The history of St Augustine’s Parish in Yarraville has existed for more than 100 years.
The original Parishioners in Yarraville were migrants mostly from European countries, such as Italy and Ireland. Because they were living in a new world far from their homeland, and because they wanted to keep their strong belief alive, the question of having a church started to be more frequently asked.
Therefore, in 1895 the Catholics living in Yarraville could boast of the existence of one parish building – a wooden church that served their spiritual needs each Sunday and on week days the educational needs of over 200 children. Moreover, the Church had become the centre not only spiritually but had become a place of education as well.
The number of parishioners had been growing very quickly. By the 1920’s the wooden church was filled to capacity with 4 masses and as cause of this, plans were made for a brick Church in Somerville Road next to the Presbytery in 1924. This decision proved a very positive impulse to further development of the Parish. As a final result, a new brick Church was blessed and opened by Archbishop Mannix, D.D. in 1925. The total cost of the Church was approximately 14,000 pounds.
Since that time the Church has been used by Parishioners and still is the centre where people are meeting their spiritual needs. As time has gone by we have built a new primary school, which currently has over 200 students.
Today, the parish property includes a Church, Presbytery, Primary School, Parish Hall and Somerville Hall.
To read more on the History of St Augustine’s Parish, please click here
