St Andrew's

In July 1881, tenders were called for the construction of the Anglican Church in Lefroy. Submissions were to be addressed to Mr. D. Petrie of Lefroy, accompanied by a sum of five pounds with each tender. The detailed specifications for the project could be reviewed at the offices of Messrs. Walch Bros. and Birchall.

The Church of England congregation selected a prominent site atop a hill overlooking the town from the east, and a committee led by Carello Sullivan was established to raise funds for the construction of an Anglican church. In August 1881, the foundation stone was ceremonially laid by Gold Commissioner Shaw, with Archdeacon Hales of Launceston presiding.

The Archdeacon nearly missed the occasion. Having arrived at George Town by steamer from Launceston, he found himself unable to hire a horse. Resourcefully, he secured a ride in a cart, but four miles along the route, the cart became bogged down. Forced to continue on foot, the Archdeacon repeatedly lost his way before finally stumbling into town near the New Chum Mine, his clothing splattered with mud. Despite these trials, he arrived just as the ceremony was beginning.

That evening, a concert was performed by the Welsh choir, and a bazaar was held the following month in aid of the building fund. Both the Low Head and Lefroy bands participated in the bazaar, and over three days the committee raised £157, bringing the total amount collected to £300.

Work on the church proceeded swiftly under the direction of Carello Sullivan, who also served as its designer. By the time of the bazaar, the framework was already erected, and the contractor was working on the roof. The church, a wooden structure lined and painted throughout, was nearing completion by the end of 1891. Of the total £500 cost, only £80 remained to be raised. The building was later consecrated by Bishop Sandford and dedicated to St Andrew in October 1883. The committee also had plans to add a chancel and vestry to the new structure.

By the late 1890s, the mining boom had come to an end, leading to a decline in the local population as miners departed the area. By 1904, the population had decreased to 709, thus this church did not survive.

During our visit to Lefroy around 2004, it was observed that this building had been repurposed as a barn on privately owned land.