St Mary Magdalene's Church

By the close of 1880, it had become apparent that the existing church was no longer suited to the needs of the congregation and that the current foundations could not be adapted to accommodate these requirements. In response to this issue, Archdeacon Francis Hales convened a special meeting in George Town in January 1881. At this meeting, he expressed his wish to construct a new church in the Gothic style. During this period, the population of George Town was considerably smaller than that of the close by goldmining town of Lefroy, which made the raising of funds more challenging.

The meeting resolved that a new church would be built on the site of the old one and would be a weatherboard building measuring 45 feet long, 22 feet wide and 15 feet high. A subscription list raised £110.

The construction of the building encountered numerous challenges, including unsatisfactory workmanship by the initial contractors, who eventually abandoned the project. To overcome these obstacles, additional funds had to be borrowed, and new labourers were hired to complete the work. The building was finally finished and ceremonially opened by Archdeacon Hales in October 1884. It was formally consecrated nearly two years later, in May 1886.

The establishment of new industries in the area initially led to a rise in church attendance, yet this increase was short-lived. As industries began to reduce their workforce, many individuals found themselves unemployed and subsequently relocated to Launceston. Yet, matters would worsen, as on the night of 20 June 1994, the weatherboard church was ravaged by fire, resulting in its complete destruction and leaving it gutted and in ruins.

See also 100 & 1521