St James' Church, Malanda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James Catholic Church, Malanda |
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St James Catholic Church, 1998
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| 17°21′13″S 145°35′21″E / 17.3536°S 145.5891°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Dedication | James, brother of Jesus |
| Dedicated | 23 January 1927 by Bishop John Heavey |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Robert Ransom Hassall |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1926–1927 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Timber; corrugated iron |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Malanda |
| Diocese | Cairns |
St James Catholic Church is a special old church in Malanda, Queensland, Australia. It's a Roman Catholic church that was built a long time ago. The church was designed by Robert Ransom Hassall and built by Albie Halfpapp. It was finished in late 1926 and officially opened on January 23, 1927.
This church is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on July 28, 2000. This means it's a protected historical site. The church is part of the Malanda Parish, which is in the Diocese of Cairns.
Contents
Building the Church
The St James Catholic Church in Malanda was built in late 1926. A local person named Robert Ransom Hassall, also known as Bob, designed the church. Another local, Albert Halfpapp (Albie), was the builder.
The beautiful altar inside the church was made in 1928 by Stephen Purcell from Mareeba. He carefully copied an altar from another church that had burned down. Both the church and its altar were made using timber from the local area.
Mr. James English was the head of the committee that helped build the church. He gave money to help pay for it. He also donated the land where the church stands today.
The English Family's Role
The English family was among the first people to settle in Malanda. James English is even known as the founder of Malanda. He came from New South Wales in 1907, looking for cedar trees.
Around that time, the Queensland Government had a plan called the Group Settlement Act. This law helped groups of families or friends get land next to each other. This encouraged early settlers to help each other out. The Malanda area was opened up this way, and the English family was one of the first groups to get land.
James English and his son Patrick took up several pieces of land. Two friends, Percy and Stan Davies, also joined them. This meant the English group owned a large part of the available land.
Malanda's Early Days
Because there was a lot of timber on their land, James English built a timber mill. He moved an old mill from Tolga and rebuilt it in Malanda. This mill provided wood for many buildings in Malanda. It supplied timber for shops on English Street, the Majestic Picture Theatre, and the Malanda Hotel.
James English and his wife Catherine often welcomed visitors to the area. When the Tablelands railway line arrived in 1910, he saw that travelers would need a hotel. He applied for a license and built the Malanda Hotel, which is still owned by the English family today.
In the early 1900s, Malanda did not have any church buildings. Religious services were held in the hall next to the hotel. In 1925, the Catholic community, including the English family, decided it was time to build a church.
Planning the Church
On August 9, 1925, a committee was formed to plan the new Catholic church. They decided to build a church big enough for 200 people. Mr. Hassell was asked to draw the plans. Mr. Halfpapp was chosen to build the church with help from others.
They first thought about having a concrete floor. But later, they changed it to a wooden floor. They also decided to add a choir gallery if it didn't make the cost too high. Timber mills from nearby towns were asked to offer prices for supplying wood. P. English of Malanda won the bid to supply all the timber.
James English gave the first donation of £100. Other committee members also gave generous amounts. James English then donated one acre of land from his home, which was worth about £600. This is where the church was built. The timber for the altar is also believed to have come from the English family's property.
Mrs. Catherine English, who was very devoted to her faith, wanted to see the church finished in her lifetime. Sadly, she passed away before it was completed. The church was finished by November 1926. It was named St James and officially opened and blessed by Bishop John Heavey on Sunday, January 23, 1927.
What the Church Looks Like
The St James Catholic Church is a small, single-story timber church. It sits on a large piece of land on Monash Avenue in Malanda. From here, you can see views of the town and the surrounding area.
The church is about 22 meters long and 12 meters wide. It has a small front entrance, like a porch, with stairs on the sides leading to the front doors. The roof is steep and made of red corrugated iron. A Celtic cross sits at the top of each end of the roof.
The church stands on short, round timber stumps that are painted brown. The outside walls are made of cream-colored timber boards called chamfers.
Inside the Church
Double timber doors open into a simple but beautiful interior. The inside walls are made of tongue and groove timber, painted off-white. There is a false ceiling made of fibro cement sheeting from the 1960s. However, the original tongue and groove ceiling is still there, hidden above it. The shiny wooden floor is made from local rainforest timber called "black bean."
At the back of the church, timber stairs lead up to the original choir gallery. This area is about 2 meters wide and is now used for extra seating during services.
A central aisle runs down the middle of the church, leading to the altar. On both sides of the aisle, there are nine timber pews made from maple wood. The communion rail, which used to separate the altar area, has been removed. But you can still see where it used to be on the floorboards.
Windows and Exits
The church has tall, narrow, pointed windows on all sides. These are called 'lancet' windows. Each window has three glass panes. The bottom two panes can slide open, while the top pane is fixed. The sliding panes are yellow, and the fixed top pane is green. Some windows have been replaced with clear glass over the years.
There's a single lancet window in the front entrance, but it has fixed timber louvers instead of glass. Two more single lancet windows are on either side of the front wall. At the front and back of the church, three single lancet windows are grouped together to form a "Trinity window." Along each side of the church, there are four double-lancet windows. Double lancet and Trinity windows are also used in the vestry and storage room.
The church has three main exits. These include the double front doors and two single timber doors at the back. One of these single doors leads from the vestry, and the other from the storage room.
The Altar
The original timber altar is very decorative and makes this simple country church a special place for worship. The altar has a flat top supported by eight columns. Behind the columns, there's a panel carved with gothic designs and a Celtic cross, highlighted with gold paint.
In the center of the gothic panels, there are gold painted designs. These include single grape leaves and a chalice surrounded by grapes and barley. In the middle of the altar table is a tabernacle, which is a special cabinet. Above the tabernacle, there's a crucifix inside a narrow pointed arch. On each side of the tabernacle, there are three decorative pointed arches with fancy timber carvings on top. White painted carved timber details are highlighted with gold paint. A Celtic cross forms the very top of the altar, reaching towards the false ceiling.
A newer timber altar from the 1960s is placed in front of the original one. This allows the priest to face the people during mass.
To the right of the altar, there's a small room called a vestry, about 3.5 meters by 3.5 meters. An identical room is on the left side. This room is used for storage and for preparing flowers for the church altar.
The church is located on a hill. Before the trees grew tall around it, you could see amazing views of Malanda town and the area from the church. The Presbytery, which is where the parish priest lives, is located behind the church.
Why it's a Heritage Site
St James Catholic Church and its Altar were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on July 28, 2000. This means it's recognized as an important historical place for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed. The church is closely linked to the English Family, who were known as the founders of Malanda. They were among the first settlers in the area when it opened up in 1907.
- It's a great example of a timber church. St James Catholic Church is a wonderful example of how timber churches were built.
- It has beautiful design and craftsmanship. The church's simple design, along with its detailed carvings and furniture, shows high-quality work using local timber. The original altar, which is very ornate, has been kept and changed slightly to fit modern church practices.
- It's important to the community. The church has a strong connection with the Catholic community of Malanda. Raising money for the church and building it involved many people in the early days of the settlement.
- It's connected to important people in Queensland's history. The church has a special link to the English Family. They were key figures in Malanda's early history, arriving as early settlers in 1907.
