5^th September: Gingin (New Norcia)

New Norcia is about 80 kms north of Gingin, in lovely sheep/wheat country which at the moment is very green. As we travelled north, the sky cleared and we had a beautiful, fine sunny day there, which called for the doffing jackets and the donning of hats!

For those of you who don't know, New Norcia is a Benedictine Monastry, the only monastic town in Australia. It was begun in 1847 by twwo priests who left their Spanish monastry when it was closd down by the then government. They came as missionaries to the aboriginal people and over the years brought in numberss of Spanish and Italian monks to serve God in this place. They built all of the buildings here by hand, originally funded by donors in Europe, including Queen Isabella of Spain. The main driving force was Bishop Rosendo Salvado who gradually acquired over 100,000 acres of land betweenthe outskirts of Perth to Geraldton and built a thriving community, with the assistance of the aborigines, based on pastoral and agricultural activities. He had to make the community self-suffient as there was no money from the church and, as a Benedictine Monastry, he broke away from the local diocese to become totally autonomous under the Benedictine Rule.

They built the monastry and the church first and then houses for the aboriginal families that were invited to live and work there. There were 22 such houses as well as single accommodation and many of them were converted, not only to Christianity but also a western life style. But it happened with a sympathetic understanding of their own lifestyle and beliefs.

A large flour mill, a bakery, an olive processing plant, a printery as well as agricultural buildings were necessary additions as the community grew. Seeing that the aboriginal children should be educated in basic literacy and mathematics as well as employable skills, he built separate accommodation and schools for the boys and the girls and then of course nuns were required and so a convent was built. Then the local white children wanted to come and so there were separate schools and boarding houses for them and the Marists and an equivalent order of sisters were needed. It had become a very large but thriving community which, at its peak, had 80 monksas well as many aboriginal workers. Children came from all over including Perth, to be educated as the Marists have a fine reputation in education. Abbot Salvado died in Rome at the age of 80 on one of his many recruitment and fund-raising visits and his body and sarcophagus were transported to New Norcia.

Eventually, the schools were closed in 1990's and the buildings are now used for retreats and adminstration. Thereare 9 monks there and no nuns but it remains a thriving business with now 20,000 hectares for the production of wool, flour, olive products including wine and port. And of course, tourism!

We went on a walking tour of 2 hours with an excellent guide, a local woman. She was very knowledgeable and spoke with passion and charm. We then had lunch at the hotel and then spent the nafternoon in the museum and art gallery which contained many aboriginal artifacts and monastry memoribilia as well as an amazing collection of paintings, mostly from Spanish and Italian artists of past centuries. (They are all very dark after the fashion of the day and in stark contrast to the few Australian canvasses which have strong light and different landscapes.)

It was a most enjoyable day and very different to our previous few adventures. I must say thrtough, that for a community whose motto is “Pax” or peace, the sound of huge B-doubles roaring through the centre is a bit disturbing! The main Great Northern Highway goes right through the middle. Whose bright idea was that!!

5^th September: Gingin (New Norcia)

New Norcia is about 80 kms north of Gingin, in lovely sheep/wheat country which at the moment is very green. As we travelled north, the sky cleared and we had a beautiful, fine sunny day there, which called for the doffing jackets and the donning of hats!

For those of you who don't know, New Norcia is a Benedictine Monastry, the only monastic town in Australia. It was begun in 1847 by twwo priests who left their Spanish monastry when it was closd down by the then government. They came as missionaries to the aboriginal people and over the years brought in numberss of Spanish and Italian monks to serve God in this place. They built all of the buildings here by hand, originally funded by donors in Europe, including Queen Isabella of Spain. The main driving force was Bishop Rosendo Salvado who gradually acquired over 100,000 acres of land betweenthe outskirts of Perth to Geraldton and built a thriving community, with the assistance of the aborigines, based on pastoral and agricultural activities. He had to make the community self-suffient as there was no money from the church and, as a Benedictine Monastry, he broke away from the local diocese to become totally autonomous under the Benedictine Rule.

They built the monastry and the church first and then houses for the aboriginal families that were invited to live and work there. There were 22 such houses as well as single accommodation and many of them were converted, not only to Christianity but also a western life style. But it happened with a sympathetic understanding of their own lifestyle and beliefs.

A large flour mill, a bakery, an olive processing plant, a printery as well as agricultural buildings were necessary additions as the community grew. Seeing that the aboriginal children should be educated in basic literacy and mathematics as well as employable skills, he built separate accommodation and schools for the boys and the girls and then of course nuns were required and so a convent was built. Then the local white children wanted to come and so there were separate schools and boarding houses for them and the Marists and an equivalent order of sisters were needed. It had become a very large but thriving community which, at its peak, had 80 monksas well as many aboriginal workers. Children came from all over including Perth, to be educated as the Marists have a fine reputation in education. Abbot Salvado died in Rome at the age of 80 on one of his many recruitment and fund-raising visits and his body and sarcophagus were transported to New Norcia.

The monastry which one can't enter of course.Built on what was the main road then.Now the road goes through the middle near the schools!

Through the  gates. The Abbot's quarters with a statue of St Benedict with the raven that legend has it, saved him from poisoning by flying off with the poisoned bread. 

 The kitchens & dining room.

The community church, built in 3 stages as funds became available.

 Inside with the sarcophagus which contained Salvado's body which is now interred.

The only cottage for aboroigines left: single men's quarters. 

Eventually, the schools were closed in 1990's and the buildings are now used for retreats and adminstration. There are 9 monks there and no nuns but it remains a thriving business with now 20,000 hectares for the production of wool, flour, olive products including wine and port. And of course, tourism!

St Gertrude's - the girl's school

The new (1879) flour mill - still operating.

The chapel in the boys' school - wonderful prressed tin roof!

The boys' school, run by Marist brothers.

The Hotel at which one can stay.

We went on a walking tour of 2 hours with an excellent guide, a local woman. She was very knowledgeable and spoke with passion and charm. Thereare 27 buildings in all in the complex and we saw only a few and mostly from outside.  The chapels (one in each school) are now often used for recordings as the aucoustics are wonderful! We then had lunch at the hotel which had been built to house the parents who came to see their children and then spent the afternoon in the museum and art gallery which contained many aboriginal artifacts and monastry memoribilia as well as an amazing collection of paintings, mostly from Spanish and Italian artists of past centuries. (They are all very dark after the fashion of the day and in stark contrast to the few Australian canvasses which have strong light and different landscapes.)

It was a most enjoyable day and very different to our previous few adventures. I must say though, that for a community whose motto is “Pax” or peace, the sound of huge B-doubles roaring through the centre is a bit disturbing! The main Great Northern Highway goes right through the middle. Whose bright idea was that!!

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