Churches of Tasmania

Westbury is a historic town situated approximately 30 kilometres west of Launceston. It was surveyed in 1828 and was developed as an administrative centre for the district. For most of its history Westbury has been served by only three religious denominations. The town’s Catholic, Anglican and Uniting (Methodist) churches all date back to the first half of the 19th century. The first regular Catholic Mass held at Westbury can be dated back to 1847 when the Government permitted Catholics to use the Colonial Hospital ‘for divine service’ for Westbury and the surrounding districts. Prior to this a priest from Launceston periodically ministered to Catholic convicts at Westbury’s Probation Station. In 1850, Bishop Robert Willson asked for a Government land grant at Westbury on which to build a church, a priest's house and school. This was approved on condition that the Catholics built their church as soon as possible. Father Hogan, who was to serve the Catholics of the Westbury district...

Bridport is a small resort town on Tasmania’s north-east coast. It is situated at the mouth of the Brid River. It was once a significant port for hinterland mining settlements during the boom of the late 19th century. Very little is known about Bridport’s Union Church. While there is no information about the opening of the church, it can be established that it was constructed in 1873 from a brief reference to it published in The Cornwall Chronicle: “Another accident also happened on Sunday last [9 November 1873] which might have proved fatal but for the intervention of a kind Providence….it appears that as Mr P. Miller was returning to Scottsdale, from Bridport, at which latter place he had been holding divine service in the chapel, lately erected there by the residents…”. In 1877 there is a further reference to the church made by the ‘travelling correspondent’ for the Tribune of Hobart. The article describes Bridport as “consisting of twelve weatherboard cottages” and that there was “...

Geeveston is a country town on the Huon Highway approximately 45 kilometres south of Hobart. The town is named after William Geeves, an English settler, who received a land grant at what was then called Lightwood Bottom. The settlement was renamed Geeves Town in 1861 before becoming Geeveston. The early history of the Catholic Church at Geeveston is not well recorded. Catholic’s initially worshiped at the home of Mr R. Hill, who established the first sawmill and flour mill in the Huon Valley. Catholic Church historian Terry Southerwood records that the church dates back to 1864 and was built from logs floated down the Huon River. The church was built by John Helmer who also constructed the first bridge at Huonville. St Joseph’s was designed by Henry Hunter. It was officially opened by Bishop Willson on Tuesday 29 November 1864. The opening is mentioned in an article published in the Hobart Mercury following Bishop Willson’s visit to nearby Franklin to administer the sacrament of confir...

Nicholls Rivulet is a small settlement located about 8 kilometres east of Cygnet. The rivulet was named after William Nichols who settled there in 1834. Up until the 1880s the settlement was known as Irish Town. Early Methodist services in the district of Nicholls Rivulet were held in the home of William and Fanny Smith. Fanny Cochrane Smith, (1834-1905) was born in early December 1834 at Wybalenna, Flinders Island. In 1889 she was granted 305 acres of land at Nicholls Rivulet. The Smith family became leading members of the Methodist community and services were initially held in the kitchen of the family home. One of the sons, William, became a lay preacher. In the mid 1890s Fanny she donated half an acre of land for the purposes of building a church. The foundation stone of the church was ceremonially laid on Tuesday 6 November 1900. The construction of the church took six months and the opening services were held on Sunday 5 May 1901, when the Reverend CW Atkinson preached in both t...