St Augustine’s, Myers Flat is the oldest Church in the Diocese of Sandhurst still in use. Designed by renowned German-born Bendigo architect, William Charles Vahland in a gothic style, it was constructed by a local contractor, with bricks handmade from Eaglehawk clay. The first Mass and opening of St Augustine’s Church was celebrated by Rev. Dean Hayes of St Kilian’s on 6 November 1864.
For many years, from Monday to Friday, St Augustine’s Church was also a place to school children of many Christian denominations. Its design included a chimney to ensure a warm environment conducive to learning. It was hence referred to by locals as, “the church with the chimney”.
During the years 1864 to 1908, when the school was conducted in the building, a curtain was drawn across the sanctuary, being opened for Mass and other ceremonies.
pdf Stories in local papers (215 KB) in the late 19th Century write of Bishop Crane’s visit to St Augustine’s to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. His Lordship spoke of the need for a Catholic education and asked the congregation to support their school, using the life of St Augustine as a cautionary tale. As ‘The Age’ in 1879 reports:
“Bishop Crane, in a sermon on the Life of St Augustine, said his early immorality and infidelity were the result of his education at the College of Carthage, where the name of God was ignored, and religion placed under a ban. These vices were the necessary consequence of an education similar to that given in state schools, where the name of God was ignored.”
Needless to say, spurred on by such a passionate sermon, the community rallied and many articles about fairs, concerts and other fundraisers can be found in newspapers of the day.
In 1965, an pdf invitation to a special afternoon Mass (10.69 MB) on Sunday 7 November, “In memory of the pioneers of Myers Flat and to commemorate the First Mass celebrated in St Augustine’s Church 101 years ago”, gives an overview of the history of St Augustine’s through its 1965 lens. It reads:
“Myers Flat in the early days was over-run with aborigines. Myers Flat and Myers Creek were first invaded by men named Myers and Nicolls, hence the name. 1857 saw the discovery of alluvial gold in the area and in less than one month 1000 ozs of gold per week resulted. The number of diggers in Myers Flat was 1400 to 1500, making the total around Myers Creek and Burnt Gully 4000 to 5000. Myers Flat consisted of several shops and buildings, two hotels, a racecourse and a lock-up built of logs.”
According to the 1965 invitation, a great number of early settlers came from Ireland, particularly Tipperary and County Clare and the St Patrick’s Day Procession in Myers Flat was “an event”, in which parishioners from miles around assembled to take part to honour the feast day of their homeland Patron Saint.
“St Augustine’s Church throughout the past century has seen many changes – the closing of the mines, the drift of people to the City, the depression years, and the departure of young men to two World Wars. During the pneumonic influenza the congregation knelt outside in the bitter cold while Mass was being celebrated inside. In 1951 parishioners collected their gold and had it made into a chalice. A specimen of local gold found near the Church was placed on the base.”
Since its 100th anniversary invitation was printed, St Augustine’s has seen even more change – some of the more significant change very soon after. The Second Vatican Council promulgated Dei Verbum: Divine Revelation (October 1965), and Guadium et Spes: The Modern World (December 1965). Australia converted to a decimal currency (February 1966); selective conscription and the Vietnam War dominated the Australian political scene; and the White Australia Policy started its demise with changes to the Migration Act in 1966; and Australians voted to change the Constitution to acknowledge Aboriginal people as equal citizens (1967).
Almost fifty years on, we wonder if those who stood outside their “Church with the Chimney”, as Mass was held inside, could ever have imagined a livestreamed Mass; the face of the congregation today; or the synodal journey we are on.
