St joseph's parish church, Atherton history
Church history began for Atherton on 23rd February 1886, when the first sale of Atherton Lots (by the Tinaroo Divisional Board) lots one and two, nineteen and twenty of Section ten were made to J Murray and J Hutchinson. The Very Reverend Murray was Parish Priest with headquarters at Herberton; Reverend Hutchinson was Pro Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown and in 1887 he was consecrated Bishop by his Eminence Cardinal Moran, Australia's first cardinal.
It was many years before buildings were planned. No records of mass being celebrated because people in the area were few and widely scattered. The first Mass was celebrated in late 1890 in the home of Neil and Rose Ann McGeehan. Theirs was the first cottage home in Atherton and was opposite the present presbytery (formally the Sisters of Mercy convent).
After a few years, the home could not accommodate the congregation and the venue was transferred to the small weatherboard school building which had been built on the site now occupied by Enterprise House (It is opposite the Atherton Shire Council Chambers and was previously the State School Principal's residence).
The next move was to a hall at the lower end of Main Street. The Brazier Family occupied it. They had a hotel business nearby. The hall was the venue in September 1897 for a Mission and the first Tableland children were confirmed.
In the late 1890's a small church was built with a sacristy and sleeping accommodation for the visiting priest. Extensions catered for the growing congregation and a choir gallery was added. In the mid 1920's the old church building was used as a school and a new church was planned.
May 1897
A meeting of the subscribers of the Roman Catholic Church at Atherton resolved to build a church, the cost not to exceed £60.
Rev Father Coleman had proposed a plan for the edifice he contemplated being erected. The ground plan shows that the body of the church would be 35ft in length and 24ft in width with a niche 12ft x 12ft to receive the high altar and allow two rooms on either side, one for the sacristy, the other as a room for the priest.
The façade shows a porch 8ft x 8ft with a gothic headed door in the main building. Walls were to be 16ft high with ceiled and ornamental roof.
As agreement couldn't be reached a public meeting was called. A compromise was reached and tenders for a 25ft and a 35ft church was called.
May 1899
The new and beautiful Catholic Church at Atherton was solemnly blessed and dedicated by the Right Rev Dr Murray OSA.
In 1924, the church had a shift to be next to the convent. It was enlarged and again became the school. By 1927 the Herberton priests were remaining in Atherton for a week at a time and a room at the back of the old church-school was their sleeping quarters for the next ten years. From 1931 that room was the presbytery until in the days of Fr. Pat Doyle OSA when the presbytery was built in Alice St.
June 1930
The unsightly example of galvanised architecture, nicknamed "The Morgue" is going. The Council shed, full of dead machinery, is to make way for the erection of a fine Catholic Church on the location.
The site was obtained after a lot of trouble. It was held by the Council as a Market Reserve and when approached some years ago, it was turned down. With later majority support from the Council, the exchange was accomplished.
February 1931
The old Catholic Church building was moved back to its original site to do duty as a school. The building is now on its stumps and will do service as a church until the new one is finished.
This was the milestone year. An exchange of land with the Tinaroo Council enabled the building of the Church and Convent (now the presbytery) in their present positions. Bishop T. McGuire of Townsville laid the foundation stone of the new church on 25th January and it was proudly opened on Sunday ... June 1931, by Bishop Harvey at 10:00am. The new Church has seating for 400 people, a great tribute to the foresight of the pioneers.
2013 Major Restoration of St Joseph's Church.
Compiled by Welcome Pack Committee, PPC Atherton. November 2013.
It was many years before buildings were planned. No records of mass being celebrated because people in the area were few and widely scattered. The first Mass was celebrated in late 1890 in the home of Neil and Rose Ann McGeehan. Theirs was the first cottage home in Atherton and was opposite the present presbytery (formally the Sisters of Mercy convent).
After a few years, the home could not accommodate the congregation and the venue was transferred to the small weatherboard school building which had been built on the site now occupied by Enterprise House (It is opposite the Atherton Shire Council Chambers and was previously the State School Principal's residence).
The next move was to a hall at the lower end of Main Street. The Brazier Family occupied it. They had a hotel business nearby. The hall was the venue in September 1897 for a Mission and the first Tableland children were confirmed.
In the late 1890's a small church was built with a sacristy and sleeping accommodation for the visiting priest. Extensions catered for the growing congregation and a choir gallery was added. In the mid 1920's the old church building was used as a school and a new church was planned.
May 1897
A meeting of the subscribers of the Roman Catholic Church at Atherton resolved to build a church, the cost not to exceed £60.
Rev Father Coleman had proposed a plan for the edifice he contemplated being erected. The ground plan shows that the body of the church would be 35ft in length and 24ft in width with a niche 12ft x 12ft to receive the high altar and allow two rooms on either side, one for the sacristy, the other as a room for the priest.
The façade shows a porch 8ft x 8ft with a gothic headed door in the main building. Walls were to be 16ft high with ceiled and ornamental roof.
As agreement couldn't be reached a public meeting was called. A compromise was reached and tenders for a 25ft and a 35ft church was called.
May 1899
The new and beautiful Catholic Church at Atherton was solemnly blessed and dedicated by the Right Rev Dr Murray OSA.
In 1924, the church had a shift to be next to the convent. It was enlarged and again became the school. By 1927 the Herberton priests were remaining in Atherton for a week at a time and a room at the back of the old church-school was their sleeping quarters for the next ten years. From 1931 that room was the presbytery until in the days of Fr. Pat Doyle OSA when the presbytery was built in Alice St.
June 1930
The unsightly example of galvanised architecture, nicknamed "The Morgue" is going. The Council shed, full of dead machinery, is to make way for the erection of a fine Catholic Church on the location.
The site was obtained after a lot of trouble. It was held by the Council as a Market Reserve and when approached some years ago, it was turned down. With later majority support from the Council, the exchange was accomplished.
February 1931
The old Catholic Church building was moved back to its original site to do duty as a school. The building is now on its stumps and will do service as a church until the new one is finished.
This was the milestone year. An exchange of land with the Tinaroo Council enabled the building of the Church and Convent (now the presbytery) in their present positions. Bishop T. McGuire of Townsville laid the foundation stone of the new church on 25th January and it was proudly opened on Sunday ... June 1931, by Bishop Harvey at 10:00am. The new Church has seating for 400 people, a great tribute to the foresight of the pioneers.
2013 Major Restoration of St Joseph's Church.
Compiled by Welcome Pack Committee, PPC Atherton. November 2013.