MIDWEST TIMES ARTICLE CLARIFICATION

We seek to clarify that the news article (see article) in the Midwest Times of Wednesday 18 November titled “1906-completed Presentation Sisters Old Convent set to be Demolished,” misidentifies the 1967 built convent building (residence of religious sisters) with the 1910 built (fmr) presbytery (residence of the priest).

To be clear, it is the 1967 brick convent that is to be demolished, not the 1910 corrugated iron heritage significant presbytery or the Hawes built Carnarvon church, ‘St Mary’s Star of the Sea’, erected in 1935.

Further, neither the convent or presbytery have any link to Monsignor Hawes. The only building in the precinct of the Carnarvon Catholic Church that Monsignor Hawes designed is St Mary Star of the Sea Church, which has exceptional heritage significance given its links to Monsignor Hawes and the Carnarvon community. Demolishing this building would never be contemplated.

Fr Robert Cross
Diocesan Director of Heritage