No. 1559 - Westerway - St Michael's Anglican Church
Westerway is a small town approximately 70 kilometres northwest of Hobart and is situated close to Mount Field National Park. Westerway was previously known as Russell or Russelldale, after the Surgeon J. J. Russell, one of a party of explorers who discovered a set of waterfalls near Fenton Forest. A report in 1921 described the settlement as having only “a score or so of unpainted weatherboard dwellings” and being “the product of only the last three years, since the coming of Martin and Co.'s mill [where] practically the whole male population above school age, are employed…”.
Although three religious denominations were represented at Westerway, no churches remain. In 2004 the Catholic church was destroyed in a fire while a church used by the Anglicans and Methodists has been removed.
Westerway’s Anglican church was housed in a former Methodist church built in 1921. For reasons which are not clear the church was used by the Methodists intermittently with services ceasing in the early 1930s. While the Anglicans continued to use the Methodist church fundraising was begun to build a new church. In August 1936 the Mercury reported:
“Members of the Anglican community have decided on building a new church at Westerway. A strong committee has been formed, negotiations are proceeding for the purchase of a suitable block of land, and various functions are being arranged to raise for a fair to be held later in the year”.
Progress towards building a church was slow. The ceremonial laying of a foundation stone for the building was to due take place on Sunday 16 December 1945 however this did not proceed. The Mercury reported:
“Because of of the illness of the Bishop (the Rt Rev G. F. Cranswick), the confirmation service and laying of the foundation stone of St Wilfred’s Church of England, Westerway, have had to be postponed”.
A second ceremony planned for Sunday 30 December was also cancelled and for reasons not known the construction of St. Wilfred's never proceeded. The Methodist church continued to be used by the Anglicans although it was briefly reopened for Methodist services in the 1950s.
In 1958 an advertisement in the Derwent Valley Gazette announced a tender for the sale and removal of the Westerway Methodist church. It appears that the building was not sold and instead was leased to the Anglicans in 1961. After Anglican services ceased in the late 1960s or early 1970s the building was sold in 1974 for an amount of $300.
The church was located at 1665 Gordon Road. A photograph of the building has yet to be located but I am hopeful that one exists given that the building was still standing in the 1970s.
Although three religious denominations were represented at Westerway, no churches remain. In 2004 the Catholic church was destroyed in a fire while a church used by the Anglicans and Methodists has been removed.
Westerway’s Anglican church was housed in a former Methodist church built in 1921. For reasons which are not clear the church was used by the Methodists intermittently with services ceasing in the early 1930s. While the Anglicans continued to use the Methodist church fundraising was begun to build a new church. In August 1936 the Mercury reported:
“Members of the Anglican community have decided on building a new church at Westerway. A strong committee has been formed, negotiations are proceeding for the purchase of a suitable block of land, and various functions are being arranged to raise for a fair to be held later in the year”.
Progress towards building a church was slow. The ceremonial laying of a foundation stone for the building was to due take place on Sunday 16 December 1945 however this did not proceed. The Mercury reported:
“Because of of the illness of the Bishop (the Rt Rev G. F. Cranswick), the confirmation service and laying of the foundation stone of St Wilfred’s Church of England, Westerway, have had to be postponed”.
A second ceremony planned for Sunday 30 December was also cancelled and for reasons not known the construction of St. Wilfred's never proceeded. The Methodist church continued to be used by the Anglicans although it was briefly reopened for Methodist services in the 1950s.
In 1958 an advertisement in the Derwent Valley Gazette announced a tender for the sale and removal of the Westerway Methodist church. It appears that the building was not sold and instead was leased to the Anglicans in 1961. After Anglican services ceased in the late 1960s or early 1970s the building was sold in 1974 for an amount of $300.
The church was located at 1665 Gordon Road. A photograph of the building has yet to be located but I am hopeful that one exists given that the building was still standing in the 1970s.
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| The Mercury August 1936 |
Sources:
The Mercury, Tuesday 25 January 1921, page 7
World, Tuesday 27 September 1921, page 8
The Mercury, Monday 24 October 1921, page 5
The Mercury, Thursday 19 December 1929, page 3
The Mercury, Tuesday 18 September 1934, page 3
The Mercury, Saturday 29 August 1936, page 9
The Mercury, Monday 14 September 1936, page 4
The Mercury, Saturday 16 December 1945, page 11
The Mercury, Tuesday 18 December 1945, page 15
The Mercury, Wednesday 2 January 1946, page 5
Derwent Valley Gazette, 9 May 1958, page 6
Henslowe, Dorothea I and Hurburgh, Isa. Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania / by Dorothea I. Henslowe ; sketches by Isa Hurburgh s.n [S.l. 1978]
Stansall, M. E. J. and Methodist Church of Australasia. Tasmanian Methodism, 1820-1975 / [by M.E.J. Stansall ... et al] Methodist Church of Australasia Launceston, Tas 1975
Westerway, Fentonbury, Ellendale and surrounds, [Tasmania] : Valerie and Michelle J. Browning, [2023]
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