No. 1598 - Triabunna - St Mary's Anglican Church (1883)
Triabunna is a small town on the east coast situated at the northern end of Spring Bay, after which the settlement was named before Triabbuna was adopted in 1850s. It was established as a whaling station and was later used as a garrison town to service the Maria Island convict settlement. Triabbuna is an aboriginal word for 'native hen'.
Only two churches were built at Triabunna. In 1909 a correspondent for Hobart’s Daily Post commented:
“Judging from the small number of churches seen here, only two, the Anglican and the Roman Catholic, the spiritual side of the people is thoroughly neglected. There are supposed lo be fortnightly services held in the Anglican, and occasionally in the other. There are no Methodist, Presbyterian, etc., church to be found here as may be seen elsewhere. On the whole there is little or nothing done to encourage church going. The young fellows have to turn their attention to football on Sundays”.
Anglican services were first held in a house on Rostrevor Estate and were later in the Council Chambers. A movement to build a church dates back to the 1860s but it was not until Reverend Clifford Power was appointed to the parish of Buckland in 1879 that progress was made.
The foundation stone for a church was laid on Friday 17 December 1880. The site for the building was donated by Mrs. Aubin and Mr. Robinson was contracted as builder. The church was jointly designed by Reverend Power and Mr Robinson. White freestone from Okehampton quarry was for construction. The initial plan for the church was extended with the addition of chancel and vestry, which delayed the completion of construction.
The building was officially opened and dedicated to St Mary on Friday 2 February 1883. The Hobart Mercury provides the following details about the occasion:
“The new church at Spring Bay, or Triabunna, as it is now called, was opened for divine service on Friday, the 2nd inst., by the Dean of Hobart (the Very Rev. H. B. Bromby), assisted by the Rev. C. W. Power and the local incumbent, the Rev. H. Hancock. There was a goodly muster upon the occasion, the church being quite full….”
“The church is in the English style, with nave, chancel, and vestry. The front door being set in a series of worked arches, splendidly cut in the finest white freestone, has a grand effect. The length of the nave is 40ft., of the chancel 22ft., and the pitch of the chancel arch 22ft. The chancel arch, oriel window, and door arch are fine specimens of stone-cutting. There are five two-light coloured windows in the nave, one three-light in the vestry, two three-light of stained glass in the chancel, and the oriel window, the glass for which has not arrived yet. Inside the church, the first thing that attracts the attention of the visitor is the altar. It is of pure white stone, beautifully and delicately cut by Mr. Richards. This was the gift of the Rev. C. W. Power. Next comes the font, by the same artist, the gift of Mr. Wm. Lester, Oakhampton, the cutting on which was much admired by the visitors. It so pleased the dean that he is reported to have ordered another like it….”.
The chancel side windows were presented by Messrs G. A. Mace and F. Mace. The end window was given by Mrs Archdeacon Davies and the font was donated by Mr William Lester. The elaborate altar was not approved by the church authorities and was considered contrary to Church Law passed in 1874. The Administrator, Archdeacon Hales, sent his objection to the Church Wardens. They responded explaining that the altar was much appreciated by the congregation, who regretted the prospect of it's removal. They argued that given the altar’s size, and the cost of its removal and replacement with a wooden one, would be significant and that there were no church funds available.
St Mary's was consecrated by Bishop Sandford on 27 February 1887.
The church’s centenary, dated from the laying of the foundation stone, was commemorated by a plaque unveiled by Bishop Robert Newell. In 2018 the church was listed for closure and sale as part of Bishop Richard Condie’s ‘redress scheme’. A strong community response resulted in the church being saved and it remains as one of only three Anglican churches in the East Coast Parish.
Only two churches were built at Triabunna. In 1909 a correspondent for Hobart’s Daily Post commented:
“Judging from the small number of churches seen here, only two, the Anglican and the Roman Catholic, the spiritual side of the people is thoroughly neglected. There are supposed lo be fortnightly services held in the Anglican, and occasionally in the other. There are no Methodist, Presbyterian, etc., church to be found here as may be seen elsewhere. On the whole there is little or nothing done to encourage church going. The young fellows have to turn their attention to football on Sundays”.
Anglican services were first held in a house on Rostrevor Estate and were later in the Council Chambers. A movement to build a church dates back to the 1860s but it was not until Reverend Clifford Power was appointed to the parish of Buckland in 1879 that progress was made.
The foundation stone for a church was laid on Friday 17 December 1880. The site for the building was donated by Mrs. Aubin and Mr. Robinson was contracted as builder. The church was jointly designed by Reverend Power and Mr Robinson. White freestone from Okehampton quarry was for construction. The initial plan for the church was extended with the addition of chancel and vestry, which delayed the completion of construction.
The building was officially opened and dedicated to St Mary on Friday 2 February 1883. The Hobart Mercury provides the following details about the occasion:
“The new church at Spring Bay, or Triabunna, as it is now called, was opened for divine service on Friday, the 2nd inst., by the Dean of Hobart (the Very Rev. H. B. Bromby), assisted by the Rev. C. W. Power and the local incumbent, the Rev. H. Hancock. There was a goodly muster upon the occasion, the church being quite full….”
“The church is in the English style, with nave, chancel, and vestry. The front door being set in a series of worked arches, splendidly cut in the finest white freestone, has a grand effect. The length of the nave is 40ft., of the chancel 22ft., and the pitch of the chancel arch 22ft. The chancel arch, oriel window, and door arch are fine specimens of stone-cutting. There are five two-light coloured windows in the nave, one three-light in the vestry, two three-light of stained glass in the chancel, and the oriel window, the glass for which has not arrived yet. Inside the church, the first thing that attracts the attention of the visitor is the altar. It is of pure white stone, beautifully and delicately cut by Mr. Richards. This was the gift of the Rev. C. W. Power. Next comes the font, by the same artist, the gift of Mr. Wm. Lester, Oakhampton, the cutting on which was much admired by the visitors. It so pleased the dean that he is reported to have ordered another like it….”.
The chancel side windows were presented by Messrs G. A. Mace and F. Mace. The end window was given by Mrs Archdeacon Davies and the font was donated by Mr William Lester. The elaborate altar was not approved by the church authorities and was considered contrary to Church Law passed in 1874. The Administrator, Archdeacon Hales, sent his objection to the Church Wardens. They responded explaining that the altar was much appreciated by the congregation, who regretted the prospect of it's removal. They argued that given the altar’s size, and the cost of its removal and replacement with a wooden one, would be significant and that there were no church funds available.
St Mary's was consecrated by Bishop Sandford on 27 February 1887.
The church’s centenary, dated from the laying of the foundation stone, was commemorated by a plaque unveiled by Bishop Robert Newell. In 2018 the church was listed for closure and sale as part of Bishop Richard Condie’s ‘redress scheme’. A strong community response resulted in the church being saved and it remains as one of only three Anglican churches in the East Coast Parish.
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| Photograph: Jenny Chester - posted in Australian Churches Album (Facebook) November 2019 |
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| Photograph: Jenny Chester - posted in Australian Churches Album (Facebook) November 2019 |
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| Photograph: Jenny Chester - posted in Australian Churches Album (Facebook) November 2019 |
Sources:
The Mercury, Wednesday 22 December 1880, page 3
The Mercury, Monday 22 August 1881, page 3
The Mercury, Friday 23 February 1883, page 3
The Mercury, Friday 11 March 1887, page 2
Daily Post, Saturday 1 May 1909, page 5
The Mercury, Saturday 4 February 1933, page 5
Henslowe, Dorothea I and Hurburgh, Isa. Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania / by Dorothea I. Henslowe ; sketches by Isa Hurburgh,1978
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