Silence Of The Churches

A simple question: who is heeding the calls to save Tasmania’s riches of built heritage? In particular, who will rescue our old churches?

Seemingly on the latter the answer is not the religious administrators, for it is disappointing to find them missing from the submissions to the Legislative Council inquiry into our built heritage tourism now in progress.

In all 58 representations were made, from a wide range of interested organisations and individuals. Yet not one came from a church body. What does that tell us about their attitude?

The first point when the Legislative Council committee called for submissions last November was: “The current and future contributions that built heritage makes to tourism in Tasmania.”

And our old churches are a significant contributor to this. Visitors from interstate, and overseas, come to see them. Surely then our church officials should have made some effort to contribute to the committee’s inquiry?

I am not alone in noting the church factor in our tourism equation.

In the Mercury’s Talking Point feature in last Saturday’s edition, former senator Margaret Reynolds wrote an insightful article on the need for better promotion of our built heritage (and she had previously written other pertinent comments on the neglect of this heritage).

This time, while noting that our natural environment is well recognised, she added: “But it is the built environment of historic villages, stately homes and churches, stone cottages that often surprise visitors intrigued by the history that has created such a fascinating collection.”

Dr Dianne Snowden, former head of our Heritage Council, has been another supporting the need to save our churches, suggesting investigation of creative ways for heritage funding (including a possible heritage lottery). Churches, she argues, need special assistance.

So rescue the churches before it is too late and they are gone – closed, deconsecrated and sold – for it is disturbing to think that in decades to come visitors will find these venerable buildings no long exist as Tasmanian heritage attractions.

And these churches are certainly going – I have lamented before on the closure of many Anglican churches in the time of Bishop John Harrower. More are being lined up to be consigned to Tasmania’s Anglican history.

It was disturbing to hear an ABC report last month indicating this. In congratulating the Buckland community on saving their historic St John the Baptist Church from closure, Bishop Harrower also indicated this was bucking the trend, that as a result of a statewide audit more churches are likely for closure “in the near future”.

“Since I’ve been Bishop, the last 15 years, about 40 churches have closed, Anglican Church buildings have closed,” he said.

Bishop Harrower is retiring back to Melbourne in September.