St Alipius Parish has its beginnings in the Ballarat “Gold Rush” that started in August 1851. As thousands of people made their way to the diggings and a town quickly took shape, Father Patrick Dunne celebrated the first Mass for the Catholic miners in October 1851. In late 1852 a second priest Father Matthew Downing arrived and named his Parish after St. Alipius' and the Bishop of the time, James Alipius Goold. In February 1853 Father Downing moved to the present St. Alipius site and erected a church made of slabs with a canvas roof. A school was also built and classes began on April 1st.Colour photograph of the roofline of St Alipius' Catholic Church. ballarat, heritage, st alipius, catholic church

St Alipius Church is often associated with the Eureka Stockade in 1854. The priest of that era, Father Patrick Smythe, attempted to maintain peace among his parishioners, and was present at the amputation of Peter Lalor's arm. Henry Richards Caselli was the supervising Architect of St Alipius', Victoria Street, Ballarat East.Black and white photograph of a bluestone church. St Alipius Catholic Church is located in Victoria Street, Ballarat East.st alipius, church, catholic, ballarat east, eureka stockade, henry richards caselli

Small booklet on the history of St Alipius' Catholic Church, Ballarat East.st alipius, catholic church, balllarat east, eureka stockade, dorothy wickham

"Centenary of Fnrst Mass at Ballarat Friday last marked the centenary of the arrival of the first priest and the celebration of the first Mass in Ballarat. The Rev. Patrick Dunne reached the diggings on October 17, and on Sunday, October 19, 1851, in a bark hut near Brown Hill, he celebrated Mass. Worshippers had to kneel on quartz gravel. The weather had been the worst experienced in Victoria for a number of years, and most of the creeks between Melbourne and Ballarat were flowing torrents, but Father Dunne (who came from the Coburg mission), carrying the barest necessities and the sacred vestments, set out for Ballarat on horseback. He had to ford and swim his horse across the creeks. When most of his congregation left for the Castlemaine diggings Father Dunne returned to Melbourne. In August, 1852, Rev. Matthew Downing became Ballarat's first resident priest. He built a large wooden structure with a canvas roof which served as a church, but later erected at the Gravel Pits the first permanent church. This church was the largest of any house of worship on any goldfield in the colony. It cost £ 100, contributed solely by Father Downing and his flock. Soon after he got the authorities to survey a large piece of land at the back of the township as a burial ground and procured a grant of £500 for fencing it. A grant of £250 was also obtained for the improvement of the chapel and fittings of a school, where Michael Campion Carey opened the first school. Rev. Patrick Smyth succeeded Father Downing, who was followed by Rev. P. Madden, who in 1857 began to plan the erection of St. Patrick's Church. The foundation stone of this was laid by Bishop Goold on February 12, 1858, and the church was opened for the first time on November 8, 1863." (Melbourne Advocate 25 October 1951)Two colour photographs showing the St Alipius' Catholic Church flag - a blue cross and border on white. st alipius, church, ballarat east, flag

Colour photograph of St Alipius' and the Ballarat [East] Fire Brigade taken with a zoom lens from Armstrong Street South, Ballarat.ballarat fire brigade, ballarat east, st alipius' catholic church

St Alipius Church was the first Catholic Church at Ballarat. It was initially a tent church in Humffray Street, but after flooding it was moved to Victoria Street were the current bluestone church was built. The presbytery is beside the church and houses the priests. A colour photograph in digital format showing red brick building with slate roof, behind a green iron fence. The building is St Alipius Presbytery, Victoria Street, Ballarat East. ballarat east, catholic, religion, church, st alipius', st alipius

St Laurence O'Toole Catholic Church, Sandon was blessed and opened by Bishop James Alipius Goold on 06 May 1883.A number of coloured photographs show interior and exterior of St Laurence O'Toole Catholic Church, Sandon, Victoriasandon, st laurence o'toole, catholic, goold, james alipius gould, toilet, drop toilet, dunny, altar

Traditionally a Catholic Priest lived in a presbytery which was close to the church.A colour photograph showing a detail of the entrance to St Alipius Presbytery, Ballarat East.catholic, presbytery, st alipius, ballarat east

St Mary's Clarendon was dedicated on 09 November 1871. In 2014 it is part of St Alipius Parish, Ballarat East. "OPENING OF THE NEW CHURCH AT CLARENDON. On Thursday, November 9th, his Lordship the Bishop, accompanied by the various clergymen who assisted at the Mission, left Ballarat early in the morning, and proceeded through Buninyong to open the new church recently erected by the untiring exertions and liberality of the Catholics of Clarendon, and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin under the title of 'Auxilium Christianorum.' The church, which is composed of stone, with Lal Lal white brick facings, is 43 feet long by 20 feet wide, including a nice chancel, and has cost up to the present about £500. As the Bishop was approaching the locality, a large number of horsemen met and escorted, him to the church, arriving at 11 o'clock. Here also were a large number of children, 192, prepared for Confirmation, who were similarly attired as candidates in Ballarat. A procession, headed by the cross bearer and acolytes, was formed of the children and moved round the church, followed by the clergymen and the Bishop, who sprinkled the edifice with holy water. The building having been blessed and consecrated, High Mass, coram episcopo, was celebrated by the Very Rev. Dean Moore, the Rev. T. O'Donnell acting as deacon, Rev. M. J. Shanahan, as sub-deacon, and Rev. J. D. O' Sullivan, as master of ceremonies. After the Communion the Rev. J. D. O'Sullivan preached an impressive sermon on devotion to the Blessed Virgin. The collection amounted to about £40.9." (freeman's Journal, 25 November 1871)Six colour photographs of exterior and interior views of St Mary's Clarendon. st mary's clarendon, clarendon, st mary's, catholic

St Peter and Paul's Catholic Church was built in Buninyong in1858 as a school and church, architect Shaw and Dowden. Part of the Parish of St Alipius, Ballarat East.A very early church of the district, with a congregation existing since 1851 when a Catholic school was opened in Buninyong.Colour photograph of Buninyong Catholic Church, St Peter & Pauls, 1990s"Catholic Church, Buninyong, 1990s"buninyong, catholic church

The church was designed by the architect William Wardell (1823 – 1899) in a manner strongly influenced by the English architect Charles Hansom.Black and white image of the sandstone Catholic church, St Peter's, Daylesford. The spire in this image fell into a mine and was never rebuilt. Church plaque: Church of St Peter, Princeof the Apostles The foundaiton stone was laid on November 29th 1863 and the church was blessed and opened on May 14th 1865 by Most Rev. James ALipius Goold O.S.A., D.D> Bishop of Melbourne This stone was blessed to commemorate the 125th anniversary by Most Rev. Sir Thomas Francis Little, D.D., K.B.E. Archbishop of Melbourne May 20th 1990.catholic church, st peter's church, daylesford, daylesford

The bluestone St Thomas Aquinas' Catholic Church at Clunes was built in 1873, replacing an earlier timber chapel. The church closed in May 2018 and was sold for $520,000. It was resold in December 2021 for 1.2 million dollars.Colour interior and exterior photographs of a bluestone church at Clunes called St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. The photographs were taken during Clunes Book Town.clunes, st thomas aquinas catholic church, james alipius gould, john nolan, ellen nolan, bishop ronald mulkearns, centenary, kierce, bluestone, mary conroy, john conroy, james colfer, stained glass, church, religion, giovanni brusaschi, alice mary brusaschi, jeremiah mckew, catherine mckew, thomas mullins, bridget mullins, mary mullins, margaret mullings, altar, chapel, james alipius goold, foundation stone, bishop mulkearns

Article about St Alipius, Ballarat by Lorrie Brown. Article from The Courier, 23 November 1994. See also book by Dorothy Wickham, St Alipius: The Early Years: Ballarat's First Church

The church was designed by the architect William Wardell (1823 – 1899) in a manner strongly influenced by the English architect Charles Hansom.Colour photographs of the altar angel and stenciling at St Peter's, Daylesford. Church plaque: Church of St Peter, Princeof the Apostles The foundaiton stone was laid on November 29th 1863 and the church was blessed and opened on May 14th 1865 by Most Rev. James ALipius Goold O.S.A., D.D> Bishop of Melbourne This stone was blessed to commemorate the 125th anniversary by Most Rev. Sir Thomas Francis Little, D.D., K.B.E. Archbishop of Melbourne May 20th 1990.catholic church, st peter's church, daylesford, daylesford, stencils, angel

The church was designed by the architect William Wardell (1823 – 1899) in a manner strongly influenced by the English architect Charles Hansom.Colour photographs of the interior ad baptisimal font at St Peter's, Daylesford. Church plaque: Church of St Peter, Princeof the Apostles The foundaiton stone was laid on November 29th 1863 and the church was blessed and opened on May 14th 1865 by Most Rev. James ALipius Goold O.S.A., D.D> Bishop of Melbourne This stone was blessed to commemorate the 125th anniversary by Most Rev. Sir Thomas Francis Little, D.D., K.B.E. Archbishop of Melbourne May 20th 1990.catholic church, st peter's church, daylesford, daylesford, baptisimal font

The church was designed by the architect William Wardell (1823 – 1899) in a manner strongly influenced by the English architect Charles Hansom.Colour photographs of St Peter's, Daylesford. Church plaque: Church of St Peter, Princeof the Apostles The foundaiton stone was laid on November 29th 1863 and the church was blessed and opened on May 14th 1865 by Most Rev. James ALipius Goold O.S.A., D.D> Bishop of Melbourne This stone was blessed to commemorate the 125th anniversary by Most Rev. Sir Thomas Francis Little, D.D., K.B.E. Archbishop of Melbourne May 20th 1990.catholic church, st peter's church, daylesford, daylesford, john mcmahon, catherine d'alton, avelino morganti, mary hetherington