St Joseph’s, East Maitland

St Joseph’s Church, East Maitland is the first Catholic church built north of Sydney. Records indicate a wooden structure was on this site as early as 1829. The foundation stone of the St Joseph’s Church was laid by Fr John Joseph Therry on 12 August 1834. From this church the foundations of the Catholic Church in the Hunter Valley began. Bishop James Murray said his first Mass in St Joseph’s Church in 1866 and it was from St Joseph’s Presbytery that Bishop Murray administered the fledgling Maitland Diocese until 1871 when he moved to Maitland.

Although St Joseph’s was the oldest Catholic Church still in use in Australia it was not able to cope with the growing population and on 13 August 1933 the last Mass was celebrated. With the old church demolished the new foundation stone was laid by Bishop Gleeson on 19 November 1933. Designed by local architect Peter Gannon and built using local trades and materials it took only 5 months to complete. St Joseph’s was blessed and opened on Sunday 22 April 1934.