The Anglican Parish of Moe Newborough

The Parish of Moe Newborough had its beginnings on the 8th of October 2017 with the Reverend Sathi (Samuel) Anthony as Rector.  Prior to this the history of the parish is compiled within the histories of the parishes of Moe (proclaimed as a separate parish in 1925 separating from the parish of Yarragon/Trafalgar.  Moe had originally been part of the Gippsland Forest Mission commencing in 1879), Newborough (proclaimed as a separate parish from Moe in 1964), and Yallourn (following the closure of the Yallourn township and the addition of Yallourn North into the Parish of Newborough in 1976).

The Parish of Moe

  • Worship first commenced in Moe in the Mechanics Institute Hall in 1893
  • The first Church, Holy Trinity Moe was opened and dedicated on the 3rd December 1895.  
  • The Church of Saint Johns Walhalla (which came part of Moe was built in 1878, and
  • Saint Matthews Coalville was opened on June 3rd 1892. 
  • Saint James Hill End was opened on April 26th 1908. 
  • These latter three churches becoming part of the parish of Moe when proclaimed in 1925.
  • It should be noted that the Parish of Yallourn  had its beginnings with the start of the State Electricity Commission Power Stations and the workers camps that proceeded the permanent buildings to develop the planned town of Yallourn.  The first priests appointed conducted services beginning in 1922 both outdoors and within temporary buildings within the camps.  Eventually a permanent building dedicated as St. Johns Yallourn was opened in 1924.  While this was a separate Parish it played a significant part in what was later to be the Parish of Newborough.
  • Saint Georges Tanjil South was opened on March 28th 1931.
  • The growing settlement of Newborough commenced worship services in the Public Hall in Balfour Street which was opened in 1947.  This community was growing at a rapid rate and in conjunction with the State Electricity Commission which was building a large number of public houses in the area the Moe Parish gained permission to get a Marquee under which to conduct services in the area of Newborough East in 1950 until a building, Saint Aidans Newborough, was erected in Thoresby Street Newborough and opened on Advent Sunday 1951.
  •  At the same time services began on the corner of South and Brook (now Luke) Streets Moe in a Marquee in 1951 until a multipurpose Church, Hall and Kindergarten dedicated as Saint Lukes Moe was opened in 1954.  This occurred as the SEC was building a large number of public houses in the Moe South area.   The current Saint Lukes Church building in South Street was dedicated and opened in 1967.
  • A new Holy Trinity Church replaced the initial wooden building, which is now situated in Heritage Park, in 1969. 
  • Saint Thomas’s Erica was dedicated in November 1963.

The Parish of Newborough

The Parish of Newborough became a separate parish in 1964 and included Walhalla and Erica.  In 1976 Yallourn ceased to be a parish.  The church of Saint Johns Yallourn was demolished.   

The Church of Saint James Yallourn North which was licensed on the 12th November 1927 became part of the parish of Newborough and funds were provided by the Government as part of the closure of the township of Yallourn to enable the Newborough Parish to purchase land on the corner of William and Torres Street to build a new Saint Aidans which was opened in June 1980.

The next stage of history saw populations changing in size and location which brought about the closure of church buildings.  Services at Tanjil South ceased in 1970 and Coalville in 1971.  These two buildings were relocated (Tanjil South) and demolished (Coalville).  Regular services ceased at Walhalla in 1974.  After 1974 monthly services were held at St. Johns until 2018. In 2015 Holy Trinity Moe was sold to a Nigerian based Church and Saint James Hill End to a private developer.  At about the same time services ceased at Erica and the site was put on the market.  In 2024 the rear part of the South Street Moe property, which included the Church Hall, was sold.

In 2017 the Parish of Moe Newborough consisted of the churches of Saint Lukes Moe, Saint Aidans Newborough, Saint James Yallourn North, the historical property of Saint Johns Walhalla and the Erica site awaiting sale. 

 During the COVID epidemic in 2020 and 2021 with government restrictions on worship and numbers of people who could assemble in buildings the decision was taken to hold worship services at Saint Aidans as the congregation could be spaced out easier by including the fellowship area of the building as part of the worship space (as no after church fellowship was permitted).  Since that time the Sunday Worship has continued at Saint Aidans and Mid week Worship at Saint Lukes.  At this stage Saint James has not resumed having services.

Each of these church centres and the parishes in which they belonged have their own rich history to be explored.

Bibliography:

Church of our Fathers   by Albert E Clark

Light & Life  by I.T.Maddern

A Pictorial History of Moe and District   by the Moe Historical Society

The First Hundred Years -The Church of the Holy Trinity Moe    by D.J.Goldsmith O.A.M.