St Paul's

St. Paul's Catholic Church in Oatlands stands as a testament to the architectural genius of Augustus Welby Pugin (1812-1852), an eminent English architect. Pugin maintained a close friendship with Bishop Robert William Willson (1794-1866), the inaugural Bishop of Hobart Town.

In 1843, Pugin crafted a Gothic Revival design for the church, which arrived in an intricately detailed scale model (kit format) by the esteemed London carver and furniture maker George Myers (1803-1875). Bishop Willson enlisted the Tasmanian architect Frederick Thomas to convert this model into comprehensive architectural drawings. The design bore a striking resemblance to churches commonly found in small medieval English villages. Under Pugin's direction, Myers carved full-size stone crosses for the gables, a holy water font, a baptismal font, and other ecclesiastical fittings, which local craftsmen were to replicate. These elements arrived in Hobart Town in 1844 with Bishop Willson.

On April 9, 1850, a considerable crowd gathered to witness Bishop Willson, assisted by several clergymen, lay the foundation stone of the church.

The church was officially opened on Wednesday, February 26, 1851. An advertisement in the newspaper announced that admission was by 'ticket only'.

In 2001, a proposal emerged to re-erect the memorial Celtic Cross. This cross, originally situated off the southeastern corner of the church since the 1870s, had been demolished following an accident around 1975.

St. Paul's Catholic Church, listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register, holds significant historical heritage as an exemplary and well-preserved specimen of the distinct two-compartment churches designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. Such churches are unique to England, Ireland, New South Wales, and Tasmania.