Catholic Church Precinct
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Lots 53 – 55, Hartley Street. Town of Alice Springs | 
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| Gazettal Date | |
| 4th June 2003 Northern Territory Government Gazette No. G22 | |
| Description | |
Former Catholic ChurchThe original 1930 building has survived relatively intact and with very few alterations. It is constructed of hand-made patterned concrete blocks with timber framed windows and doors, most of which have survived. The building has retained its original ceiling and wall vents, its original floor plan and most of its internal and external finishes and fittings remain. Marist Brothers Residence (also known as the New Presbytery)The original 1939/40 building retains many of the original internal and external finishes and fittings, including original doors and door furniture, cupboards, louvred windows, ceiling liner and early hand basin in the bathroom. The lounge room is particularly noteworthy as it remains in its original state including retention of the original fireplace. The 1945 extensions have survived relatively intact with few modifications from its early construction apart from some internal partitioning. The buildings original almost square floorplan is still evident despite the 1945 addition which has given it's the T shape it has today. Gemma HouseThe original 1946 building has been considerably altered with many modifications made to both internal and external finishes and fittings. |
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| Statement of Heritage Value | |
The Catholic Church Precinct is important because it is associated not only with the establishment and growth of the Catholic Church in central Australia, but also the growth of Alice Springs itself. Comprising the 1930 Catholic Church, Gemma House and Marist Brothers Residence, the precinct contains relatively intact examples of early 1930's and 1940's architecture of the centre. Together these buildings possess a uniformity of architectural style and complementary functional purposes not seen elsewhere in central Alice Springs. |
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| Further Reading | |
Bennett, E. (1992). Memoirs. In Fine Print: NSW. Donovan, P. (1988). Alice Springs: It's History and the People Who Made It . Alice Springs Town Council: Alice Springs. Grant, A. (1989). Camel Train and Aeroplane: The Story of Skipper Partridge . Frontier Publishing: Erskineville Henson, B. (1992). A Straight-out Man: F.W. Albrecht and Central Australian Aborigines . Melbourne University Press: Carlton Pye, J.n.d. Santa Teresa and East Aranda History 1929-1988. Colemans Printing: Darwin. |
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