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St Mary of the Angels Church

Other Name

Also see St Mary's Presbytery

Location

136 Yarra Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 219303

Level

Registered

Statement of Significance

A Listed - State Significance

ST MARY'S CHURCH

The church of St Mary of the Angels in Yarra Street, Geelong, dramatically sited on a prominent rise to dominate the early settlement at Corio Bay, was erected of Lethbridge basalt and freestone in stages between 1854 and 1931. The existing church was commenced in 1854 and designed by Dodwen and Ross to replace an earlier freestone church of 1846-7 by colonial architect, Samuel Jackson. Building operations ceased in 1856. Substantial works to the nave and towers were undertaken in 1872 with the original Decorated Gothic design finally being completed in 1931. St Mary of the Angels is one of the first provincial churches in Victoria, with strong historical association with the early settlement and later development of Geelong.RECOMMENDATIONS: PROTECTIVE MEASURES:

Geelong Regional Commission Register

Historic Buildings Council Register

Australian Heritage Commission Register of the National Estate.

National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Register.REFERENCES:

Wynd, Ian - St Mary of the Angels, Geelong Historical Society, 1972

Karacsay, H & Nordic D - "St Mary of the Angels" History Research Essay, Department of Architecture University of Melbourne, 1965.

Smith, James (ed) - The Cyclopedia of Victoria, Vol 3, 1903, Melbourne, p 435, 461-62.

Ebsworth - Pioneer Catholic Victoria, pp. 36, 50

Geelong Advertiser - 5 April, 1854, meeting to discuss erection.

29th September, 1854 - tenders for masonry and stone-cutting.

12 October, 1859, description of dilemma of building over existing church.

26th January, 1870, TA Kelly to complete church

21st February, 1870 - description of building

10th May, 1870 - tenders accepted.

Honey, FT - 'Architectural and building Matters of Victoria", Builder (London) Vol. XIII, N. 632 (17TH May, 1835), p126.

Melbourne Herald - 18rh April, 1854, tender notice. 27th October 1854, tender notice & 19 July 1855, tender notice.

St Mary's Church 'Memorial Brochure', Building Publishing Co. Ltd Sydney, 1931

Group