St Kilian's recently experienced a fire that reminded all of us just how vulnerable our beloved church is. In a matter of minutes, we could have lost more than a century of heritage; the church building, its historic fabric, sacred furnishings, its unique Randebrock organ, the historic Stations of the Cross, and the many memories that so many families have made here.
The current St Kilian’s timber church was completed in 1888, replacing an earlier sandstone church, constructed in 1857. Some of the artifacts, sacred furnishings and liturgical objects housed within the current church come from the original church, and as well, a chair, hewn from redgum and used by Rev. Henry Backhaus during the mid-1800s, has survived and is on display.
St Kilian’s church offers a direct connection back to Bendigo’s gold rushes and the strong Catholic communities born during Bendigo’s 19C gold mining era. Designed by the notable architect, W.C. Vahland, St Kilian’s church is thought to be the largest weatherboard church in the Southern hemisphere.
To prevent the possibility of a disaster of this type happening again, the Diocese of Sandhurst has launched the Protect St Kilian's Appeal, with a goal of raising $500,000 to design and install a modern fire detection and suppression system tailored to our heritage building. This investment will provide early warning, rapid response and long-term protection, ensuring St Kilian's remains safe, secure and welcoming for generations to come.
Funds raised will be managed by the Aspire Cultural & Charitable Foundation, dedicated exclusively to this project, and reported transparently to donors throughout the life of the project.
Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to this appeal.
Every contribution, of any size, brings us closer to protecting this irreplaceable place of worship and community.
Donations and further information are available via Protect St Kilian's Appeal
You can also donate directly to:
Protect St Kilian’s Appeal BSB: 083 543 Account Number: 40 724 9131
(Please use your name as the transaction reference and email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you require a receipt)
