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Our ministers
Our churches
Contact
- Revd Meredith Campbell
- Revd Elizabeth Wells
- People's Warden
Phil Davis 6264 2163
- Parish Secretary
Vicki Roney 6266 4207
- Parish Treasurer
Lee Tyers 6266 4373
- People's Warden
David Griggs 6266 4358
- People's Warden
Lesley Metcalfe 6266 3949
History of our parish
The parish, which is the southernmost in the Anglican Church in Australia,
had its beginnings in 1839 with the consecration of a wooden church (St
Mary's) built for the settlement by Lady Franklin. St Mary's was replaced
by St John's Church, designed by the great Pugin disciple Henry Hunter
which was consecrated in May 1864.
It is a gem of a small 19th Century gothic revival church and is heritage
listed. In the 1840s there was also a stone church at Southport associated
with the Probation station. The first church of St James, Ranelagh was
built in 1853 in brick. This was replaced by another Hunter designed timber
church in 1880 but was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1885.
The current church, also heritage listed was completed in 1896. The existing
church was consecrated by Bishop Montgomery on November 8th 1896.
By the second half of the 19th Century the Parish included the Huon Valley,
the Channel and the Far South with 12 church centres. It was a big area
on horse back, or foot, for a rector. Towards the end of the latter half
of the 19th century Cygnet-Channel became a separate Parish. By the 1940's
the Huon had become three parishes all with rectories: Franklin, Geeveston
and Esperance.
The latter half of the 20th century saw the gradual amalgamation back
to one parish.
In recent times many churches have been either sold or destroyed by bush
fires.
These include:
- St Andrew's Mountain River
- St David's Crabtree
- St Peter's Cradoc
- St Andrew's Port Huon
- St Bartholomew's Strathblane, Southport & Glendevie
Presently about 50 people regularly worship each Sunday in the parish
which comprises 5 centres. It boasts a picturesque landscape of sweeping
hills, rivers, mountains and fertile valleys, and is known for its diversity
in agriculture, fisheries and forestry. The area borders the Hartz Mountains
and South West National Park.
Where to find our churches
St Paul's Church
Dover - 6963, Huon Highway, Dover (entering Dover from Geeveston on the
left hand side of the road immediately after Anne's Old Rectory Accommodation).
St John's Church
Franklin - 3328 Huon Highway, Franklin (drive up the road next to the
Antique shop; it is set up on a rise overlooking the highway parallel
to Church Street).
St Peter's Church
Geeveston - 25 Arve Road, Geeveston (car park access is off Church Street
next to the Forest and Heritage centre).
St Luke's Church
Judbury - 1282, Glen Huon Road, Judbury (coming from Glen Huon after crossing
the Huon River bridge, it is on the right hand side of the road opposite
the sports/recreation ground)
St James Church
Ranelagh/Huonville - 1 Louisa Street, Ranelagh (coming from Huonville
along Wilmot Road it is on the left handside of the road after crossing
the Mountain River bridge and immediately after a long sweeping corner
opposite the Matildas B & B accommodation).
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Dover is a small town 94km south of Hobart and 52km south of Huonville.
It has become a centre for Salmon fishing and has recently become home
to olive groves, abalone and other specialist agricultural products. There
is a district high school, and shopping centre which includes a supermarket
and a community health care centre in the town. St Paul's is now the most
southern Anglican Church in Tasmania though there is uncertainty if there
is a worship centre on Macquarie Island! It is a small wooden church which
was established in 1868.
Anglicans at Dover believe they are known by the prominent church building,
the Know Your Bible (KYB) ecumenical Bible study, visiting in the community
and their acts of service.
For day to day needs contact Pam Norris 6298 1304.
Franklin is set on the Huon River 49km south of Hobart and 9km from
Huonville. It is a small rural town with a population of between 500 and
1000. It has a primary school, a wooden boat school and new restaurants
along with a local hotel and various small shops.
Huon Eldercare is situated at Franklin and provides 81 beds: six rural
health beds for people who have left hospital but are unable to return
home and 75 beds for elderly people needing residential care. Several
parishioners from the parish are actively involved in Eldercare as board
members and carers and Rev'd Rosemary Perrott-Russell, who has lived and
worked in the region for many years, serves as chaplain. The focus of the service is on children on the 2nd and 4th Sundays, ably led by Naomie Clark-Hansen.
For day to day needs contact Brian Clark 6266 3171, Naomie Clark-Hansen 6266 3525, or Ray Metcalfe 6266 3949.
Geeveston is a small rural town 72km south of Hobart and 30km from Huonville
with some interesting social features. It is set at the doorway to much
of Tasmania's logging industry. More recently it is finding a new identity
as a tourist town and has been actively looking for ways to value add
small business initiatives into its life.
The health of the town has improved so much that vandalism has decreased
in the district and it is used as an example for other small towns in
Tasmania. Geeveston has been featured on an ABC Land Line program. It
boasts an Airwalk which is a major tourist attraction. Several members
of St Peters congregation are part of the Green Jackets who act as guides
at the Heritage and Forestry Centre.
Some are also active in the streetscape project and in individual acts
of kindness such as delivering wood to single parent families in the middle
of winter. They believe they are recognised in the community for their
faith, togetherness and love. They are involved in the Huon Op Shop, lawn
mowing and the Fusion Family Day and are looking for more ways of 'connecting'
with their community.
For day to day needs contact Elizabeth Wells - 6297 1252 or Peter Bennett -
6297 1444
St Luke's is in a rural setting 13km west from Huonville and 51km south
from Hobart. It was first established in May 1954. Worship services are
held on the first and third Sunday of the month. Local Uniting Church
members also attend.
On the alternate week, Anglicans worship in the Uniting Church at Judbury
and Glen Huon.They are a close knit community who support each other.
There is a particularly strong relationship between the Uniting and Anglican
congregations which is lived out through shared worship and guild meetings.
They are committed to the training of lay people in pastoral care and
counselling and are key players in the Parish Op Shop in Huonville, which
is a vital ministry of the parish.
For day to day needs contact Sallie Wallis - 6266 0265.
St James Ranelagh lies on the western edge of Huonville, the major town
of the Huon Valley. It is about 40 km from Hobart. Set on the banks of
the Huon River, Huonville is a major shopping (rapidly developing) and
business centre and has a large primary school and high school. Features
of worship at St James are child participation with both male and female
lay people making announcements, leading prayers, reading the scriptures
and giving children's talks.
The congregation appreciates a Bible-focussed sermon. The St James congregation is a stable community with strong family and friendship roots, which cross several
generations. Many are actively involved in service organisations in the
community as well as the Parish Op Shop in Huonville and see this as an
integral part of their Christian life and witness. Some members are keen
to explore a range of styles of worship, which would be attractive to
families and young people and are committed to developing youth and young
adult ministry and more engagement with the community at large.
For day to day needs contact Phil Davis - 6264 2163, David Griggs - 6266 4358, Lesley Metcalfe - 6266 3949 or Jill Hayes - 6266 4203.
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