BALGOWLAH WAS NAMED AS EARLY AS 1832 FROM AN ABORIGINAL WORD THOUGHT TO REFER TO SYDNEY HARBOUR BUT REMAINED LARGELY BUSHLAND UNTIL THE EARLY 1900's WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN BEACHES BEGAN TO OCCUR. LYING TO THE WEST OF MANLY BALGOWLAH GREW SLOWLY FOLLOWING WORLD WAR ONE AND THEN BOOMED AFTER WORLD WAR TWO. TODAY IT IS THE COMMERCIAL HEART OF MANLY-WARRINGAH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA AS WELL AS BEING ONE OF THE PREMIER RESIDENTIAL AREAS TO BE FOUND IN SYDNEY.

BALGOWLAH WAS ORIGINALLY A PART OF MANLY PARISH BECOMING A STATION IN 1923 WHEN THE FIRST MASSES WERE CELEBRATED IN THE LOCAL PICTURE THEATRE. THE FIRST CHURCH / SCHOOL WAS ERECTED IN 1929 AND IN THAT SAME YEAR BALGOWLAH BECAME A PARISH IN ITS OWN RIGHT EXTENDING UP NORTH TO FRENCH'S FOREST. BY THE 1970's HOWEVER SUCCESSIVE DETACHMENTS HAD REDUCED THE AREA OF THE PARISH TO JUST THE SUBURB OF BALGOWLAH AND ITS IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURS. WITH THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF PRIESTLY VOCATIONS AND CONSEQUENTLY THE DIFFICULTY IN STAFFING PARISHES BALGOWLAH WAS COMMITTED TO THE CARE OF THE AUGUSTINIANS LOCATED AT ST KIERAN'S AT MANLY VALE DURING THE 1990's. FOR SEVERAL YEARS THE PARISHES OPERATED UNDER A TWINNING ARRANGEMENT SHARING A PRIEST BUT REMAINING JURIDICIALLY SEPARATE. DURING THIS TIME HOWEVER BOTH PARISHES WORKED VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER AND IN 2006 THIS ARRANGEMENT WAS FORMALISED WITH THEIR UNION IN A SINGLE PARISH NOW CALLED THE NORTH HARBOUR CATHOLIC COMMUNITY.

THE FIRST MATTER OF BUSINESS FOR THE NEWLY FORMED PARISH WAS TO BUILD A CHURCH / SCHOOL AND THIS WAS ACHIEVED WITH THE OPENING OF THE ST CECILIA'S IN 1929 ( RIGHT ). ESSENTIALLY A HALL WITH PARTITIONS AND USED AS A SCHOOL DURING THE WEEK THE BUILDING SERVED AS THE PARISH CHURCH UNTIL THE 1950's. FOLLOWING THE OPENING OF THE NEW CHURCH THE OLD BUILDING WAS REDEVELOPED AS SCHOOL CLASSROOMS.

COMPLETED IN 1955 THE HIGH, LONG NAVE AND IMPOSING ENTRANCE COMBINED WITH MODERN MATERIALS AND SIMPLIFIED OUTLINE MARK THE DESIGN OF THE PRESENT CHURCH AS BEING ON THE CUSP OF VATICAN II. SEEN FROM THE SIDE THE IMPACT OF THE TALL LOW-AISLED NAVE IS IMMEDIATELY STRIKING. OF PARTICULAR NOTE IS A LARGE STAINED GLASS FEATURE WINDOW.

THE INTERIOR SHOWS THE SAME 'CUSP' FEATURES AS THE EXTERIOR. THE LONG NAVE WITHOUT ANY ARCHITECTURALLY SEPARATE CHANCEL, LOW SIDE AISLES AND CLERESTORY-LIKE WINDOWS HIGH UP IN THE WALLS, ALL FEATURES OF AN OBLIGATORY GOTHIC STYLE RENDERED INTO A DISTINCTLY MODERNISED IDIOM.

THE INTERIOR HAS BEEN REWORKED IN CURRENT TIMES WITH THE FONT BEING PLACED CENTRALLY AND THE ORIGINAL TABERNACLE RE-LOCATED TO THE OLD BAPTISTRY. A NEW TABLE ALTAR WAS LOCATED FORWARD IN THE NAVE AND THE SEATING TURNED TO SURROUND IT. AT THE FAR END ON THE RIGHT CAN BE SEEN THE UNUSUAL FEATURE WINDOW ADJACENT TO THE OLDER SANCTUARY. A SET OF STYLISED STATIONS OF THE CROSS LINE THE WALL AND THE WHOLE IS DOMINATED BY THE LARGE CRUCIFIX.

THE ORIGINAL SANCTUARY WAS ARCHITECTURALLY DEFINED BY BEING RAISED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE NAVE. AS WITH THE REST OF THE CHURCH THE GOTHIC STYLE WAS RADICALLY SIMPLIFIED. A POLISHED WOODEN REREDOS WITH A SHORT CANOPY BACKS THE STONE BLOCK ALTAR. A LARGE AND POWERFUL CRUCIFIX DOMINATES THE SPACE WHILE BELOW THIS IS THE NICHE FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY THE ORIGINAL TABERNACLE. TODAY THE HIGH ALTAR IS NOT IN USE AS IT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A SMALLER PORTABLE ALTAR LOCATED IN THE NAVE.

THE PLAIN BOWL LIKE FONT WHICH HAS NOW BEEN SET AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE NAVE.

THE MODERN STAINED GLASS FEATURE WINDOW ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE OLD CHANCEL.

THE WHITE STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART STRIKES A DEFINITELY TRADITIONAL NOTE.

THE NAVE AS VIEWED FROM THE ALTAR SHOWING THE REARRANGED SEATING. AT THE BACK CAN BE SEEN THE OLD CHOIR GALLERY WHILE TO THE RIGHT SIDE IS THE TRADTIONAL THREE-BAY CONFESSIONAL.

THE ORIGINAL BAPTISTRY WAS LOCATED IN A SEMI-CIRCULAR APSE OFF THE BACK OF THE CHURCH. TODAY IT IS USED AS THE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL WITH A TABERNACLE SET ON A STONE PILLAR.

MANLY VALE IS AN ATTRACTIVE HARBOUR-SIDE SUBURB THAT LIKE MANY IN ITS AREA HAS KNOWN STRONG GROWTH SINCE THE WOLRD WAR II. TODAY IT IS A COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AREA.


THE PARISH OF MANLY VALE WAS ORIGINALLY A PART OF THE HUGE MANLY PARISH AND LATER OF BALGOWLAH PARISH FROM WHICH IT WAS DETACHED IN 1952 AND ENTRUSTED TO THE AUGUSTINIAN FATHERS CONTINGENT ON OPENING A BOY'S SCHOOL. IT INCLUDED FORESTVILLE AND DAVIDSON LATER TO BECOME PARISHES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. BOTH CHURCH AND PARISH WERE DEDICATED TO THAT GREAT PATRON SAINT OF THE OLD SCHOOL OF MONSIGNOR McDONALD, LEGENDARY PARISH PRIEST OF MANLY, ST KIERANS COLLEGE, IN KILKENNY. IN 2003 MANLY VALE WAS TWINNED WITH ITS FORMER PARENT PARISH AND THE AUGUSTINIANS TOOK OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR BOTH. IN 2006 THE TWO PARISHES WERE AGAIN UNITED IN ONE AS THE NORTH HARBOUR CATHOLIC COMMUNITY.

WHEN THE PARISH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1952 THERE WERE NO PARISH BUILDINGS IN EXISTENCE. THE INITIAL BUILDING THEREFORE WAS A CHURCH / SCHOOL OPENED IN THAT YEAR. IT WAS A SINGLE-STORY BRICK BUILDING CONVERTED EACH WEEKEND INTO A CHURCH AND THEN BACK TO A SCHOOL (BELOW LEFT). IN 1959 A SECOND STORY WAS ADDED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CLASSROOMS (BELOW RIGHT). IT WAS REPLACED BY THE PRESENT CHURCH IN 1968 BUT CONTINUES IN SERVICE TODAY AS THE MAIN CLASSROOM BLOCK OF THE SCHOOL.

THE NEW CHURCH WAS ERECTED IN 1968 AND INCORPORATED THE LITURGICAL CHANGES FOLLOWING VATICAN II. ESSENTIALLY A SQUARE SURMOUNTED BY A SIMPLE CROSS, THE CHURCH IS REFLECTIVE OF THE SYLING OF THE LATE 1960's.

UNLIKE MANY OLDER CHURCHES ERECTED PRIOR TO THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL WHICH HAD TO BE RE-ORGANISED TO ACCORD WITH THE NEW LITURGY, ST KIERAN'S WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CHURCHES IN AUSTRALIA BUILT FROM THE START IN LINE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REFORMED LITURGY.

THE ESSENTIAL IDEA OF THIS APPROACH WAS THE ABSENCE OF HEIRARCICAL AND ARCHITECTURALLY DISTINCT SPACES. HENCE THE CHURCH IS BUILT AS A PLAIN QUADRANGLE WITH THE OPEN SANCTUARY PLACED AT ONE END OF A DIAGONAL AXIS WITH THE ENTRANCE AT THE FAR END. THE SEATING IS THEN ARRANGED AROUND THIS AXIS TO ALLOW FOR FULL VISUAL PARTICIPATION BY THE LAY WORSHIPPERS.

THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IS PLACED IN ITS OWN SPACE TO THE SIDE OF THE MAIN SANCTUARY, THIS AREA IS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE VIBRANT SPARKLE OF THE STAINED GLASS OF THE RISEN CHRIST WINDOW.

THE SANCTUARY OCCUPIES ONE OF THE CHURCH CORNERS ALONG THE DIAGONAL AXIS. IT EXTENDS INTO THE 'NAVE' WITH A WHITE MARBLE FREE-STANDING ALTAR. BEHIND IS AN ATTRACTIVE DARK WOOD REREDOS WITH A CONTRASTING BLONDE WOOD CRUCIFIX. TO THE LEFT IS A MATCHING AMBO AND ON THE WALLS ARE SEVERAL DECORATIVE BANNERS.

(^^^) THE AMBO, THE PASCHAL CANDLE AND AN ANGEL BANNER. TO THE REAR CAN BE VIEWED THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ALTAR BEHIND A BLONDE BRICK INTERNAL SEPARATION WALL.

THE CONTRASTING BLONDE WOOD CRUCIFIX AND THE POLISHED DARK WOOD REREDOS.

THE CHURCH'S MOST NOTEABLE FEATURE IS THE BRILLIANTLY COLOURED GLASS WINDOW OF THE OUR RISEN LORD LOCATED NEXT TO THE SHRINE OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

ALONG THE SAME AXIS AS THE ALTAR IS THE ENTRANCE FORMED BY GLASSING IN ONE OF THE CHURCH CORNERS TO FORM A NARTHEX (LEFT). THIS LEADS DIRECTLY INTO THE BODY OF THE CHURCH, AN OPEN SQUARE WHICH RISES TO A CENTRAL SKYLIGHT (BELOW LEFT).

BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE WALLS AND THE ROOF IS A NARROW BAND OF MULTI-COLOURED GLASS PIECES SHEDDING BRILLIANT SPOTS OF COLOUR INTO THE CHURCH. THE WALLS ARE MADE OF ALTERNATING PANELS OF BRICKS AND GLASS. EACH LONG WINDOW IS PART CLEAR GLASS AND PART COLOURED GLASS DEPICTING SYMBOLS OF CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST. ALONG ONE WALL ARE A SET OF PARTICULARLY LOVELY VIVID STAINED GLASS FEATURE WINDOWS (BELOW RIGHT).

TO THE RIGHT AND BEHIND THE SANCTUARY IS THE MARIAN SHRINE. LOCATED IN A THIRD CORNER IS THE UNUSUAL MARBLE BAPTISMAL FONT WHICH SUCCEEDS IN BEING IN THE CHURCH BUT YET NOT OF IT.

BROOKVALE IS A COMMERCIAL SUBURB AT THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE OLD PARISH OF MANLY VALE WHERE THE AUGUSTINIAN PROVINCIALATE IN AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN SITUATED OVER THE PAST FIFTY YEARS.

TO FURNISH CLASSROOMS FOR THE NEW ST AUGUSTINE'S COLLEGE A CHURCH HALL WAS ERECTED IN 1955. THIS HALL, WHICH YET FORMS A PART OF THE SCHOOL, WAS USED AS THE MASS STATION UNTIL 2004. THE UNITING OF BALGOWLAH WITH MANLY VALE LED TO AN END TO REGULAR PARISH MASSES. THE FORMER SANCTUARY NOW SERVES AS ST MONICA'S PRAYER ROOM.

THE BUILDING, A TYPICAL 50's STYLE HALL WAS VERY FUNCTIONAL IN ITS STRUCTURE THAT LACKS ALL EXTERIOR DECORATION.

THE BROOKVALE CHURCH HALL WAS COMPLETED IN 1955 ON A PIECE OF VACANT WASTE LAND. IT IS SHOWN HERE IN 1956 (BELOW LEFT).
THE PLAIN AND FUNCTIONAL LINES OF THE CHURCH HALL ARE CLEARLY EVIDENT AS SEEN FROM THE FRONT PERSPECTIVE (BELOW RIGHT).

AS DISTINCT PARISHES BOTH BALGOWLAH AND MANLY VALE WERE PROVIDED WITH A FULL RANGE OF CATHOLIC BUILDINGS. THESE INCLUDED THE USUAL PRESBYTERY AT BALGOWLAH AND PRIORY AT MANLY VALE, PARISH SCHOOLS, ST CECILIA'S AND ST KIERAN'S, RUN BY THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN AND A BOY'S SCHOOL, ST AUGUSTINE'S COLLEGE, OPENED IN 1956 AS A CONDITION OF THE AUGUSTINIANS TAKING OVER THE CARE OF THE PARISH OF MANLY VALE. THE TWO PARISHES HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY BLESSED WITH THE PRESENCE OF RELIGIOUS. THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN OPENED A CONVENT IN 1930 AT BALGOWLAH AND THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE AUGUSTINIAN PRIORIES AT BROOKVALE. DUE TO THE CONSTANT NEED OF ST KIERAN'S SCHOOL FOR GREATER SPACE THE MANLY VALE PRIORY WAS LATER TAKEN OVER BY THE SCHOOL AND A NEW PRIORY BUILT IN 1975. IN 1989 THE THE SISTERS OF OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS OPENED A CONVENT IN BALGOWLAH AND ANOTHER AT ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS IN 2002. IN 1994 THE SCALABRINI VILLAGE AGED CARE FACILITY WAS BUILT IN ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS AND IN 2001 A CONVENT WAS OPENED THERE FOR THE PASSIONIST SISTERS OF ST PAUL OF THE CROSS WHO ARRIVED TO HELP CARE FOR THE VILLAGE RESIDENTS. OVER THE YEARS SEVERAL COTTAGES WERE USED BY MANLY VALE AS PARISH ROOMS BUT ALL WERE EVENTUALLY TAKEN OVER BY THE SCHOOL SO IN 1998 A MODERN PARISH CENTRE WAS BUILT. THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY MAINTAINS A REGIONAL CENTRE AT BROOKVALE AS DOES CENTACARE SINCE 2006 WHEN IT MOVED FROM NARRABEEN.

WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BALGOWLAH AS A REGULAR PARISH IN 1929 STEPS WERE IMMEDIATELY UNDERTAKEN TO OBTAIN SUITABLE ACCOMODATION FOR THE NEW PARISH PRIEST. A FEDERATION STYLE BUNGALOW WAS PURCHASED AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH / SCHOOL AND THIS SERVED AS THE PRESBYTERY UNTIL THE AUGUSTINIANS TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PARISH. WITH THE TWINNING OF THE PARISHES BALGOWLAH LOST ITS RESIDENT PRIEST SO THE FORMER PRESBYTERY WAS GIVEN A NEW PURPOSE AS A PARISH OFFICE FOR THE BALGOWLAH PORTION OF THE PARISH, A ROLE IT CONTINUES TO UNDERTAKE IN THE NEWLY AMALGAMATED NORTH HARBOUR PARISH.

THE HOUSE IS TYPICAL OF THE MANY BRICK BUNGALOWS OF ITS DAY WITH ITS ATTRACTIVE BOW WINDOW FRONTING ONTO THE QUIET NORTH SHORE SUBURBAN STREET ON WHICH IT HAS BEEN LOCATED. OF PARTICULAR ARCHITECTURAL INTEREST IS THE FETCHING STONE-WORK FOUNDATION ON WHICH THE BRICK HOUSE HAS BEEN BUILT AND WHICH PROVIDES A MOST EYE-CATCHING CONTRAST IN STYLE.

SPACE WAS ALWAYS AT A PREMIUM IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CHURCH WITH THE CHURCH / SCHOOL BEING CALLED UPON TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR MANY PARISH ACTIVITIES. IN 1960 THEREFORE A COTTAGE WAS PURCHASED NEXT DOOR TO THE LOCATION OF THE CHURCH FOR USE AS MEETING ROOMS. THIS LATTER BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED WHEN THE NEW CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1968. ANOTHER COTTAGE IN GORDON STREET WAS PURCHASED IN 1974 AND FOR LONG WERE USED AS THE PARISH MEETING ROOMS.

FINALLY IN 1998 THE PARISH BUILT A MODERN HALL ON THE CHURCH SITE TO SERVE AS THE HALL AND PARISH OFFICES. THIS ATTRACTIVE NEW BUILDING IS NOTABLE FOR ITS GLASSED ENTRANCE DOORS WHICH ARE DECORATED WITH MOSAIC EMBLEMS OF THE AUGUSTINIAN ORDER (BELOW LEFT) AND THE FAMILY OF MANLY VALE PARISH (BELOW RIGHT).

CENTACARE, SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS AN IMPORTANT PRESENCE IN THE BROKEN BAY DIOCESE WITH SEVERAL OFFICES IN SEVERAL REGIONAL SITES CORRESPONDING TO THE DEANERIES OF THE DIOCESE. UNTIL 2006 THE OFFICE THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE NORTHERN BEACHES WAS LOCATED AT NARRABEEN. IN 2006 HOWEVER IT WAS DECIDED TO RELOCATE THE OFFICE TO COMMERCIAL PREMISES IN WATTLE ROAD BROOKVALE.


THE CENTACARE OFFICES ARE LOCATED IN A MODERN COMMERCIAL BUILDING APPROPRIATE FOR A LARGE URBAN ENVIRONMENT. THE PREMISES ARE ESSENTIALLY AN UNDISTINGUISHED OFFICE SPACE WITH AN ATTRACTIVE SEA-MOTIF LOGO TO MARK ITS PRESENCE.


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SOME INFORMATION AND PHOTOS WERE OBTAINED FROM THE BOOKLET ST CECILIA'S PARISH BALGOWLAH 1929-1979 PRODUCED BY BALGOWLAH PARISH AND THE NORTH HARBOUR PARISH WEBSITE. THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF OF ST KIERAN'S PARISH OFFICE FOR THEIR HELP IN LOCATING THE PHOTO OF OLD ST KIERAN'S.