No. 1508 - Wayatinah - St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church
Wayatinah is a former Hydro Electric Commission village located in the Central Highlands. The name was adopted in 1951 on the suggestion of the HEC for the village developed for workers on the power schemes in the area. 'Wayatinah' is an aboriginal word meaning “brook” or “stream”.
Tasmania’s vast hydro-electric scheme dates back to 1914 when the Tasmanian Government bought a small electricity company in financial difficulty and created the Hydro-Electric Department. The first power station at Waddamana in the Great Lake Power Scheme was opened in 1916. Over a period of 80 years, 30 power stations and 54 major dams were built. Construction camps and villages were built to support major projects and during this period 10 villages were established, most of which had a full social infrastructure including a school, public hall and a church. After the Second World War, large numbers of migrants were recruited to construct dams and power stations. This brought English, Polish, German, Italian, Scandinavian and other migrants together with Tasmanians, creating lively and diverse communities.
Construction of Wayatinah village began in the early 1950s and was used to house Hydroelectric workers through to the 1980s. In addition to the usual public buildings such as a school and community hall, two churches were established at Wayatinah, St Luke’s, a United Church and St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church.
Wayatinah’s Catholic church was a transportable building which was removed from Butlers Gorge Hydro Village in the late 1950s. The church was dedicated to St Joseph the Worker. In 1955 Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1, as an ecclesiastical counterpart to International Workers Day. This feast extends the long relationship between Joseph and the cause of workers in both Catholic faith and devotion.
Little is known about the activities of the church. The church was still in use up until the late 1980s. In 1997 the building was removed to New Norfolk were it was put to use as a school hall at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary school.
I have yet to find a clear photograph of the church. The photograph below is taken from an undated clipping from the Catholic Standard.
Sources:
Derwent Valley Gazette, 20 November 1996, page 2
The Catholic Standard, 1 January 1997, page 3
Tasmania’s vast hydro-electric scheme dates back to 1914 when the Tasmanian Government bought a small electricity company in financial difficulty and created the Hydro-Electric Department. The first power station at Waddamana in the Great Lake Power Scheme was opened in 1916. Over a period of 80 years, 30 power stations and 54 major dams were built. Construction camps and villages were built to support major projects and during this period 10 villages were established, most of which had a full social infrastructure including a school, public hall and a church. After the Second World War, large numbers of migrants were recruited to construct dams and power stations. This brought English, Polish, German, Italian, Scandinavian and other migrants together with Tasmanians, creating lively and diverse communities.
Construction of Wayatinah village began in the early 1950s and was used to house Hydroelectric workers through to the 1980s. In addition to the usual public buildings such as a school and community hall, two churches were established at Wayatinah, St Luke’s, a United Church and St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church.
Wayatinah’s Catholic church was a transportable building which was removed from Butlers Gorge Hydro Village in the late 1950s. The church was dedicated to St Joseph the Worker. In 1955 Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1, as an ecclesiastical counterpart to International Workers Day. This feast extends the long relationship between Joseph and the cause of workers in both Catholic faith and devotion.
Little is known about the activities of the church. The church was still in use up until the late 1980s. In 1997 the building was removed to New Norfolk were it was put to use as a school hall at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary school.
I have yet to find a clear photograph of the church. The photograph below is taken from an undated clipping from the Catholic Standard.
 |
| Wayatinah Village in the late 1950s. Lloyd Jones - QVMAG 20:16:P:0492 |
 |
| An undated clipping from the Catholic Standard showing a partial view of St Joseph the Worker (undated) |
 |
| A travelling altar which was used by clergy travelling to the small hydro villages in central highlands during the 1950s and 1960s. Photograph courtesy of Archdiocese of Hobart Archives & Heritage Collection |
Sources:
Derwent Valley Gazette, 20 November 1996, page 2
The Catholic Standard, 1 January 1997, page 3
The Catholic Standard - undated newspaper clipping
Rackham, Sarah and Woodberry, Joan and Tasmania. Hydro-Electric Commission. Public Relations Department. Hydro construction villages. Volume Two. Butlers Gorge, Bronte Park, Trevallyn, Wayatinah / written and compiled by Sarah Rackham ; edited by Joan Woodberry Public Relations Dept., Hydro-Electric Commission, Tasmania [Hobart] 1982
Southerwood, W. T Planting a faith in Tasmania : the country parishes. [W. T. Southerwood], [Hobart], 1977.
Rackham, Sarah and Woodberry, Joan and Tasmania. Hydro-Electric Commission. Public Relations Department. Hydro construction villages. Volume Two. Butlers Gorge, Bronte Park, Trevallyn, Wayatinah / written and compiled by Sarah Rackham ; edited by Joan Woodberry Public Relations Dept., Hydro-Electric Commission, Tasmania [Hobart] 1982
Southerwood, W. T Planting a faith in Tasmania : the country parishes. [W. T. Southerwood], [Hobart], 1977.
Comments
Post a Comment