St Nicholas Church

Author

Shire of Ashburton

Place Number

15392

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Location

19 Third Av Onslow

Location Details

Local Government

Ashburton

Region

Pilbara

Construction Date

Constructed from 1927

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	17 Aug 1999	Category B	Category B Worthy of high level of protection: to be retained and conserved; provide maximum encouragement to the owner under the Shire of Ashburton Planning Scheme to conserve the significance of the place. A more detailed Heritage Assessment/Impact Statement to undertaken before approval is given for any major redevelopment. Incentives to promote conservation should be considered.

Statement of Significance

St Nicholas Church has significant aesthetic, historic, social and rarity heritage value. Valued by local residents and visitors alike, the pretty church has important streetscape value. The history of the church goes back to the founding of the original St Nicholas Parish in Old Onslow. Built soon after the relocation of the town to Beadon Point, the church has survived many cyclones and has maintained it's built heritage integrity. For over 70 years the church has been the home of Anglican worship for the Onslow residents and is a fine and rare example of a building of such calibre in the North West.

Physical Description

St Nicholas Church has been descibed as 'pretty', 'charming' and 'distinctive'. Settled amongst a group of gum trees the weatherboard church has a steeply pitched corrugated iron roof and is raised on concrete blocks. The most distinctive feature of the church is the verandah, which surrounds the building. The entry is through simple wooden doors located under a small gable, which emulates the pitch of the main gabled roof. A post and rail steel fence encloses the property with decorative gates across the path.

History

The first St Nicholas Church was in Old Onslow. This was a large church built in 1904. In 1909 it was destroyed by a cyclone. The Anglican worshippers from this year held their church services in private homes until the Mechanics Institute Hall opened in 1912.

When Onslow was relocated to the new town site at Beadon Point, a building fund committee worked to raise funds for constructing a new Anglican Church. Comprising of 6 active women, the committee raised over 600 pounds in two years towards the building costs. After some correspondence over the siting of the church and many discussions about the land allocated, the new church was erected c1927 by Mr Collins. Also dedicated to St Nicholas. It was strong enough to survive a number of cyclones. Particularly notable, was the occasion when the church stayed intact during the 1934 cyclone when a number of other substantial buildings were destroyed. After the storm passed, St Nicholas was described as 'leaning slightly'.

In 1999 the new church still stands shaded by verandahs that make the church look very distinctive, if not unique.

Integrity/Authenticity

High Degree

Condition

Very Good

References

Ref ID No	Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
	A & M Webb;"Edge of Empire".	Artlook Books	1983
	Shire of Ashburton;"Notes".

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Original Use	RELIGIOUS	Church, Cathedral or Chapel
Present Use	RELIGIOUS	Church, Cathedral or Chapel

Construction Materials

Type	General	Specific
Wall	TIMBER	Weatherboard
Roof	METAL	Corrugated Iron

Historic Themes

General	Specific
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES	Religion

Creation Date

04 Feb 2000

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

31 Mar 2021

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.