Benedictine Monastery Precinct, New Norcia

Child Places

• 03505 Shearers' Quarters
• 02917 Cemetery, New Norcia
• 02918 Apiary, New Norcia
• 04141 St Gertrude's College
• 03502 New Norcia Court House
• 14460 'Old' New Norcia Mill
• 04142 Administration Building
• 03509 New Norcia Post & Telegraph Office
• 04268 Blacksmith's Shop
• 03507 New Norcia Hotel and Quarters
• 04139 St Gertrude's Group
• 03506 Pig Keepers House
• 04147 St Mary's Orphanage
• 14461 New Norcia Mill
• 04130 St Joseph's Group
• 03503 Old New Norcia Police Station
• 02919 Abbey Church
• 04136 St Ildephonsus's Group
• 04144 Laundry/Workshop/Garden Shed
• 04146 New Norcia Police Station
• 03508 New Norcia Trading Post
• 04145 Olive Press and Carpenters Shop
• 03504 New Norcia Aboriginal Cottage
• 02916 Monastery

Values

The precinct is rare as Western Australia’s only monastic town.

The precinct has aesthetic value as it dominates the streetscape.

The precinct is an excellent example of Spanish Mission and Byzantine architectural influence.

The precinct has historical significance, as it was originally a mission to provide education and facilities to the local aboriginal populations by the Benedictine Monks.

Physical Description

The Benedictine Monastery precinct displays surviving classicism with Spanish influence buildings. New Norcia is a unique Australian town having been created by Spanish Benedictine Monks as a Mission to Aborigines in 1847.



It includes formal Classical buildings with a strong Spanish influence (eg the Monastery and Pro-Cathedral, the college buildings) and the earlier utilitarian vernacular buildings such as the granary, corn mill and cottages. It has been little altered since the early part of this century.



Benedictine Monastery Precinct is comprised of;

□ Monastery (P2916)

□ Cemetery (P2917)

□ Apiary (P2918)

□ Abbey Church (P2919)

□ Old New Norcia Police Station (P3503)

□ New Norcia Hotel & Quarters (P3507)

□ New Norcia Trading Post (P3508)

□ St Josephs Group (Convent, Laundry, and St Josephs Orphanage which is now the Museum and Art Gallery) (P4130)

□ St Ildephonsus Group (Handball Courts and St Ildephonsus College) (P4136)

□ St Gertrudes College (P4141)

□ Administration Building (P4142)

□ Workshop (P4144)

□ Olive Press and Carpenters Shop (P4145)

□ New Norcia Police Station (P4146)

□ Blacksmiths Shop (P4268)

□ St Mary’s Orphanage (Education Centre) (P4147)

□ Old Flour Mill (P14460)

□ New Flour Mill (P14461)

History

New Norcia was founded in 1846 by a small group of Spanish Benedictine monks who came to the Wheatbelt to work with the local Aboriginal population. The monks settled on the banks of the Moore River and named their settlement New Norcia after an Italian town called Norcia which was the birthplace of St Benedict. New Norcia evolved from a mission, to a farming enterprise and a place of education and religious practice.

The Benedictines are part of the Catholic Church. They are the oldest of the remaining orders with approximately 30 000 men and woman worldwide. Benedictine monasteries can be found world wide, with only three in Australia and New Norcia being the only monastery in Western Australia.

Benedictines aim to live a way of life established in the 6th century by Benedict. Benedict became disillusioned with the world and chose to live in isolation in a cave in a small town outside of Rome called Subiaco. After he emerged Benedict developed a disciplined and prayerful was of life for those wanting a community life involving worshiping God. Before his death, Benedict wrote a ‘guidebook’ for followers for life in a monastic community. After his death, his ‘Rule’ spread all over Europe and eventually the world.

New Norcia’s development into what it is today can be divided into three periods of development; the Salvado period, monastic period and post war development.

The Salvado Era

The founder of New Norcia Rosendo Salvado was born in Spain in 1814. He entered the Benedictine Order of the Catholic Church in 1829. He was ordained in Cava, Italy in 1838. He soon traveled to the Swan River Colony in 1845. He served at Subiaco, which at the time was a small village west of the Perth. During his work at Subiaco he became increasingly interested in mission work for the aboriginal tribes north of Perth. He headed an expedition to the Victoria Plains in 1846 and established a mission on the Moora River.

After realising that many of the local aboriginal populations were severely devastated by introduced disease, Salvado focused on giving a practical education to the local aboriginal populations. Salvado educated local Aboriginals with sympathy for their culture which was rare at a time of unrest between European settlers and local Aboriginals.

Salvado returned to Europe many times to raise money for the New Norcia Monastery. This enabled him to buy land, construct many buildings, purchase books and art works, and stock and equipment for their farms. This effort and success lead to Salvado becoming a notable figure in Western Australia as well an as International figure in the Benedictine communities.

Salvado died in 1900 whilst in Rome. His body was brought back to New Norcia and he was interred in the Abbey Church.

A Monastic Town

From 1900 New Norcia changed. It went through a transition from a bush settlement to a typical monastic town. Care and education of local aboriginal populations continued. However, there was a shift towards educational and pastoral needs of the rural population in Western Australia. More time was also spent on prayer, intellectual and artistic work as more of the monastic community became ordained priests.

Salvado’s successor Bishop Fulgentius Torres (1861 – 1914) arrived in 1901. He sold some of the land to raise funds for development. He personally designed and supervised the construction of St Gertrudes in 1908 and St Ildephonus College for boys in 1913. Bishop Torres also made internal improvements. He brought a Spanish woodcarver from Europe called Juan Casellas who created many fine works in particular to the interior of many of the buildings. In 1916 Dom Anselm Catalan took over from Torres until 1950. He also added to the fabric of the monastic town by building the Hostel – now the hotel. He also greatly encouraged the work of Dom Stephen Moreno a talented composer of music.

In 1951, Dom Gregory Gomez was elected the Abbott of New Norcia. He introduced a great number of changes with little consultation and planning. An outcome of this was the departure of many younger monks from the monastery in 1953.

1951 – 1990

New Norcia remained relatively unaffected by the Two World Wars apart from a holt in development due to the lack of manpower and building supplies. From 1950s to the 1990s New Norcia went through a large amount of change in order to attract more Australians, the monastic lifestyle was adapted to suit the Australian climate. The reforms by the Vatican Council in the 1960s further simplified monastic life and worship further encouraging Australians to become monks of the Benedictine order. However, the overall number of monks continued to decline.

Due to government funding policies the Aboriginals schools closed in the 1970s. Formal secondary education ceased with the closure of New Norcia Catholic College in 1991.

Since the early 1980s hospitality has increased in New Norcia. The Museum and Art Gallery displaying the history of the monastery attracts thousands of visitors. There is also a monastery guesthouse adjacent to the monastery. The old school buildings are used for conventions and school camps. An Education Centre was established in 1996. The traditional bread making and olive oil production have been revived and are also a popular tourist attraction.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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