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GOAL: Spirit from Stone: Enriching communities through celebrating the world heritage of Monsignor Hawes Objectives:
Monsignor Hawes' world famous Cathedral, St Francis Xavier, under construction
Monsignor Hawes helping with the construction of the Drum of St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Geraldton, Western Australia
Mgr. Hawes' Heritage Trail
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MORE RECENT INFORMATION? - 7th March 2008 Monsignor Hawes’ buildings are among the greatest achievements in Western Australia’s architectural history and some consider him to be our leading designer of ecclesiastical buildings. The cultural significance of Monsignor Hawes work within Australia’s natural environment is intrinsically and uniquely connected. In many respects Hawes was a visionary for designing and building structures that matched their respective settings and were highly appropriate for the prevailing environmental conditions.
The presence of this unique collection of churches and other religious buildings within a relatively accessible region of Western Australia offers a range of unique opportunities for cultural tourism.
Architect and priest John Cyril Hawes (187601956) lived and worked in the mid-west region of Western Australia between 1915 and 1939. During this period he designed a number of distinctive churches and other buildings mainly for the Roman Catholic Church. His buildings included St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Geraldton, built on two stages from 1916-18 and 1937-8, and regarded by many as his greatest achievement. However, possibly his most distinctive group of buildings is at Mullewa where he lived and worked during much of his time in Australia.
The Monsignor Hawes Heritage Project is currently undergoing a transformation.
In 2006 a Strategic Plan for the Project was completed and this has given the project strong future directions.
A Project Officer, Gemma Rafferty, has been appointed and works on the project for two and a half days per week.
The Interim Board has also decided to start the process for becoming incorporated.
This will see the Monsignor Hawes Heritage Project become the Hawes Heritage Foundation.
Interim Board Members:
Mark Lennard – Art Gallery of WA, Geraldton Laurie Graham – Community Member Bishop Justin Bianchini Barb Thomas – Mullewa parishioner Debbie McIlraith – Shire of Morawa Father Michael Morrissey Tony Dowling – Shire of Carnarvon Claire Savage – Heritage Council of WA Catherine Belcher – WA Museum, Geraldton.
Priorities have been set for 2008 and they include the creation of a legal structure for the project, creation and implementation of a communication plan, ensure Project Officer is funded long term and the writing of an interpretation plan.
A new logo for the Hawes Heritage Foundation will also be completed by the end of March 2008.
We also plan to introduce a regular electronic newsletter. If you are interested in joining the mailing list please contact us with your details.
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Monsignor Hawes Heritage Project The heritage of Monsignor John Cyril Hawes is one of the lost treasures of our region and indeed of the world. He is an unsung hero whose “song” needs to be proclaimed from the domes and spires of his many churches in the Midwest and Gascoyne. Priest, architect, artist, artisan, craftsman, horseman, wood-turner, cabinet maker, builder and hermit, this renaissance man of the twentieth century has left his heritage indelibly imprinted in the Midwest and Gascoyne of Australia and in England and the Bahamas. What Michelangelo is to architecture and heritage in 16th century Italy and Francis Greenway is to the colonial architecture and heritage in 19th century eastern Australia, Monsignor John Cyril Hawes is to 20th century architecture and heritage in Western Australia. The Monsignor Hawes Heritage Project was initiated by Diocese of Geraldton, the custodian of much of Monsignor Hawes’ heritage. The project has been eagerly supported by a variety of community, business, educational and government bodies, including the Geraldton Regional Library, WA Museum Geraldton, Heritage Council of Western Australia, Midwest Development Commission, Midwest Gascoyne Area Consultative Committee, Geraldton Regional Art Gallery, Shire of Mullewa, Shire of Northampton, City of Geraldton, Shire of Greenough, Geraldton-Greenough Joint Tourism Committee, WA Tourism Commission, Murdoch University, Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health, Geraldton Universities Centre, Midwest Heritage Inc and the Midwest Chapter of Museums. Despite several books and a television documentary about Monsignor Hawes, his “poems in stone”, that is his heritage and buildings, have not received the recognition they deserve in our local communities as well as nationally and internationally. Recently, a workshop was held at the Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health in Geraldton to remedy this situation and to put Hawes firmly on the regional, national and international stage. The workshop, which came about as a result of several meetings of interested persons and groups over the past year, focused on how the Midwest and Gascoyne communities might rediscover and promote the Monsignor Hawes heritage and in the process enrich our local communities. Apart from seeking to conserve and promote the spiritual, material, social and cultural heritage of Monsignor Hawes, it is also hoped that the Monsignor Hawes Project will benefit the economies of the communities of our region. Although the project is only in its infancy, it is hoped that it will grow and develop through a process of wide community, business and government consultation and involvement. To this end, the project group is keen to communicate with and involve all “stakeholders” and other interested persons and groups. For further information you can contact either Julie Weir of the Midwest and Gascoyne Area Consultative Committee (99645757) or Father Robert Cross of the Diocese of Geraldton (99213221).
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