1983
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LISMORE
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PARISH OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS SAWTELL |
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FOUNDED 1983 |
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DIOCESE LISMORE |
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| PARISH CHURCH OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS | ||
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| PARISH | HISTORY | CHURCH |
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| SAWTELL IS A PEACEFUL AND RATHER TYPICAL COASTAL RETIREMENT AND FAMILY RECREATION CENTRE ON THE FAR NORTH COAST OF NSW. IT IS TECHNICALLY A SUBURB OF THE CITY OF COFFS HARBOUR WHICH IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE AREA THAT INCLUDES THE TOWN OF COFFS HARBOUR, 6 KM TO THE NORTH. THE PREDOMINANT FEATURE AND THE RAISON D'ETRE OF THIS TOURIST TOWN IS, OF COURSE, THE PRETTY BEACH WHICH LIES BETWEEN BOAMBEE HEAD AND BONVILLE HEAD. IN RECENT YEARS THE POPULATION HAS GROWN RAPIDLY AS A RESULT OF THE FLIGHT OF RETIREES FROM THE CITY AND IS CURRENTLY AROUND 5000 PEOPLE. THE RESULT OF THE BOOM HAS BEEN TO CREATE A TYPICAL NORTH COAST BEACHSIDE TOWN MIX OF YOUNG FAMILIES AND THE ELDERLY. SAWTELL WAS ORIGINALLY A STATION OF COFF'S HARBOUR AND IT WAS WHILE IT WAS A STATION THAT A NUMBER OF THE CURRENT FACILITIES WERE COMMENCED. IN 1950 PRESSURE FROM LOCAL CATHOLICS LED TO THE ERECTION OF A CHURCH HALL WHICH SERVED SEVERAL FUNCTIONS RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL. THE RAPID POPULATION GROWTH SAW IT SEPARATED FROM COFFS HARBOUR AND ESTABLISHED AS A PARISH IN ITS OWN RIGHT IN 1983. SINCE THEN THE PARISH HAS CONTINUED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW FACILTIES TO CATER FOR THE TOWN'S NEEDS. AMONG THE PARISH'S FUTURE PLANS IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW CHURCH AND A REFLECTION GARDEN SIMILAR TO LAURIETON. HISTORY | |
| HISTORY |  |
| CONSTRUCTION OF A CHURCH HALL FOR SAWTELL COMMENCED IN 1951 (BELOW). IT WAS A MULTI-PURPOSE HALL AS CAN BE SEEN BY THE 'CLOSEABLE' SANCTUARY IN THE PHOTO OF BISHOP FARRELLY DEDICATING THE HALL AT THE RIGHT. IN 1974 TWO DORMITORIES WERE ADDED, ONE FOR GIRLS AND ONE FOR BOYS TO FORM A YOUTH HOSTEL WHICH WAS USED BY VARIOUS DIOCESAN YOUTH GROUPS. THE HALL WAS ALSO USED FOR DANCES AND AS A CINEMA. CHURCH | |
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| IN 1983 THE PARISH OF SAWTELL WAS ESTABLISHED AND THE CHURCH HALL WAS CONVERTED INTO THE PARISH CHURCH OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS. THE 1974 ADDITIONS TO THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN IN THE PHOTO ABOVE AND THE REST IN THE PHOTO BELOW. THE LAND FOR THE CHURCH HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN PURCHASED IN 1940 BY FR RYAN OF COFFS HARBOUR REPLACING A PREVIOUS BLOCK DONATED FOR A CHURCH IN 1933 THAT HAD PROVED UNSUITABLE. THE PEOPLE OF SAWTELL ADDED A FURTHER BLOCK TO THIS IN 1950. ALTHOUGH THE INTENTION WAS CLEARLY TO PROVIDE FOR FUTURE EXPANSION THIS WAS NOT TO BE AS THE LATER GROWTH AREA PROVED TO BE TOORMINA WHERE THE SCHOOL IS LOCATED. ALTHOUGH THE CHURCH CONTINUES TO SERVE THE PARISH AS ITS MASS CENTRE IT IS INTENDED EVENTUALLY TO SHIFT THE SITE OF THE CHURCH TO THE SAME SITE AS USED FOR THE SCHOOL. NEXT | |
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| THE ORIGINAL HALL SHAPE OF THE CHURCH IS CLEARLY MARKED IN THESE TWO PHOTOS WHICH ALSO SHOW THE 1974 ADDITIONS. NEXT | |
 | THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH ALSO REFLECTS ITS PAST - SMALL BAS-RELIEF STARS AND A MOON STILL DECORATE THE WHITE-PAINTED CEILING - BUT IT WAS LARGELY MADE OVER AS THE PARISH CHURCH IN 1983 WITH A NEW DARK WOOD-PANELLED SANCTUARY BEING ADDED. THE ORIGINAL ALTAR WAS MOVED FORWARD AND A NEW TABERNACLE RE-LOCATED TO THE LEFT. NEXT |
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| THE AMBO, CRUCIFIX AND TABERNACLE. NEXT |
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| THE SACRED HEART, STATIONS AND FONT. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS |
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| OTHER BUILDINGS | ||||
| THOUIGH A YOUNG PARISH SAWTELL ALREADY POSSESSES A WIDE RANGE OF CATHOLIC BUILDINGS. PRIOR TO ITS SEPARATION FROM COFFS HARBOUR IN 1983, A SCHOOL HAD BEEN BUILT AT BAYLDON STAFFED BY MERCY SISTERS FROM COFFS HARBOUR. WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW PARISH A CONVENT WAS FOUND FOR A SAWTELL COMMUNITY OF MERCY SISTERS NEXT DOOR TO THE CHURCH. THIS BUILDING HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED BRIEFLY AS THE PRESBYTERY BUT WITH LONG TERM PLANS TO RE-SITE THE CHURCH A NEW PRESBYTERY WAS BUILT ON THE EXISTING SCHOOL SITE. WHEN THE SISTERS WITHDREW FROM SAWTELL THE OLD CONVENT BECAME THE PARISH OFFICE. AS A COMMUNITY WITH A SIZEABLE POPULATION OF RETIREES AGED CARE WAS OBVIOUSLY OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE PARISH. IN 1981 COFFS HARBOUR PARISH BUILT THE VILLA MARIA SELF-CARE UNITS AT TOORMINA AND THESE PASSED TO SAWTELL PARISH IN 1983. SAWTELL PARISH THEN FOLLOWED THIS UP ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE WHEN IT OBTAINED LAND FOR AND BEGAN BUILDING THE MARIAN GROVE COMPLEX WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE MATER CHRISTI NURSING HOME. THE LOCAL ST VINCENT DE PAUL CONFERENCE MAINTAINS A RETAIL OUTLET IN TOORMINA. | ||||
| TOORMINA & SAWTELL PRESBYTERIES |
TOORMINA MARIAN GROVE |
TOORMINA MATER CHRISTI NURSING HOME |
TOORMINA VILLA MARIA |
TOORMINA ST VINCENT DE PAUL |
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| PRESBYTERIES, TOORMINA & SAWTELL | |
 | THE FOUNDING PARISH PRIEST FR KELLY CHOSE THE FORMER SCHOOL CARETAKER'S COTTAGE FOR HIS PRESBYTERY AND WITH ADDITIONS, IT STILL SERVES IN THAT CAPACITY. THE COTTAGE NEXT TO THE CHURCH (BELOW) WAS USED BRIEFLY AS A PREBSYTERY BUT LATER SERVED AS THE CONVENT AND IS NOW THE CURRENT PARISH OFFICE. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS MARIAN GROVE |
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| MARIAN GROVE, TOORMINA | |
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| FROM ITS INCEPTION THE PARISH OF SAWTELL WAS COMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGED CARE FACILITIES IN THE AREA. A SAWTELL CATHOLIC CARE FOR THE AGED COMMITTEE WAS SET UP TO TAKE OVER THE VILLA MARIA SELF-CARE UNITS AND TO EXTEND THIS MINISTRY FURTHER. IN 1988 LAND WAS OBTAINED IN A LOVELY BUSHLAND SETTING AND IN 1991 THE FIRST STAGE OF THE MARIAN GROVE COMPLEX WAS BEGUN. BUILT OVER SEVERAL STAGES WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF THE UNITS (STAGE 3 & 4 UNITS CAN BE SEEN ABOVE AND STAGE 6 UNITS BELOW). TODAY THE COMPLEX IS APPROACHING THE 175 UNIT MARKAND INCLUDES AN ADMINISTRATION BLOCK AND VILLAGE HALL. FUTURE PLANS INCLUDE A VILLAGE CHAPEL AND SEVERAL SERVICED APPARTMENTS. NEXT |
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| TO THE RIGHT CAN BE SEEN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION BLOCK COMPLETED IN 2006 AS PART OF THE STAGE 6 DEVELOPMENT. STAGE 6 DEPARTED FROM THE PREVIOUS STAGES IN PROVIDING DUPLEX TYPE ACCOMODATION (BELOW LEFT) IN PLACE OF THE TOWNHOUSE UNITS OF EARLIER STAGES (SEEN ABOVE). THE MARIAN GROVE COMPLEX IS SET IN NATURAL BUSHLAND AND INCLUDES A NATURE RESERVE PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH AN ESCAPE FROM THE OFTEN EXCESSIVELY URBANISED DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE ALONG THE COAST IN RECENT DECADES. IN ADDITION TO THE UNITS THERE IS A VILLAGE HALL (BELOW RIGHT) FOR MEETINGS AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS, A PLANNED CHAPEL AND THE MATER CHRISTI NURSING HOME. THE COMPLEX PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE PREMIER AGED CARE FACILTIES ON THE COFFS COAST. NEXT |  |
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| TO THE RIGHT ARE TWO OF THE NEW TWO-STORIED UNITS BUILT AS PART OF STAGE 6 AND ABOVE IS THE VILLAGE RECREATION HALL. BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL UNITS AND THE COMMON FACILTIES ARE OF FIRST CLASS STANDARD AND ARE A TRIBUTE TO THE HARD WORK OF SAWTELL CATHOLIC CARE OF THE AGED. BELOW IS A PANORAMA OF THE NEW STAGE 6 DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION BLOCK. NEXT | |
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| TOP OTHER BUILDINGS MATER CHRISTI NURSING HOME |
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| MATER CHRISTI NURSING HOME, TOORMINA | |
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| THE DREAM TO BUILD A HIGH CARE FACILITY TO CATER FOR THOSE IN NEED WAS A PART OF THE AIMS OF SAWTELL CATHOLIC CARE OF THE AGED FROM THE START AND IN 1996 FUNDING WAS RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH ENABLED CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON THE 45 BED MATER CHRISTI HOSTEL AND NURSING HOME ON THE MARIAN GROVE SITE. IN 1998 FURTHER FUNDING WAS OBTAINED FOR A 25 BED DEMENTIA WING. THE NURSING HOME WAS OPENED IN 1999 AND THE EXTENSIONS BLESSED IN 2001. MATER CHRISTI PROVIDES A VITAL NEED TO THE COMMUNITY AND IS CONTINUING TO EXPAND THE SERVICES IT PROVIDES TO ITS RESIDENTS. NEXT |
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| TOP OTHER BUILDINGS VILLA MARIA | |
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| VILLA MARIA, TOORMINA | |
 | IN 1981 THE CATHOLIC COMMITTEE FOR THE CARE OF THE AGED OF COFFS HARBOUR PARISH CONTRACTED TO BUILD 12 SELF-CARE UNITS AT 115 - 117 SAWTELL RD TOORMINA TO BE CALLED VILLA MARIA. THESE UNITS MARKETED BY THE PARISH HAD ALL BEEN OCCUPIED BY THE END OF 1981. IN 1983 THEY PASSED TO THE CONTROL OF SAWTELL PARISH. IT WAS TO BE THE FORERUNNER OF MANY OTHER VENTURES IN PARISH AGED CARE. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS ST VINCENT DE PAUL |
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| ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, TOORMINA | |
 | THE SAWTELL BRANCH OF THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY IS RELATIVELY YOUNG HAVING SEPARATED FROM THE OLDER COFFS HARBOUR CONFERENCE IN 1983. ITS YOUTH HOWEVER HAS NOT STOPPED IT FROM BEING ACTIVE IN THE WORK OF THE SOCIETY. APART FROM VISITATIONS, COUNSELLING AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO THE NEEDY AND MARGINALISED THE SOCIETY RUNS A SMALL RETAIL OUTLET IN TOORMINA SHOPPING CENTRE. WEDGED NEXT TO A LIFELINE STORE, THE RETAIL OUTLET IS PART OF A TYPICAL MODERN SHOP BUILDING. ALTHOUGH LACKING IN ANY OUTSTANDING ARCHITECTURAL INTEREST, THE SHOP NONETHELESS TESTIFIES TO THE COMMITTED WORK OF THE SAWTELL CONFERENCE IN REALISING THE APOSTOLATE LAID DOWN BY THE FOUNDER FREDERICK OZANAM. THE SHOP IS PAINTED IN BLUE THE COLOUR OF THE SOCIETY AND OUR LADY TO WHOM THE FOUNDER HAD A SPECIAL DEVOTION AND HAS A PROMINENT HOARDING OVER THE AWNING PROCLAIMING ITS IDENTITY THROUGH USE OF THE POPULAR DESIGNATION 'VINNIES'. TOP OTHER BUILDINGS RELIGIOUS ORDERS PARISH DIRECTORY |
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| RELIGIOUS ORDERS |
| SISTERS OF MERCY GRAFTON CONGREGATION |
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| RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS SCHOOL BAYLDON |
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| PARISH DIRECTORY | |
| PARISH CHURCH FOURTH AVENUE SAWTELL 2452 PARISH OFFICE 44 BORONIA STREET SAWTELL 2452 POST: PO BOX 240 SAWTELL 2452 PHONE: (02) 6658 3544 FAX: (02) 6658 2033 EMAIL: sawtell@bigpond.net.au WEBSITE: www.sawtellcatholichurch.net.au PRESBYTERY 63 AMAROO CRESCENT TOORMINA 2452 | AGED CARE SERVICES MARIAN GROVE MARIAN PLACE TOORMINA 2452 POST: PO BOX 72 SAWTELL 2452 PHONE: (02) 6653 1241 FAX: (02) 6653 3824 VILLA MARIA 115 SAWTELL ROAD TOORMINA 2452 POST: PO BOX 72 SAWTELL 2452 PHONE: (02) 6653 1241 FAX: (02) 6653 3824 MATER CHRISTI HOSTEL AND NURSING HOME MARIAN PLACE TOORMINA 2452 POST: PO BOX 72 SAWTELL 2452 PHONE: (02) 6653 1241 FAX: (02) 6653 3824 |
| PRIMARY SCHOOLS MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS PRIMARY SCHOOL EUNGELLA STREET TOORMINA 2452 POST: PO BOX 20 TOORMINA 2452 PHONE: (02) 6653 3122 FAX: (02) 6658 1932 EMAIL: mhocpbayl@lism.catholic.edu.au WEBSITE: mhocpbayl.lism.catholic.edu.au | OTHER SERVICES ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY 4 MINORCA PLACE TOORMINA 2452 PHONE: (02) 6653 2113 FAX: (02) 6658 3177 |
