A contested sacred site
Small churches and other religious buildings are vital to Australian communities in the construction of place and the development of community identity.
The church is a special place for community celebrations, commemorations, family celebrations, traditions, and other community events.
The local church is a gathering place, a sacred site. The history of a local church is often the history of a community.
In Australia, a small rural church may tell the story of a farming community that has changed over time.
Many of these churches have fallen into disuse as rural communities shrink and the population move away.
When one of these former church buildings is faced with demolition, there is an outcry from the community.
Public protests pose a conundrum for local authorities. Why is there a public outcry over an often disused empty building?
The simple answer is that the community ascribes representations to a church beyond the building being a place of worship.
The potential loss of a local church threatens a community’s collective memory and sense of place.?
Yet this raises a paradox for the owners of these religious sites. Generally speaking, different faiths put worship and the spiritual interests of their followers ahead of their property portfolio.
One solution is adaptive reuse under the Burra Charter. This may save some of this cultural heritage from destruction.
Teacher Specialist
2 年So true Ian! We have watched a beautiful stone church in Middle Arm NSW be "restored" after being purchased privately. The new owners were sympathetic to maintaining the historic construction of the roof, but unfortunately that's where it stopped. It is now a mess of 'lean to's' and chain link fencing. Every day we drive past and lament how sad it is.