St Barbara's Catholic Church - Former

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

A heritage plaque records: St Barbara's Catholic Church - NT Heritage Listed. - The steel and wood pre-fabricated structure was designed with regard to the fact that it could be relocated elsewhere should the mining town not survive in the future. It was built on the site of the RAAF Chapel of the 1940s and Bishop O'Loughlin took a great interest in this project. He visited often. Jack White, who made the initial uranium discovery, was very much involved in the planning of building of the church. Saint Barbara is the patron saint of gunners and miners, so the name is particularly suited. - The 70 x 30 foot structurwe was built mainly by volunteer labour, and the rear of the building was partitioned off to provide accommodation for the visiting priest. - Irish workers employed by contractors George Wimpey & Co., packed the church each Sunday during the open cut phase of the mining. At the time St Patrick's day was celebrated with a procession, sports afternoon and a gala ball at night. - Blessed and opened by Bishop O'Loughlin in June 1954, the design of the building typifies the practical aspects of the time, with a coloured concrete floor and louvred walls for cross ventilation..