No. 316 - St Christopher's at Goodwood

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Goodwood is a suburb of Greater Hobart and part of the City of Glenorchy. Most houses in Goodwood were built in the 1950s as public housing. The suburb is also home to light industry and docks.

The former Anglican church of St Christopher’s, the patron saint of travellers, appropriately lies on edge of the busy Brooker Highway that bisects Goodwood and Glenorchy. The church is now derelict and covered with graffiti. It has degenerated to the point where it hardly resembles a church and could easily be mistaken for a toilet block! A view of Google Street maps chronicles its decline over the last decade. Its spire has now gone, which a few years back would have at least been a clue to its former function as a place of worship.

In 1954 the Army Chapel at Brighton Camp was moved to Goodwood to serve as a temporary Anglican church. This was demolished in 1974 to make way for St Christopher’s. The triangular-shaped building was designed by Reverend R. M. Potter and was constructed of concrete Besser blocks. St Christopher’s was consecrated in July 1976 and had a short lifespan of about 20 years. I have not determined the date of its closure but it was most likely in the late 1990’s or early 2000’s. It was used for a short time as a residence but its location so close to the Highway makes it unsuitable for this purpose and it now appears to have been permanently abandoned.
Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018 ©

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018 ©

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018 ©

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018 ©

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018 ©

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018 ©

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018 ©


Google Streetview shots track the churches decline over the last decade

2007

2009

2010

The Army Chapel at Brighton Barracks that was moved to Goodwood in 1954. Source: Anglican Church of Australia. Diocese of Tasmania 
 Sources:

Henslowe, Dorothea I and Hurburgh, Isa Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania. Mercury-Walch, Moonah, Tas, 1978.

Stephens, Geoffrey and Anglican Church of Australia. Diocese of Tasmania, (issuing body.) The Anglican Church in Tasmania : a Diocesan history to mark the sesquicentenary, 1992. Trustees of the Diocese, Hobart, 1991.

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