Historical information

"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)

Physical description

Two colour photographs showing the St Alipius' Catholic Church flag - a blue cross and border on white.