Newstead Heritage Spiritual Walk
Walk (or drive) around Newstead: visit and share the places where people have worshipped and reflected since the formation of the township over 150 years ago
Location of Heritage Sites
1. The Avenue of Honour - Pyrenees Highway to Maryborough
In 1918, when the First World War ended, Newstead residents were keen to honour those who had died. Discussion on the site finally favoured this spot and 83 oriental plane trees, protected by tree guards and named for the soldiers they honoured, were planted. Amongst the work force were women wielding shovels and retuned service men. On September 18 1919 the Avenue was ceremoniously opened. In 1995, almost on the same date, nine trees were replaced with due honour. Planes were chosen once more even though over the years many elms had replaced the original trees.
2. The Old Tree - Tivey Street
Very early in the establishment of the township of Newstead, possibly in 1856, the 'first Divine Service' was held under this beautiful red gum tree. A Congregational layman named Blackwell from Castlemaine, with Methodist and Presbyterian support, conducted the combined service, and it is interesting to reflect that the occasion foretold the union of those three churches in 1977.
3. War Memorial - Railway Reserve
Honour Boards throughout the township list the contribution of local men who volunteered to serve in World War 1 and 11. This memorial was erected by the townspeople to recognise the generosity and national spirit of those men who paid the supreme sacrifice. The memorial was unveiled on November 12 1921.
4. St Anne's Catholic Church - near Railway Reserve
Was opened in fine style on April 23 1911. The ceremony, conducted by Dean Heagarty and Rev Fr O'Rielly, was accompanied by the singing of the choir from St Mary's Castlemaine. The completion of the church building was delayed when one of the contractors, Mr Cox, fell from the scaffolding and broke his leg.
5. Presbyterian Church - Church Street
On January 16 1860, this land was set aside and Trustees appointed for a Free Presbyterian Church After some delay, the building of the church using local bricks and assisted by voluntary labour, was completed in November of the same year and was called St Andrews. The first minister, John Sutherland, was brought from Scotland to serve the Church and he preached both in Gaelic and English. The building is now privately owned.
6. Primitive Methodist Church - Lyons Street In the beginning the Primitive Methodists held their services in the home of William Ibbotson, the first owner of this land. He offered the site to Church members for half of what he had paid for it and threw in a quarter acre for good measure, the Church was opened on November 30 1860. In 1907 the building was sold to the Masonic Lodge for 85 pounds, now operating as a B&B.
7. SITE - Fourth Baptist Church - Panmure Street So far as we can tell there were four Baptist Churches in Newstead. The first, which opened in 1859 in the grounds of 'Bank Corner' behind David Corbet's store; the second, a brick building, in Codrington Street on part of the school grounds (see 11.); the third, the one with a question mark, on the SE comer of Hilliers and Lyons Streets, and the fourth, here, not far from the Old Post Office in Panmure Street. The second was home for a while to the Newstead Court of Petty Sessions. Of the fourth, the Echo reported that the building should perhaps be provided with anchors and chains on the corners so that it could float on the flood waters.
8. Anglican Church & Hall- Panmure Street
All Saints Church of England, built in the early part of 1868 for an estimated cost of 450 pounds, is gothic in architecture, the dimensions 30ft by 25ft and the belfry, long since gone, was 40ft high. The building is of red brick with white pressed brick dressings laid on blue mortar. The interior of the roof is open-framed, made of oak. At the entrance is a very large slab from the Barker's Creek quarries. The Sunday School Hall was bought from the Baptist congregation very early in the 1900s and moved here. It had been located on the SE comer of Hilliers and Lyons Streets as another Baptist Church or as the Church of Christ.
9. Uniting Church - Cnr Wyndham & Lyons Streets
As the Methodist Church, it was opened on September 15 1907, the celebrations continuing throughout the week that followed. On June 22 1977, following the decision of the Congregational, the Methodist and the Presbyterian Churches to join together as the Uniting Church in Australia, Newstead congregations elected to use the Methodist Church as their place of worship. Note the inscription on the bell in the Church grounds - Erected in Memory of Alex Brebner, 1949.
10. Before the Shamrock Hotel- SW Cnr Wyndham & Lyons Streets
In 1907, writing as one in a series of reminiscences in the Echo, Charles Sainsbury told that he remembered having seen, in 1856, '...two corroborees amongst the aborigines that used to camp in large numbers ... just where the Shamrock Hotel is....'
11. Site of the Second Baptist Church - Codrington Street
When David Corbet, who later became a Baptist Minister, built the first store in Newstead on Bank Cotner, he also built a simple weatherboard church behind his shop. The first Baptist Church in town, it was opened in November 1859 with 17 members. In 1863 a new Church and parsonage were built on this site. According to Frederick Ellis (Headmaster of the School from 1915-1933 and writing around 1927), '...the land on which the parsonage stood was purchased by the local school committee and a ring of spreading cypresses has been planted around the ground in memory of the old boys of the school whose names are on our honour roll.' The cypresses are gone but three old trees still stand, quietly, symbolically, reminding us of the courage and sacrifice of those past-students of our school.
Standing nearby on the edge of the Rotunda Park is a different type of memorial -
12. Major Mitchell Cairn Along with many other places along the historic Major's Line, the people of Newstead, under the leadership of Frederick Ellis, wished to celebrate the centenary of Major Mitchell's Expedition through Australia Felix. On October 8 1936 they unveiled this Cairn Mitchell, on his return journey to the Murray, crossed the Loddon here on September 27 1836 and camped before going on towards what we now know as Mount Alexander. The Cairn was erected by the then current Shire Council in conjunction with the Newstead Progress Association.
Information by Newstead & District Historical Society
Location
Maryborough Road, Newstead 3462 Map
