEASANT SURROUNDS THE LITTLE RURAL TOWNSHIP IS ALSO KNOWN FOR HAVING THE SMALLEST LIBRARY IN AUSTRALIA AND FOR RUNNING OF THE MARTHAGUY PICNIC RACES WHICH ARE HELD IN THE TOWN EACH JULY.

QUAMBONE WAS A STATION OF COONAMBLE FROM THE EARLY 1900's AND WAS ONLY THE SECOND OF COONAMBLE'S OUTSTATIONS TO POSSESS ITS OWN STATION CHURCH AFTER GULAR. FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS THE LITTLE CHURCH HAS SUSTAINED THE FAITH OF THE QUAMBONE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY LONG AFTER ALL OF THE STATIONS OPENED AFTER IT HAD CLOSED DOWN, SURELY A TESTIMONY TO THE STAUNCH COMMITMENT OF QUAMBONE CATHOLICS TO MAINTAINING THIS, THEIR OWN PLACE OF WORSHIP AS A PERMANENT HOUSE FOR THE SON OF GOD.

THE LITTLE QUAMBONE CHURCH DEDICATED TO THE SACRED HEART WAS ERECTED IN 1906. IT IS A PLAIN WEATHERBOARD 'GODBOX' WHICH COMPRISES A NAVE, A CHANCEL AND A SACRISTY SURROUNDED BY NATIVE GUM TREES. AN INTERESTING FEATURE IS THE UNIQUE LITTLE HOMEMADE BELLTOWER IN THE CHURCH GROUNDS. THE OLD CHURCH WAS GIVEN A PRISTINE COAT OF SPARKLING WHITE PAINT IN 1982.

IN THE LATE 70's THE INTERIOR WAS REORGANISED IN LINE WITH THE LATEST LITURGICAL IDEAS. THE ORIENTATION WAS TURNED 90 DEGREES AND A NEW PORTABLE TABLE ALTAR INSTALLED. THE FORMER CHANCEL WAS THEN USED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SEATING AND A SHRINE TO THE SACRED HEART AND ST THERESE. HOWEVER, THE STATUES, STATIONS OF THE CROSS, AND CRUCIFIX WERE ALL RETAINED.

SOME INTERESTING ASPECTS OF THE CHURCH INTERIOR (SHOWN ABOVE) CAN BE SEEN HERE INCLUDING THE NEW SANCTUARY (LEFT AND BELOW) AND THE FORMER CHANCEL (RIGHT). THE TRADITIONAL STATIONS OF THE CROSS AND THE STATUES OF OUR LADY AND ST JOSEPH ARE BELOW.

COMBARA IS A SMALL HAMLET ABOUT TEN KILOMETERES FROM COONAMBLE THAT OWES ITS MAIN REASON FOR EXISTENCE TO THE RAILWAY AND THE GRAIN SILOS THAT STORE WHEAT FOR TRANSPORT TO SYDNEY. RECENTLY THOUGH THE VILLAGE HAS DECLINED IN THE RURAL DOWNTURN.

COMBARA WAS TO BE THE LAST OF THE OUTSTATIONS OF COONAMBLE PARISH TO HAVE ITS OWN CHURCH BUILT IN 1939. THE CHURCH WAS DEDICATED TO THE FIRST IRISH SAINT TO BE BEATIFIED IN 700 YEARS, BISHOP OLIVER PLUNKETT. THE COMMUNITY WAS ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE CHURCH UNTIL 1975 JUST IN TIME TO WITNESS THE CANONISATION OF THEIR PATRON SAINT. SADLY THE CHURCH WAS CLOSED EARLY IN 1976. THE OLD CHURCH FURNISHINGS WERE TRANSFERRED TO COONAMBLE WHERE THEY ARE STILL IN USE IN THE SIDE CHAPEL AND THE CHURCH SOLD IN 1978. TODAY THE CHURCH STILL STANDS BUT AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

GILGOOMA IS A SMALL LOCALITY SITUATED NORTH-EAST OF COONAMBLE ON THE EDGE OF THE VAST PILLIGA BRUSH. ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS WEETALIBAH, THE NAME CHANGED IN THE 1950's TO AVOID CONFUSION WITH THE OTHER WEETALIBA NEAR BINNAWAY. ORIGINALLY SETTLED TO SERVE THE SURROUNDING FARMS TODAY AS A RESULT OF CHANGED FARMING PRACTICES GILGOOMA HAS DWINDLED TO JUST A FEW HOUSES IN THE BUSH.
THE HISTORY OF THE GILGOOMA CHURCH IS PERHAPS THE SADDEST IN THE HISTORY OF COONAMBLE PARISH. CONSTRUCTED IN 1908 AND DEDICATED TO ST JOSEPH, THE LITTLE WEATHERBOARD CHURCH WAS ONE OF THE OLDER STATION CHURCHES TO BE BUILT AND FAITHFULLY SERVED THE SURROUNDING FARMING COMMUNITY FOR OVER SIXTY YEARS. BY THE EARLY 70's HOWEVER GILGOOMA WAS SUFFERING FROM THE GENERAL DECLINE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND WHEN THE LITTLE CHURCH CAUGHT FIRE ON THE NIGHT OF 26 SEPTEMBER 1972 AND BURNT DOWN IT WAS DECIDED NOT TO REBUILD IT AND THE STATION ITSELF WAS CLOSED SHORTLY AFTER.

TERIDGERIE IS A TINY RURAL LOCALITY CONSISTING OF JUST A FEW BUILDINGS LYING ON THE BANKS OF THE TERIDGERIE CREEK BETWEEN COONAMBLE AND BARADINE. SET AMONGST WIDE FARM LANDS IT WAS A ORIGINALLY A CENTRE FOR THE FARM WORKERS WHO WORKED ON THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.

TERIDGERIE WAS ONE OF THE EARLY STATIONS OF COONAMBLE WITH THE PRIESTS MAKING REGULAR VISITS FROM COONAMBLE TO SAY MASS ON ONE OF THE LOCAL PROPERTIES. HOWEVER IT WAS ONLY IN 1937 THAT THE SMALL CHAPEL OF EASE DEDICTED TO ST THERESE OF LISIEUX WAS ERECTED FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF CATHOLICS IN THE AREA. FOR THE NEXT THIRTY YEARS MASSES WERE TO BE SAID ON A REGULAR BASIS AT THE TINY CHAPEL BUT WITH THE DECLINE OF RURAL LOCALITIES FEWER PEOPLE WERE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND MASS AND IN THE EARLY 70's IT WAS DECIDED TO CLOSE THE CHURCH. THE CORRUGATED IRON CHURCH WAS LATER SOLD IN 1974 AND STILL STANDS SADLY DERELICT AMONG THE TREES NEAR THE ERDA VALE ROAD TURNOFF.

COONAMBLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PARTICULARLY ACTIVE AND COMMITTED PARISH AND THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE BUILDINGS THAT THE PARISH HAS ERECTED OVER THE YEARS. THE FIRST SIGN OF THE PROACTIVE TEMPER OF THE PARISH WAS THE PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION OF A SMALL DWELLING FOR THE FIRST RESIDENT PRIEST ON 'GEANMONY' THE PROPERTY OF MR PATRICK McMAHON, A LEADING LIGHT OF THE COONAMBLE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY IN 1876. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ERECTION OF THE FIRST FORMAL PRESBYTERY IN TOOLOON STREET IN 1878. THE ARRIVAL OF THE BRIGIDINES IN 1883 SPARKED A NEW ROUND OF BUILDING THAT LASTED OVER TWO DECADES. FATHER McGRATH GAVE UP HIS PRESBYTERY FOR THE SISTERS WHO THUS HAD THEIR FIRST CONVENT INCORPORATING A BOARDING AND HIGH SCHOOL. NATURALLY THIS NECESSITATED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PRESBYTERY. A NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1893. IN 1905 ST PATRICK'S HALL AND ITS SUPPER ROOM WERE BUILT NEXT TO THE CHURCH AND THREE YEARS LATER THE MAGNIFICENT CONVENT, BOARDING AND HIGH SCHOOL WAS ADDED TO THE GROWING COLLECTION OF PARISH BUILDINGS. IN 1939 THE PRESENT CHURCH AND PRIMARY SCHOOL WERE OPENED. NOT YET EXHAUSTED THE PARISH SAW TO THE BUILDING OF A NEW PRESBYTERY IN 1953 AND A NEW MODERN HIGH SCHOOL IN 1967. THE PROACTIVE APPROACH OF THE PARISH WAS MIRRORED IN THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY. IN ADDITION TO THE WELL-KNOWN VINNIES STORE WHICH HAS EXISTED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS WITH THE CURRENT STORE OPENING IN 2004, THE LOCAL CONFERENCE OPENED A HOME IN NASH STREET FOR MEN WHO HAD RETIRED FROM THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES AND THIS LATER BECAME OZANAM HOUSE AN AGED CARE FACILITY FOR SINGLE MEN IN WINGADEE STREET. IN 1972 THE CONFERENCE ESTABLISHED A SHELTERED WORKSHOP, LATER TO BECOME CASTLEREAGH INDUSTRIES IN 1981. IN 1986 A RESIDENTIAL FACILITY FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE WORKSHOP, GREENE VILLA, WAS OPENED IN TOOLOON STREET. GULARGAMBONE WAS ALSO A PARISH BRIEFLY AND AS A RESULT POSSESSED AN INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING A CONVENT AND SCHOOL OPENED BY THE PERTHVILLE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH IN 1958. A PRESBYTERY WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1965 FOR THE NEW PARISH PRIEST.

THE FIRST 'PRESBYTERY' WAS A SMALL DWELLING BUILT BY MR PATRICK McMAHON ON HIS PROPERTY 'GEANMONY'. THE FIRST TRUE PRESBYTERY WAS BUILT ON TOOLOON STREET IN 1878 AND BECAME THE CONVENT IN 1883. A SECOND PRESBYTERY WAS THEN ERECTED ON THE RIVER BANK BEHIND THE SCHOOL IN SKILMANS LANE. THIS BUILDING MUCH ADDED TO OVER THE YEARS WAS DESCRIBED IN THE 1950's AS A LARGE RAMSHACKLE BUILDING AND WAS BY THEN IN QUITE URGENT NEED OF REPLACEMENT.

THE PRESENT PRESBYTERY WAS BUILT IN 1953. IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO HARMONISE WITH THE OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE PARISH COMPLEX IN BOTH COLOUR AND STYLE. DESIGNED BY FOWELL, MANSFIELD & MACLURCAN OF SYDNEY IT FITS MOST ATTRACTIVELY INTO THE CATHOLIC STREETSCAPE.

THE PHOTO AT LEFT SHOWS THE PORTION OF THE FIRST CONVENT WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL PRESBYTERY CONSTRUCTED IN 1878. BELOW CAN BE SEEN THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE PRESENT PRESBYTERY WHICH HAS BEEN SUITABLY INSCRIBED IN LATIN.

JUST ONE YEAR AFTER GULARGAMBONE BECAME A PARISH A BRAND NEW PRESBYTERY WAS BUILT TO ACCOMODATE THE PARISH PRIEST. OPENED IN JUNE OF THAT YEAR IT WAS JUST A PLAIN DOMESTIC STYLE BUILDING WHICH WAS WELL SUITED TO THE LITTLE TOWN. FOLLOWING THE PARISH CLOSURE THE PRESBYTERY WAS SUPERFLUOUS AND WAS SOLD. TODAY IT IS USED AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

IN 1905, JUST THIRTEEN YEARS AFTER THE SECOND CHURCH HAD BEEN CONSTRUCTED THE PARISH UNDERTOOK ANOTHER MAJOR BUILDING PROJECT, A PARISH HALL. LIKE THE CHURCH ITSELF THE NEW HALL EXPRESSED GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF COONAMBLE. AT THE TIME AND FOR MANY YEARS AFTER IT WAS THE LARGEST SUCH HALL IN THE DIOCESE. THE HALL WAS EQUIPPED WITH A STAGE (BELOW LEFT) AND NOT ONLY SERVED BOTH THE PARISH AND SCHOOL BUT WAS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THIRD PARTY HIRE AND BROUGHT THE PARISH A STEADY INCOME. COMPLETED IN 1905 AND NAMED ST PATRICK'S PARISH HALL, IT MEASURED 90' LONG AND 40' WIDE. IT STOOD NEXT TO THE CHURCH (BELOW RIGHT) FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS UNTIL IN 1954 PLANS WERE BEGUN FOR ITS REMOVAL TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOOLOON STREET. DESPITE THESE PLANS THE ACTUAL MOVE WAS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL EIGHT YEARS LATER IN JULY 1962. A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THE PARISH HALL WAS THE SUPPER ROOM (ABOVE RIGHT) WHICH WAS COMPLETED AT THE SAME TIME AND MOVED ALONG WITH IT TO THE NEW SITE. TODAY THE HALL AND ITS ATTACHED SUPPER ROOM STILL SERVE THE PARISH AS THEY HAVE FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS.

MUCH OF THE INFORMATION AND SOME OF THE HISTORICAL PHOTOS FOR THIS PAGE ARE TAKEN FROM BOOKLET PUBLISHED ON THE OPENING OF THE THIRD CHURCH IN 1939 BEGINNING & GROWTH OF CATHOLICITY IN COONAMBLE. FURTHER INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM WHAT! OUR NEW CHURCH BY ELLIS RYAN PUBISHED BY OUR LADY'S ROSARY MAKERS IN 1989 TO CELEBRATE THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE THIRD CHURCH, BOTH ARE HERE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE. A SPECIAL THANKS ALSO GOES TO SEVERAL PARISHIONERS AND THE COONAMBLE PHOTO ARCHIVES FOR THEIR UNSTINTING SUPPORT.