New Norcia, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New NorciaWestern Australia |
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New Norcia Benedictine monastery
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 New Norcia
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1847 |
| Postcode(s) | 6509 |
| Area | [convert: needs a number] |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Victoria Plains |
| State electorate(s) | Moore |
| Federal Division(s) | Durack |
New Norcia is a special town in Western Australia. It is about 132 kilometers (82 miles) north of Perth. The town sits next to the Moore River in the Shire of Victoria Plains. New Norcia is unique because it is Australia's only monastic town. This means it was founded by monks. Its Benedictine abbey was started in 1848. The monks also created a mission and schools for Aboriginal children.
The town has many old and interesting buildings. There is also a ground station for the European Space Agency (ESA) about 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of the town. In 2017, a new road was built around the town. This means heavy trucks no longer drive through the town center.
Contents
History of New Norcia
New Norcia began on March 1, 1846. Two Spanish Benedictine monks, Giuseppe Serra and Rosendo Salvado, started a mission. It was for the local Yued Aboriginal people. The first mission was about 8 kilometers (5 miles) north of the current town.
Within a year, the mission moved to its present spot. On March 1, 1847, the first stone of the monastery was laid. The town was named New Norcia after Norcia in Italy. This Italian town was the birthplace of St Benedict, who founded the Benedictine order.
In 2017, a new road called the New Norcia Bypass was finished. This road helps heavy traffic avoid the town's historic buildings.
The Abbey's Story
The abbey was started by monks Giuseppe Serra and Rosendo Salvado. They began it on March 1, 1847. After two years, they decided it would be easier to teach Aboriginal people if they settled in one place. So, they built a mission instead of following them on their travels. Salvado became the first abbot (leader) of New Norcia on March 12, 1867.
In 1886, a large area of land was rented to Salvado. He wanted to help local Aboriginal people settle there. He hoped they would become farmers and eventually own the land. But after Salvado died, the next abbot, Fulgentius Torres, changed the focus. He became more interested in educating the children of Catholic settlers.
In 1949, the monks asked the government to buy the land. The government agreed, even though others wanted it. This was to honor the 1886 agreement. However, the new agreement did not make sure Aboriginal people could still use the land.
Here are some of the abbots who have led the monastery:
- Rosendo Salvado, 1867–1900
- Fulgentius Torres, 1902–1914
- Anselm Catalan, 1915–1951
- Gregory Gomez, 1951–1971
- Bernard Rooney, 1974–1980
- Placid Spearritt, 1997–2008
- John Herbert, 2009 to present
New Norcia Mission Schools
The New Norcia Mission also had two schools for Aboriginal children. St Mary's was for boys, and St Joseph's was for girls. These were known together as New Norcia Mission. Children learned practical skills there. After school, they often worked at the Mission. The abbot had "complete control" over the children. Both schools closed in 1974.
St Mary's Mission, also called St Mary's College, started in 1848. It was a boarding school for Aboriginal boys. Some boys were sent there by the government in the 1960s. Some former students have shared stories of difficult experiences they had at the school.
St Joseph's Native School and Orphanage began in 1861. Benedictine Missionary Sisters from Spain took over in 1904. They ran it until it closed in 1974. Aboriginal girls and young women lived and studied there. Sometimes their families sent them, and sometimes the government placed them there. The school was rebuilt in 1909. There were also stories of difficult experiences for girls at St Joseph's.
The monks sometimes changed the children's Aboriginal names to Latin names. This made it hard for families to find them later. Over time, the focus of the "orphanages" changed. Adults were sometimes stopped from visiting their children. In 1907, 32 Aboriginal fathers were arrested when they tried to visit their children at the mission.
In 2001, many former students of the New Norcia Mission had a reunion.
Post and Telegraph Office
A post office opened in April 1857, called Victoria Plains. A telegraph line was built to Victoria Plains in 1873. A new job was created for a postmistress. Mary Ellen Cuper was given this job in January 1874.
The post and telegraph offices joined together on March 4, 1874. On the same day, their name changed to New Norcia. Mary Ellen Cuper became the first post and telegraph mistress of New Norcia. This made her the first Aboriginal person to hold such a job in any of the Australian colonies.
Mary Ellen became ill in late 1875. She trained another Aboriginal woman, Sarah Ninak, to do the work. By 1876, Ninak was in charge of the office. Mary Ellen Cuper died in January 1877.
New Norcia Hotel
The New Norcia Hotel opened in 1927. It was first called the New Norcia Hostel. It was built in a beautiful neo-classical architecture style. It was used for parents visiting students at the town's colleges. Later, it opened to everyone. By the late 1900s, it was a pub. It closed in January 2020.
Land Sale
In early 2021, a company called Tattarang bought the land that the government had sold to the monks in 1949. The new owners said they planned to meet with the traditional owners of the land, the Yued people. They wanted to talk about training and job opportunities for them.
Colleges in New Norcia
Over the years, several colleges have been in New Norcia. They were connected to the monastery.
St Gertrude's College was finished in 1908. St Ildephonsus' College opened in 1913. The Marist Brothers ran it until 1964. From 1965, the Benedictines ran it as St Benedict's College.
In 1972, St Benedict's and St Gertrude's started teaching both boys and girls. Students from both colleges shared classes. In 1974, the two schools became known as Salvado College. Each building was still called St Benedict's and St Gertrude's. In 1986, Salvado College changed its name to New Norcia Catholic College. This college closed at the end of 1991.
There were serious concerns raised about the experiences of some students at New Norcia's schools. The Catholic Church later paid money to some people who had difficult experiences there.
New Norcia Today
New Norcia has many buildings built in a Spanish style. There are also other historic places. These include the two old boarding schools, St Ildephonsus' and St Gertrude's. They are now used for places to stay and events. You can also see the abbey church, which holds the tomb of Rosendo Salvado. There is an old mill, a wine press, and the monastery itself.
Many tourists visit New Norcia. You can find out more at the Museum & Art Gallery, which also has a visitor center.
The Benedictine monks still live in the monastery. They are involved in many of the town's activities. The last Spanish monk of New Norcia, Dom Paulino, died in 2010 at age 99. He worked in the monastery bakery and as a shoemaker. He also helped bring back olive oil production.
New Norcia is known for its excellent bakery, built in 1886. It makes bread, nutcake, and biscotti. They also make olive oil, wines, port, and ale. You can buy these products in the town or at special shops.
New Norcia Museum and Art Gallery
The New Norcia Museum and Art Gallery is in the old St Joseph's Native School buildings. It shows many Christian items and old paintings. The gallery also hosts an exhibition for the Mandorla Art Award. This is an Australian award for Christian religious artworks based on Bible stories.
In 1986, 26 paintings were stolen from the gallery. Most of them were returned a few weeks later. They were damaged but were fixed. A documentary called The Mission in 2023 looked into the theft. It also spoke to former students of the schools.
Historic Places to Visit
New Norcia has many historic buildings and sites. You can follow a heritage trail to see them. The monastery site is listed on the Register of the National Estate. This means it is a very important historical place.
- Some heritage buildings at New Norcia
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Abbey Church, where Dom Rosendo Salvado is buried
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St Gertrude's building
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Inside St Gertrude's
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The handball court
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The blacksmith workshop
Pipe Organs
There are two pipe organs in the abbey buildings. The Abbey Church of the Holy Trinity has a large German organ. It was built in 1922 by Albert Möser. It has 34 stops, which are like different sets of pipes.
The second pipe organ is in the oratory chapel. It is more modern and has 11 stops. This organ was built in 1983 by Bellsham Pipe Organs.
Space Station Nearby
The New Norcia Station is a ground station for the European Space Agency. It is located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of the town. This station helps communicate with spacecraft in space.
Famous People from New Norcia
One famous person linked to New Norcia is filmmaker Warwick Thornton. He attended Salvado College.
See also
In Spanish: Nueva Nursia para niños
