St Joseph's

St Joseph's Catholic church is a landmark situated on a southern ridge overlooking the township of Fingal.

On Wednesday 21st November 1877 the foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Hobart Daniel Murphy. The sandstone and rubble church was built by Mr. Michael Lattin, who followed Mr. Henry Hunter of Macquarie Street, Hobart Town design.

Quote from The Mercury newspaper 8th April 1880 described Mr. Hunter and Mr. Lattin's building as follows:

... has provided Fingal with another ornamental building that will last probably for generations.

The length of the church from porch windows to chancel measures 60 feet with the nave being 19 feet in length.

St Joseph's was opened and consecrated at 11 a.m. on the 1st April 1880 by Bishop Daniel Murphy with the assistance of Fathers O'Reilly, Kelsh and Gilleran. The bishop explained to the congregation that there was a debt left on the building, a sum of £65 was collected at the service.

Centenary celebrations were held on the 1st April 1980, a centenary Mass by His Grace Sir Guilford Young was held on Sunday 4th May. Parishioners worked to restore and renovate the building.

St Joseph's is listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register as follows:

This is a fine Gothic Revival church with gabled roof with buttresses under gable ends. It exhibits random rubble sandstone walls with quoins on the corners and around openings. Entry is through a door at the side of a smaller gabled porch at the end of the nave. There is a gabled roofed belltower at the ridge and small lancet window to the nave, all with stained glass windows.

... is of historic significance because of its ability to demonstrate the principal characteristics of a sandstone Victorian Academic Gothic Church.