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Wesley Church and Manse, Kalgoorlie

Author

Heritage Council

Place Number

01276
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Location

41-43 Egan St Kalgoorlie

Location Details

Other Name(s)

St Paul's Uniting Church
Wesley Church Centre

Local Government

Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Region

Goldfields

Construction Date

Constructed from 1897

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents More information
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
RHP - Assessed - Consultation (Preliminary) Current 27 Apr 2007

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management More information
Category Description
Municipal Inventory Adopted 09 Jul 2001 Category 2

Category 2

The place is considered to have a high level of significance to the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and valued by the local community. Maximum encouragement to conserve the significance of the place should be provided to the owner under the town planning scheme.

City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
Register of the National Estate Permanent 24 Sep 2002

Uniting Church Inventory Completed 01 Oct 1996

Classified by the National Trust Recorded 04 Oct 1972

Statement of Significance

The Wesley Church is an important part of the early development of Kalgoorlie.

Values

• The place has aesthetic value as it contributes to the streetscape and townscape of Kalgoorlie.
• The place is rare as it is the oldest surviving church in Kalgoorlie
• The place represents a Federation Gothic church and manse.

Physical Description

Church:
‘The Church building is rectangular in plan, with a nave and two entrance porches. The walls of the building have a pink coloured rock faced stone caused during a cyclone in 1970 depositing red dust on the front wall. The building is covered with a high-pitched gable roof sheeting with corrugated galvanised iron. The roof originally has 3 small fleche at the ridge in the centre of the roof, a single fleche is all that remains. The decorative edging on the front of the church has also been replaced with plainer ornamentation and a turned finial at the front apex of the church.’
‘A porch on each side with the central large arched window breaks the simplicity of the street elevation. Each porch has a pitched roof with a small lancet window, the entrances were approached up the stairs and through a Tudor arched doorway. The lancet windows are defined by rendered reveals. The steps have had wrought iron decorative fencing along the top of the stairs which are no longer in evidence. A single storey structure has been added to the side and rear.’
Manse:
‘The former manse is a single storey residence with a spreading verandah across the façade. The walls are rock faced stone with brick quoin work. The building features a large roof lantern that lights the hallway below. The verandah is protected by a bullnosed roof supposed by paired slender posts. The building was built at the same time as the church and internally there are the original fireplaces in each too.’

History

‘The first services held were in the open air on the corner of Hannan and Porter Streets in 1894. The Wesley Church trustees then brought the block opposite on the corner of Egan and Porter streets and erected a timber and hessian church which seated 40 people, this was quickly enlarged to seat 100 people. In 1896 a wood and iron church were built on the site with plans being made for a permanent church and manse to be built. The old wood and iron church building was used as the state school with 35 children attending. The building continued to be used for Sunday School until 1985 when it was demolished, and the current hall was built on the site.’
‘The Wesley Church was the first stone church built in the town. The foundation stone and two memorial stones were layed at a service held at 4pm on Monday 24 May 1897. This was Queen Victoria’s birthday and the 60th year of her reign. Mrs HG Parsons, Mayoress of Kalgoorlie was handed a silver trowel to lay the foundation stone, which was given to her as a momento. Seventy years later this trowel was presented to the people of Wesley Church.’
‘The first service was conducted on 26th September 1897 by Reverend G E Rowe.’
‘The church has suffered from cyclone damage on 16th December 1903 when much of the roof was taken off, again in 1925 and also in 1970 which left the residue of red mud from Carnarvon.’

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Associations

Name Type Year From Year To
T Hack Architect - -

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
9583 Wesley St. Paul's uniting church manse: conservation and adaptation report. Heritage Study {Other} 2009
8525 Wesley St. Paul uniting church and manse, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 2004
9410 Wesley 1897 - 1997 Book 1997

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

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

Architectural Styles

Style
Victorian Italianate
Federation Gothic

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron
Wall STONE Other Stone

Historic Themes

General Specific
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Law & order
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Religion
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Settlements

Creation Date

27 Jan 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

07 Jul 2022

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.