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Queenscliff Parish Celebrates Its Centenary
Over twelve months of planning came to fruition during the last weekend of October,
when the Queenscliff parish celebrated its centenary. Planning for the centenary was the
responsibility of a special committee formed to plan a number of events and commemorative
productions, with representatives coming from all sections of the parish. Highlights of
the centenary included:
 | A Dinner Dance on the Friday evening at the Italian Social Club in Moolap. Attended by
approximately 200 people, this event was the first time all sections of the parish had
gathered together in a social event since the demise of parish balls held in Queenscliff
Town Hall in the 1980s. |
| A Centenary Mass held at the Monahan Centre, Queenscliff, on the Sunday afternoon. Set
up as a temporary Mass centre to accommodate parishioners and visitors (an exercise that
involved the moving of 300 chairs from the Ocean Grove church), the Sunday afternoon
liturgy was concelebrated by Archbishop George Pell, the parish priest, Fr Kevin
Nicholson, and other visiting priests from the Geelong Deanery and places further afield.
In congratulating the parish on its centenary, Archbishop Pell spoke of the long history
of the parish, its close association with Archbishop Mannix, who for many years held
personal responsibility for the parish, and offered his personal thanks to Fr Kevin for
his leadership of the parish. |
| An Afternoon Tea following the Centenary Mass at which a publication, Queenscliff Parish
Cententary, 1899-1999, Our Churches, Our Parishioners and Our Memories, was launched.
Compiled by Susie Zada, this publication covers the history of the parish and includes
many historical photographs of the Queenscliff, Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads Catholic
community and properties. Included also are reports from the now extinct Catholic
newspaper, The Advocate, associated with the parish and personal memories of earlier times
from parishioners who have lived in the region for many years. The afternoon tea was also
the location for an exhibition of historical photographs that captured much of the history
of the parish. |
| A Bush Dance at Queenscliff Town Hall on the Sunday evening. This event proved to be
extremely popular with families, particularly children whose endurance on the dance floor
surpassed that of their parents. |
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the centenary celebrations was the way in which all
sections of the parish – which covers Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, Ocean Grove and
Barwon Heads – supported the centenary celebrations. Coincidentally, in the week
following the completion of the centenary celebrations, the sale of the existing Ocean
Grove church was announced, which is a major step in the process of constructing a new
church for this expanding township. As the first hundred years comes to a close, another
major development will usher in the second hundred years in the life of the parish.
Michael Doyle
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