History

Wattle Park Uniting Church is an historic church, founded in 1882 by the pioneer pastoralists of the region and was originally of the Methodist denomination. It is the second oldest ongoing church in the Canberra region, after St Johns Anglican Church in Reid.

The Opening of Wattle Park, selections from Ron Winch’s Book

“Altogether a very pretty country church” is how the new Wesleyan Methodist Chapel at Wattle Park, One Tree Hill, Bedulluck, was described on its opening day on Sunday 5 March 1882, and was “much admired by all present.”

The new church stood alone towards the back of the as-yet unfenced block, standing shyly away from the main Yass-Queanbeyan road. It was a neat stone building with a shingled roof, built to take 80 people. The ceiling, seats, and the side pulpit were of varnished kauri pine, probably brought as ballast by sailing ship from New Zealand.

The total cost to build and furnish the church, including kerosene lamps, was 204 pounds and 18 shillings. Much of the blue granite and sand had been collected locally by Samson Southwell and Donald Murty. 

The opening on Sunday at 11am was a splendid and memorable affair. From Goulburn, Queanbeyan, Yass, Dalton, Rye Park, Boorowa and further afield the people came. Many were in spring carts, gigs, wagons or drays, with only the occasional buggy or sulky, as for most of the visitors such refinements were to come later. Some had arrived on horseback and others on foot. 

Many of the hundred or more arrivals saw for the first time the neat 
30 ft x 15 ft structure that contractor Thomas Priest had erected. In fine hat and Sunday suit, in bonnet and crinoline, we may safely assume that the locals would have showed off their pretty country church to the visitors, who would have walked around it, measured it, estimated its capacity and wondered whether they would get a seat. The quality of the masonry and shingling would have come in for attention, as would the furnishings and finish inside. 

The opening service was conducted by the Reverend John Clifton, who reportedly gave an “eloquent and impressive” sermon “listened to with rapt attention” by the “large and attentive congregation.”

Still to come was the grand tea and public meeting on the following day. Few of the distant visitors, it may safely be said, returned to their homes. Some would have stayed with kinsfolk, and others would have camped on the church site, for who would want to miss the events of the morrow? The occasion demanded their presence, whatever the drought conditions and fire risk back home on their farms.

A large marquee had been erected for the grand tea at 5 o’clock on Monday 6 March 1882. 

The Goulburn Evening Penny Post reported that “a glance around showed that the promoters had made every preparation to meet the convenience and ensure the comfort of all present. A long pavilion covered in with tarpaulins had been erected, in which tea was to be served; while outside around a roaring fire were to be seen a number of huge boilers and kettles containing steaming water for the tea. Shortly after 5 o’clock, the folds of the tarpaulins were raised to admit those present to take their seats. This disclosed to view two rows of tables tastefully decorated with charming flowers extending the full length of the pavilion, and fairly laden with every kind of tempting delicacy that the mind could suggest or the most fastidious epicure desire. I did not learn the names of the kind ladies who provided for the occasion, but considering the difficulties they must have had to contend with, owing to the scarcity of eggs, butter, etc, their task in preparing such a magnificent spread must have been a very arduous one indeed.”

It is worthy of mention that whoever the ladies were, their line has continued at Wattle Park, maintaining to the present day a long tradition of excellence in providing “tempting delicacies” at functions of every kind and rightly drawing similar praise.

But back in 1882, after the tea, the youngsters played games, just as they would today, until the eagerly awaited public meeting. Addresses were given, the list of subscribers to the building was read out and a fresh appeal made for funds which was evidently very successful.

Then for many began the long journey home, as they moved out of the light of the kerosene lamps, mounted on the side walls. Others would have spent another night camped in the pavilion. On the high table lands of NSW the night air would have begun, by this first week in March, to play it’s crisp overtones, sounding gentle but fair warning of the season to come. But this would have been no deterrent to those who stayed, warm with fire and good company. With the exchange of family news over, the conversation might well have turned to the news of the day - everyone was up in arms over the attempted assassination of Queen Victoria at Windsor just three days before and surely the International Cricket match between Australia and England on that very day in Sydney would have been well worth dwelling over. 

When the dust had settled in that corner of Murty’s paddock; when the excitement was over, and the visitors had gone, the Wattle Park folk had good reason to be pleased with their opening at Bedulluck.