St Michael's Catholic Church

No Foundation Stone or Memorial Plaque details are known. Information/photographs are invited.

A number of information boards are located near the property. The following one is recorded here: Catholic Church, Bungonia - Before the church was erected Masses were celebrated in a barn at the back of the Hope Inn. The first recorded Mass in the Bungonia district was held in William Mitchell's house in August, 1827. Although a member of the Church of England, Mitchell made a room available for Father Therry to celebrate Mass - Father Therry again visited Mitchell's house on August 14, 1833, to baptize a child. - Work was commenced in 1839 after a collection of 349 pounds two shillings and six pence had been made. It proceeded until the walls had reached a height of nine feet, where it remained for some years. After collections made by Father Fitzpatrick, the building was completed on 3 July 1847 and consecrated by Bishop Polding in the same year, though the unfinished church had been in use from 1843 with 102 communicants.- The Australian Chronicle of August 2, 1840, reported on Bishop Polding's visitation to the Southern Tablelands: 'On Wednesday 19th August, 1940, [not sure how the two dates line up - but as recorded on the board] he proceeded to Bungonia accompanied by Father Michael McGrath." The purpose of the visit was to bless the cemetery. He again visited in 1844 and received a petition from the people requesting him to use his influence with the govenrnent to obtain funds to complete St Michael's church. Two years previously he had announced that preparations were in hand for the building of churches in the three towns of Goulburn, Yass and Bungonia. - While there is no record of a resident priest, provision was made for residence in a small slab dwelling (now demolished) on the northern side of the church above the creek, in the area called 'The Priest's garden. - There was also a slab building used as a church school in the same area. It was conducted until 1855 by Ellen Armstrong.