a Cunnamulla landmark

With its central location on this prominent corner in the heart of Cunnamulla, St Albans Anglican Church was established as a prominent feature of the town from day 1 of its opening in late June 1896. For the first ten years the congregation was served by lay readers until the appointment of the first clergyman. This was the church from which beginning in 1905, the Bush Brotherhood of St. Paul provided pastoral care for the people of Cunnamulla and surrounding districts. Brotherhood Cottage was built around this time. Made of locally milled cypress pine, the church building like all those in the town put up from this durable and valuable timber survived the test of time.

It was only natural that it then be repurposed for use as a community hall when the decision was made in the late 1960s to proceed with the construction of the new church with its distinctive roofline in the shape of a cross.

The results of this striking approach showed up clearly in this aerial view of the town taken in the 1970s.

an eventful opening

Fortunately the opening of the new St Albans Church was a simpler and less hazardous undertaking than the original church blessing proved to be in 1896.

As a newspaper report from the time explained, Bishop Stretch and Rev. Wickham were lucky to escape serious injury after being thrown from their buggy when the horse bolted on the journey into town. The cause of the horse's alarm was the Bishop firing off a shot at a bush turkey in a bid to bring something special with them for supper.