My first book published in 1975 was entitled, “Churches of Van Diemen’s Land” – (a history). In the book I dealt with the history of forty two historic churches, beside the oldest continuous synagogue in Australia situated in Hobart.
The book contained churches from the main denominations such as Anglican, Catholic, Congregational, Presbyterian and Methodist, the latter three amalgamating in to the Uniting Church some years ago.

1975 was a long time ago now and since then, many of those churches contained in the book have been closed with more to come. Those already closed included the Anglican and Congregational Churches in Broadmarsh, the most historic Back River Chapel, the Hestercombe Chapel at Granton and to be closed the most beautiful and quaint, St Mary’s Church, Gretna.

Church closers, particularly of the Anglican and Uniting denominations are not a new phenomenon. It’s been going on for years with a number of these churches being closed much to the chagrin of their parishioners. I have been involved in a number of churches in an effort to preserve them, such as St Maraget’s Church, Risdon, The old Congregational Church, Old Beach, churches in Launceston and Trinity Church North Hobart, which fortunately is now being used as Greek Orthodox. I say “fortunately” because it is still being used as a place or worship. I have recently been contacted regarding the future closure of St Matthias, Windermere East Tamar built in 1843 and is unique- as many are – in its architecture. A number of churches were designed by convict architect, James Blackburn.

The recent publication in The Mercury shocked me with the number of churches to be closed, such as the magnificent St Michael All Angels Church, Bothwell and St Andrews Church, Evandale (both of which are covered in my book), and St Stephens Church Sandy Bay, beside so many others. It is all so sad. Many of these historic and beautiful churches contain cemeteries in which numerous pioneers are buried.

I am aware church attendances are down and that many of these churches and halls, built by our settlers were in rural areas when transportation and communication was primitive. Modern transport allows parishioners to attend churches in other communities without a great deal of inconvenience. It has been reported that the selling by the Anglicans of many, of their churches and properties is to pay compensation to those ‘abused’ by members of the church. However, I also understand that amounts to 25 per cent of the revenue raised, so where does the rest go?

What does all this actually mean? It means a huge loss of heritage and the passing of an era. When our pioneers settled in an area, they did two things. They erected (not in order) the church for worship and the hotel….one, as I often have said, to sin in and the other to repent in. Joking aside, it does state quite dramatically the intention and desires of our early society. There was obviously a conflict in values, but both equally and important as each other. There were thousands of taverns and hotels in olden days, many more than now as there were churches. Many of the former still survive, seemingly in a much healthier way than our churches. This does reflect upon modern values and wants in comparison to previous generations.

Many of the churches now are homes, craft shops, retail outlets and cafes/restaurants and some are simply derelict. A number have been allowed to crumble beyond repair, such as St Mary’s Bridgewater. When I did my book that particular church was full of wood carvings, performed by artist Ernest Osborne whom I interviewed. What has happened to these pieces of work? What happens to the pews, plaques, wall tablets, fonts, war memorials, etc, etc. of these churches when they close and are purchased? This is a major concern.

I often wonder what those pioneers would think of what is happening today. Would they approve or understand or would they shake their heads in bewilderment? I believe the latter.

I am not a church goer, but I have a respect for religion, particularly the Christian religion which has given so much to us. As I was growing up we were not a church family, but the church was always there, particularly for christenings, confirmations and weddings. It shaped our consciousness and sense of what was right and wrong. Since the demise of that influence, society in my opinion has lost its way.

I cannot help to be critical of those who make the decisions to sell and close down such edifices. I am aware of the effect it has on existing congregations and very aware of even the anger it produces. Such as was the case with the selling of Trinity which went against the wishes of the parishioners as is the current case with St Mathias.

Christianity came to Tasmania with Lt John Bowen who settled at Risdon Cove in 1803. The first Christmas service was held there in December, by the order of Governor Philip Gidley King of Sydney. The first church was erected in Hobart with David Collins. This shows the importance on the inherited religion placed by our early settlers. Yet today even by our church leaders, it appears such emphasises are missing.

When my book was published way back then, Tasmanian historian and author, G. Hawley Stancombe wrote the foreword. He finished off by writing, “This book will hope to remind us of this (why our ancestors built and believed as they did) and perhaps point a way to the future”.

Hopefully it will remind us of what was, but unfortunately it has not pointed a way to the future.

The closure of old historic churches and sell offs has been a concern for a long time. My first book “Churches of Van Diemen’s Land” – a history was published in1975. I wrote the history of forty two churches and of the Jewish Synagogue. Many of those churches, which were operating in the 1970s, have now closed.

Some remain derelict; others are now private homes, restaurants, retail outlets and craft shops. To a degree one can say, well at least they are preserved as a building. The other concern, however, are the numerous plaques, tablets, glass stained windows and memorials contained in these churches heralding those past ministers, congrationalists, pioneers and those who are honoured for their war time effort usually from WWI. Perhaps it is time for these to be recorded including photographically. For instance, the old Congregational church at Pontville (now a restaurant) has a wall tablet honouring Harry Hodgman, possibly the first Australian who was killed at Gallipoli

The continuing Congregational Church at Richmond, a fine sandstone building, has just recently closed. It is now a retail outlet.

I often wonder what the early pioneers, so dedicated to their faith who built these churches, would think of how we now treat them. I believe they would be aghast.

I can fully understand why some churches have to be closed…..low attendance and with modern transport people can now travel a distance to a church in the next town. In colonial days of course, when a town developed first (or vice versa) came the church then the tavern/hotel. One to sin in and the other to repent in.

Close communities geographically had their own churches, such as Ross and Campbell Town, Carrick and Westbury, Colebrook and Campania, Moonah and Glenorchy, to provide some examples.

Some of these old churches are architectural gems and I have been involved in endeavouring to preserve some of them from out right destruction, such as St Mary’s Anglican, Bridgewater. This church had some marvellous wooden carvings and I am not too sure what has happened to them. And what happens to the pews? The old and very historical Primitive Methodist chapel, with windows only on one side, at Tunbridge is now just a shell.

Churches that have closed and to be closed primarily belong to the Anglican faith, the Catholic and the Uniting, which previously was the old Presbyterian, Congregational and Methodist.

Anglican churches that have also closed are St Lukes Judbury, St Peters Blackmans Bay and to be closed, St John the Baptist in Branxholm

The very historical church with its remarkable stain-glass window is St John the Baptist Buckland. There is the belief that the stain-glass window is many hundreds of years old. The window was preserved from destruction from Oliver Cromwell’s puritan troops by hiding and storing it. Later it was sent to St Johns and mounted. Whether the story is true or not, what will happen to this window?

Numerous churches throughout the State have ceased to exist and we see them as we drive around. One is St Johns, Ross and both Anglican and Congrational churches at Broadmarsh are now just a memory. The Uniting church at Old Beach and the chapel at Dysart have joined the ranks as has the oldest Congrational church in Australia, Hestercombe at Granton. By memory I believe the church at Kempton is closed and there had been threats to close St Johns at New Town, St George’s at Battery Point and St Mary’s at Moonah. Fortunately these still remain open. Attention has been centered on the Cathedral St David’s to ensure its viable future. Driving through Campbell Town recently I noticed another old church had been sold, either the Anglican or what was the Presbyterian, a wonderful structure. A blue stone chapel in main street of that town is now a private dwelling. And I am not too sure about St Michaels and All Angles at Bothwell.

A number of these churches have cemeteries attached such as in St Johns Franklin (to be sold) and the old Congregational at Bagdad which is now a private home. One wonders what happens to these. After all, the old cemeteries gave a social history of the local town, with the tombstone inscription often telling the deceased’s life story.

Sadly, the very historical Bobby Knopwood church at Rokeby has now closed as has the equally historical church which served the First Fleeters in its day, the Back River Chapel near New Norfolk. The greatest sadness was when the second cathedral in Hobart, Trinity closed much to the chagrin of its parishioners. Fortunately the Greek Orthodox people have now taken over, but it is still in need of repair.

St Margaret’s church was under threat, an old wooden structure at Risdon, which I helped to be preserve with the assistance of the media by drawing attention to its historic value. I can’t help but think that some of these building are deliberately let go, so that the consensus is, it is now too dangerous and too expensive to keep open; this also equates to old houses, such as Chigwell House, which again with the help of the media was eventually repaired and saved.

So when a church closes down what happens to the records? Hopefully they are given to either to the archives at St David’s or to the State Archives. What happens to the traditions? Memories of church fairs, bazaars, social evenings, Sunday school presentations, after church picnic luncheons, christenings, weddings, fade. What happens to the elderly congrationalists who attend? Where do they go now and how do they get there?

Many of the smaller more remote churches are a memory. Gone are the hymns sung, the sermons preached and the well known and often colourful characters who attended. True, things have changed dramatically in society. Christianity was important to our pioneers, but we have become rapidly a secular society. The passing of churches must amount to dozens and dozens in Tasmania with many more under threat. Once these goes, much of the local history goes. Does it matter? In a worldly sense perhaps no….but in a spiritual, historic and social sense, very much so.

On April 24th 2018 the Anglican Church announced that 120 church properties in Tasmania will be sold to pay compensation to sex abuse claimants. The selling of this number of assets really puts paid to the Anglican Church in Tasmania being the dominant denomination. From hereon it is just one of the many denominations within the State.

Vandalism and desecration of heritage monuments, memorials and statues appears to the latest fashion of the screaming Left. The whole concept however is not original; it’s just been adopted from the United States and advocates are simply jumping on the bandwagon. Commentators like Stan Grant aren’t very original in their thoughts. Simply put, he could see public mileage running with the issue, so away he went. What he and his like-minded comrades espouse is just a copy-cat action of their colleagues in the USA.

Sadly in Tasmania heritage monument vandalism began twenty three years ago since 1995. The Tasmanian Government either Liberal or Labor appear unwilling or simply are not interested in tackling the situation. They are, in my opinion, either politically attuned to what has gone on or are – as in the words of a headmaster of mine many years ago – “spineless jellyfish”.

To highlight my point we have to go back in history to fully understand what is meant.

In September 1803 a twenty three old man, Lieutenant John Bowen Royal Navy with 48 other souls, made up of administrators, military personnel, free settlers and convicts landed at a spot called Risdon Cove on the River Derwent four miles north of modern Hobart city. Bowen and his settlers laid the foundations of Tasmania, it being the first British settlement in the State. For many years until 1995 it was an historic park where all could visit and enjoy themselves perhaps with a barbecue.

The settlement at Risdon Cove was not a success for various reasons. Bowen, however, was not at fault. He settled at the spot on the orders of Governor Gidley Philip King who was in turn advised by George Bass who was impressed by the description given by another explorer, Captain John Hayes.

As a consequent, with further orders from Governor King, Lt-Colonel David Collins Royal Marines arrived with more settlers in February 1804 and abandoned the Risdon Cove settlement in favour of Sullivans Cove, now the site of Hobart city. Bowen returned to Sydney and subsequently to England.

The original historic site at Risdon was farmed for a hundred years and in February 1904 it was made into a public area being called Bowen Park for the next 90 odd years. A wonderful monument was unveiled by the Governor and Premier in memory of Bowen and the early settlers. The park – although not all times very successfully – was owned by the Tasmanian State Government and managed by what was then known as the National Parks & Wildlife Service.

Then in December 1995 all that changed. The Liberal Government under Premier Ray Groom gave this most significant historic site in Tasmania and certainly one of the most significant in Australia, over to the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council (TALC) headed by radical aboriginal activist, Michael Mansell. It was one of 12 sites handed to the TALC with very favourable conditions. For instance the TALC does not pay any land rates to the local Clarence Council, unlike house holders and other land owners.

On the very date of hand over, the Bowen Monument was vandalised because it was a symbol of ‘”invasion”. The most shameful aspect of it all was that all Tasmanian Parliamentarians from both Houses of Parliament were there at the time celebrating the hand over. All must have seen the desecration of the monument, but NOT ONE made a complaint. It was only when a nearby resident alerted me that it publicly became aware. No-one, however, was held responsible; there was no inquiry nor were there any concern expressed by our community and heritage leaders.

The once public park is now owned by the TALC and no one goes there, except members of the very well publicly funded TALC and the TAC (Tasmanian Aboriginal Council). The whole historic settlement has been neglected and is now in complete disrepair, this the most historic site in Tasmania. Fortunately we do have a record of the archaeological digs at Risdon Cove Historic site which was undertaken in 1978-1980 published in a rather large report, which is now as rare as hen’s teeth.

In 2003 at the 200th anniversary of Bowen’s landing the Tasmanian Government, under ex BLF Union man, Labor Premier Jim Bacon ignored completely that the historic event as though it never happened. . Even the sailing of a replica of one of the first vessels at Risdon Cove, “The Lady Nelson” was ordered not to sail near the area as it might ‘offend’ members of the TAC. Except for a private function, which I arranged, there was no heralding the first settlement nor any recognition of the 1803 settlement, which now is termed the site of the “European invasion” This is being rigorously and vigorously taught in Tasmanian schools including private under the anti British and racist curriculum called Gumnuts. This programme is where aboriginal activists are brought in from outside the education system lampoon our culture. All this under the eye of Liberal Education Minister, Jeremy Rockliff.

Over the years the Bowen monument has been repeatedly vandalised and this most important historic memorial is now in a dreadful state. Despite calls for its repair the Tasmanian Government and the Tasmanian Heritage Commission does nothing. After all, we must not offend the tiny minority.

The whole situation deteriorated when the then Secretary of the Department of Tourism, Parks and Heritage Mr Scott Gadd ordered his man, Mr Vin Gerasimenok to declare (and to quote from the letter held in my files) “Risdon Cove is no longer an Historic Site”. This is madness. All road signs indicating where the Bowen Memorial was located were removed.

Unfortunately the vandalism towards our historic site continues. It began twenty two years ago in Tasmania with the seemingly consent of the Tasmanian Government, be they Liberal or Labor.

With the revelation that after the 2018 Tasmanian election results more women than men make up the majority of parliamentarians, poses a question. Where is the leadership of men? Or is it now just a case of the continuing demise of men’s leadership?

It is just not in politics women now dominate, but major roles in sport administration (even men’s football), entertainment, business, public service, police, transport, defence, emergency services, banking, education, etc., etc., women taking over from men. This may seem marvellous, but where do men go? Clearly they are taking secondary roles with females now graduating more than males from universities and colleges particularly in such courses as medical and legal. So are they proving to be more talented and of greater i.q.? The feminists would have us think so, but let’s look at the real reasons.

The women’s movement has a political agenda and over the past number of decades have not only had laws promoted in their favour, but have had quota systems applied, affirmative action, massive promotion in the media and the entertainment industry, preferential emphasis in educational curriculum, and massive and massive of public money spent in their favour. Whole Government departments, both state and federal have been constructed for the promotion on the ‘status of women’ where only women are allowed to apply.

The result is enviable; men are taking second best, pushed out by a political correct agenda with many conservative women taking advantage of its unfair bias, probably not being really aware of this globalist’s agenda.

Boys in schools are suffering from female teaching bias and are being treated as oppressive of the female and potential wife beaters. If boys endeavour to be ‘boys’ then immediately (usually be a female administrative staff) there is intervention. Boys do not know how to be boys…there is confusion. Men are unsure of their roles. The effect upon the family is enormous.

Men are natural to leadership roles. How often women are portrayed even in dangerous and war-like environment as leaders, leading the men on a mission or out of trouble? All this is of course is utter rubbish, but to the growing mind of the juvenile it looks as though it is reality. Even in the scouting movement and boy’s early sport, the role of coaching is now taken over in many incidences by female leadership. In advertising of course, the man is portrayed as a fool with the woman, as the superior wise one making the sensible decisions.

Men not fulfilling their roles of leadership, of protector and of family provider are producing males of a snowflake generation who are prepared to sit back and take second best resorting to drinking and sport.

What can be done about it? Well certainly we cannot expect our spineless jelly fish parliamentarians to do anything about it; after all they are a product of mass political party thinking and survive in their roles by not thinking for themselves.

It comes back to the people. Parents must respect and the honour the roles nature has deemed the male to follow and allow their male family member to not only fulfil his role but to promote and honour it. A strong father figure must influence this and direct the young mind on to the right course, but the mature male figure within the family must first of all assume his responsibility as the head of the family.

The problem is of course; while our society is being feminised most of the real world is not. The growing continent of Asia is still masculine and does look upon the West and rightly so, as decadent and rotting. We will be taken advantage of. The Muslim religion is a masculine religion thereby attracting males, while the Christian religion is looked upon as feminine with males leaving the traditional religion in droves while most of those who remain are over whelmingly female. Now many pastors, priests and even bishops are female usually espousing liberation, socialist theology.

The call of “equality” is the latest mantra. Equal before the law yes, but we are not equal as individuals…we are incredibly different to each other. There is no such thing as a level playing field. And so it is with the sexes….we are different and what is wrong with that? We complement each other. We have different roles to play.

We are in crisis mode and we are seeing society escalating with a myriad of social problems, yet we have no solution, only to promote the same insane policies. Men not welcomed here! It is all quite unnatural.