St Patrick's Church, Yungaburra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Patrick's Church, Yungaburra |
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St Patrick's Catholic Church, 2007
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| 17°16′07″S 145°34′50″E / 17.2685°S 145.5806°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Dedication | Saint Patrick |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Years built | 1914–1930s |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Malanda |
| Diocese | Cairns |
St Patrick's Church is a special old Roman Catholic church located at 1 Penda Street in Yungaburra, Queensland, Australia. It was built a long time ago, starting in 1914 and finishing in the 1930s. This church is also known as Our Lady of Ransom. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns. Because it's so important, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it's protected as a historical building.
Contents
History of St Patrick's Church
St Patrick's Church stands on a hill where two main roads used to meet. This spot was the center of the original village called Allumbah. The church was built in 1914. It was the very first Catholic church in this area. Before it was built, church services were held in a local hall.
Early Settlement in Yungaburra
The first Europeans came to the Atherton Tablelands to cut timber and mine for minerals. But people soon realized the rich soil and cool weather were perfect for farming. In 1885, a plan called the Village Settlement scheme started. It offered settlers 40-acre farms with homes grouped together in a village.
In 1888, a village was set up at Allumbah Pocket, which later became Yungaburra. At the same time, the railway from Cairns to the Tableland began. It took much longer to build than expected. The first farms in Allumbah started in 1891. A street grew along the ridge where the church is now. However, without easy ways to get goods to markets, the farming plan wasn't very successful at first.
Growth of the Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church in North Queensland started in 1877. At first, many priests were from Italy. Most Catholics in North Queensland were Irish miners. In 1884, a group of Irish priests, the Order of Saint Augustine, agreed to help. They worked to serve Catholics spread across a huge area with very few priests. Herberton was one of the main places where priests were sent.
In the 1890s, the price of minerals dropped, which hurt mining towns. People on the Tablelands started moving to new farming areas like Yungaburra.
Yungaburra's Development and the Railway
The railway reached Mareeba in 1895 and Atherton in 1903. This made it much easier to get to the area. New land laws in the early 1900s encouraged more people to settle near Allumbah. A small town grew to serve the farmers.
In 1910, the railway line from Cairns finally reached Allumbah. The town was then renamed Yungaburra to avoid confusion with another town. This started a time of fast growth. A sawmill, a hotel, and many shops and houses were built near the new Yungaburra railway station. In 1911, the small St Marks Anglican Church was built. The first Methodist services were also held in Yungaburra that year. The Eacham Shire council was also formed.
Catholic people in Yungaburra were served by a priest from Herberton. He visited once a month. Services were held in homes or in a hall connected to the Williams hotel.
Building the Church
The land where the church stands was bought in 1900 by George Wedderburn. In 1914, work began on a new church on his land. It was in a great spot, at the crossing of a cattle route, the main road to the coast, and the road to Atherton.
The church officially opened on April 26, 1914. Bishop James Murray opened it as Our Lady of Ransom. It was a big celebration! People traveled long distances to attend, many on special trains from Herberton and Mareeba. The new church was completely full.
The first wedding in the church happened just three days after it opened. It was for Maud Williams, who ran the new hotel, and Jack Kehoe, the local stationmaster. The first priest to serve the church was Father Patrick Bernard Doyle. In 1915, the church land was officially put in the names of Father Doyle and Bishop John Heavey.
Father Patrick Doyle's Legacy
Father Doyle was a very spiritual man. His church members loved and respected him greatly. He was born in Ireland in 1874 and joined the Order of Saint Augustine in 1893. In 1899, he came to North Queensland. He served as an assistant priest, then a parish priest, in Cairns. In 1906, he moved to Herberton, where he stayed until he passed away in 1924. He also taught and played sports at the Sisters of Mercy school in Herberton.
After his death, the church was renamed St Patrick's in his memory. A special plaque notes that the bell tower is dedicated to him.
Changes Over Time
In 1926, the Gillies Highway opened between Yungaburra and Gordonvale. This was the first proper road to the Tablelands. Yungaburra became a popular place for tourists visiting the nearby lakes. This led to another period of growth for the town. The new road also made the church easier to reach, and Mass was held twice a month. There were never enough Catholics in Yungaburra to have a full-time priest living there.
The church has had only small changes over the years. These changes mostly happened after the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. For example, the confessional box was removed. The altar rails were moved, and the altar table was separated from the back of the altar. This allowed the priest to face the people during services. The southern side of the entrance porch was also enclosed, probably to protect it from bad weather.
In 1996, a house was moved to the northern corner of the church property. It is used as a presbytery, which is a home for the priest. This house was about 50-60 years old when it was moved. It used to be in Cairns.
What St Patrick's Church Looks Like
St Patrick's Church is on a grassy hill. It looks out over a park-like area that runs down Eacham Road. Mulgrave Road is to its east, and Penda Street is to its southeast.
Church Building Details
St Patrick's is a single-story church made of timber. You can see the wooden frame on the outside. It sits on concrete stumps. The roof has a pointed shape, called a gabled roof, and is covered with corrugated iron. The church is shaped like a cross.
You enter the church through a gabled porch. Above the entrance, there are three tall, narrow windows. The front wall of the building is covered with special timber planks. The roof has pretty wooden brackets under the edges. There are also decorative wooden panels at the ends of the gables.
Inside, the roof is held up by wooden trusses. The ceiling is lined with diagonal wooden boards. The inside of the church is simply decorated. It still has its original wooden pews (church benches) and much of its first furniture.
Bell Tower and Presbytery
There is a separate bell tower made of steel next to the church. It is located at the eastern corner of the property. At the bottom of the tower, there is a memorial plaque. It says:
Erected to the memory of Revd. P.B. Doyle, O.S.A. Died 16 November 1924 A Sincere Friend And a Faithful Priest R.I.P.
The house that was moved to the property, used as a presbytery, is on the northern corner facing Mulgrave Road. It is a single-story house on stumps. It has a hipped roof covered in corrugated iron. The walls are also covered in corrugated iron. The verandah (porch) is partly enclosed with wooden louvres. The house has three main rooms, with a bathroom and kitchen at each end of the enclosed verandah.
Why St Patrick's Church is Important
St Patrick's Catholic Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it is recognized as a very important historical place for several reasons.
Historical Significance
St Patrick's Church was built in 1914. It shows how the Atherton Tablelands developed early on and how the Catholic Church grew in North Queensland. The church is on the site of the first Allumbah Pocket settlement. The main part of the town later moved closer to the railway when it arrived in 1910.
Architectural Significance
St Patrick's Church is a great example of a timber church found in country areas from its time. It is still in very good condition.
Visual Appeal
The church's design, size, and details make it a beautiful and important part of Yungaburra's look. It adds a lot to the town's character.
Community Connection
St Patrick's Church has a very strong connection with the Catholic community in the Yungaburra area. It has served the village and nearby farms since the early 1900s. It is also strongly linked to the life and work of Father Patrick Doyle and the Augustinian order. They helped spread Catholicism in North Queensland.
