New Norcia Monastery

New Norcia WA 6509 (Pop 85)

New Norcia is set amidst gum trees and wheat lands and incongruously is Australia’s only town operating as a monastery. Established in 1846 by Spanish monks to help local Aborigines, it was named after the Italian birthplace of the order’s founder, St Benedict. This ‘living musuem’ consists of the monastery, two schools, a church and library of rare books dating back to 16^th century. It is located 131 km north of Perth.

Tourist Attractions & Info:
Museum outlines New Norcia’s extraordinary history with medical and agricultural displays and indigenous artefacts from when it was an Aboriginal mission. Open (10am-4.30pm) daily. Art Gallery exhibits a selection of European and Australian religious art. Many of the Spanish artefacts were gifts from Queen Isabella of Spain. Abbey Church is WA’s oldest Catholic Church still in use. It was built of stones, mud and timber and contains the tomb of New Norcia’s founder. Schools include St Gertrude’s College (1908) (girls boarding school) and St Ildephonsus’ College (1913) (boys boarding school). New Flour Mill (1879) said to be WA’s oldest working flour mill with the bread baked in the Monastery’s ovens. Old Flour Mill (1850s) New Norcia’s oldest surviving building. Police Station (1876) has an unusual sundial.

Nearby:
Bolgart (49 km s-e) historic hotel site. Wyening Mission (50 km s-e) former historic mission.  By appointment.

Accommodation:
New Norcia has a hotel, guesthouse and farmstay. Visitor Information Centre: Museum & Art Gallery, Great Northern Hwy, Tel (08) 9654 8056.

Airport:
Perth Airport (PER), 2 George Wiencke Drive, Perth Airport. Tel (08) 9478 8888. (124 km south).

Hospital:
Moora Hospital, Dandaragan Rd. Tel (08) 9651 0222. (56 km n-w).