Fairlie, aka Alison from Feet on Foreign Lands is a very interesting lady. I love the way she story tells on her blog and her quirky views on things. Anyway she is having an Instagram Challenge this month called #feetonmyhometown. I’ve not been About Townsville for the first ten days of the month, but now that I’ve returned for a week, I am going to try and post an Instagram photo in the challenge every day, today’s theme being Religion.
Now this is an unfortunate day to commence, because I am not at all religious, but then I thought of all the churches I visited in Italy during our 10 Weeks in Europe 2015 and thought to hell with it, I’ll find an interesting church in my own home town.
One of these vessels adorns either side of the front doors of the church. I’m thinking they are for holy water.
Then I remembered a little timber church in the Townsville suburb of Stuart, that I always liked the look of as a child. I shocked the hell out of my mother as a ten year old by telling her I wanted to be married in it. You see she was of Methodist persuasion and this was a Roman Catholic church… but my dream was not about religion. Luckily we ended up getting married in our own back yard so no issues of denomination arose on the day. I wonder if my Mother was relieved by our choice of venue, or if she had forgotten the conversation entirely – I must ask her.
I was shocked to see the state of the furthest reaches of the Suburb. Even though it was viewed as a bit of an outpost fifty years ago, the yards of the houses were more or less cared for then, with a splash of green grass and a flowering shrub or two to brighten the canvas. Now with two highways running through it and an industrial area on the other side of the rail track that has grown, the highway bound houses are forlorn and ghetto’ish (apologies in advance to any residents).
We turned into the backstreets to find a way to the church in question, only because we weren’t sure access from the highway was still possible and I was relieved to see the homes and gardens were more loved back there. It was as if the highway frontages were forfeited to the devil so that real life could flourish out of sight. Anyways, we found a way to the church which had a sleeping beauty aura about it. The grounds of the church were dry, brown and crisp, with a comprehensive scattering of kangaroo poo. Obviously the ‘roos congregate here when the grass is greener and leave their pellets by way of donation. When the rains arrive the transformation should be heavenly.
It would be a gorgeous little church to be married in, not that I could see within today. To the rear of the church sat an out of place sun lounge and some Vincas – flowers that would surely flourish on Mars. I’m not sure if services are held at the Church any more, but if you want to be married there you’d better water the grass first or else ask for divine intervention. The priory next door (is that what they’re called) – a high faded fibro house with a brutalist looking cross nailed to the front of it – looked abandoned.
[pinit]
To the side front of the Church was the most gorgeous diminutive (although from this angle it doesn’t look so) tower whose bell I refrained from ringing.
You can follow About Townsville on Facebook or using the hashtag #AboutTownsville. Anyone can follow Feet On Foreign Lands on Instagram and partake of the challenge too.
I’ve linked to Corinne’s Weekend Travel Inspiration at Reflections Enroute.
Self Guided Walking Tour Zagreb OR GYG Zagreb Walking Tours
That’s a pretty little church, I think the holy water vessel is called a stoup. However, like you, I’m non-religious but Methodist by upbringing so I could be wrong. Your wedding story made me smile – I shocked my mother too by saying I’d rather go to a Catholic Church because it looked more colourful. Now I’m happy to be nothing.
I’m happy that you are like me Anabel!
Lovely…
I love your story about telling your mother you wanted to get married in the church 🙂 Lovely pictures!
Why thank you Ellen 🙂
Hi Jan,
Sweet little church. I like knowing the Roos hang around the yard — such a fun vision for this American. And how could you resist ringing that bell? It’s calling out for someone to pull the chain — (unless of course the ringing bell signals to everyone within earshot of a significant happening like flood or fire!)
Thanks for this snippet of Townsville life.
~Josie
I don’t like messing with religion Josie, otherwise I would have loved to ring the bell. Marty was sitting in the car whilst I took photos so I could have made a run for it! 🙂
beautiful! I love its stark simplicity. I’m Catholic myself and some of those Catholic churches are so OTT. I’m sure your Methodist mother prayed that you would change your ways by the time you found a fiancé 🙂
Ha ha Shobha. I think she probably forgot all about it. 🙂
I love the setting of this church – it is seemingly in the middle of nowhere! And the bell tower is a beauty! So did you get married there?
Ha ha – no. We got married in our own back garden Kathy.
Thanks for posting more about this fabulous church – it really caught my eye when you posted the pic for the #feetonmyhometown on Instagram. It’s great to know a bit more about the stories that surround it.
My pleasure Fairlie. If it wasn’t for your Instagram challenge I would never have gone to photograph it.
it is an interesting church. It’s quaint but also somewhat stark. I feel like it has an American Gothic feel about it somehow. i can also see the romantic eye you were viewing it with for a wedding.
You and I are looking at it with the same eye Eileen. It’s starkness is reflected in it’s surroundings.
Lovely little church in a settler-sort of way. Reminds me that Australia is a young country. Are other parts of Townsville like that?
This is the last suburb going west before another that is all acreage. There are other timber churches around but not quite like this one. I’ve seen another one near Brandon – a small town to the south of Townsville.
What a charming looking church. I kept looking at that bell tower and couldn’t figure out what it was. For a bit, I thought it was an oil well right next to the church. (What a wealthy church that would be.) I’m glad you finally cleared it up for me.
Such a funny little bell tower isn’t it Michele? I was tempted to ring it!
Very nice-looking small church. Love it’s details.
I know Julia and I am not usually a church person!