Community & Business
22 October, 2024
The recycling of Clifton’s Lutheran Church
This week's edition of Clifton and District Historic Churches - Clifton’s places of worship of the past and present - takes us to Clifton's former Lutheran Church which has been re-purposed in Nobby.
Clifton’s early pioneers were mainly Irish, English and Scottish but there was also a small number of Germans and they proudly maintained their Lutheran religion.
Clifton’s Lutheran congregation remained small in numbers during the 1800s and early twentieth century but by 1950 had grown to a size where they managed to organise the building of their own church on the corner of Clark and George Streets.
The Trustees of the church, Herman Holz, Armin Franke, Conrad Dippel and Herman Vonhoff had purchased the land from Mr. Budgeon, a Clifton solicitor, for a cost of £40 ($80.00).
A date for the opening was set for 4th June 1950 and there was much excitement that day and especially for one young girl, Marcia Buckle (nee Platz) who was the holder of the key during the procession to the door for the opening.
Sadly the membership did not continue to grow and after struggling for more than a decade a decision was reached to close the church and the final service took place on 30th June 1966.
The building was eventually purchased from the Nobby congregation, complete with pews, baptismal font, pulpit, altar and pulpit cloths, by Tony Fenner and relocated to 69 Sister Kenny Street Nobby on the 9th October 2007.
Its not uncommon today for disused church buildings to be sold and recycled and transformed into a number of uses.
Many old timber church buildings are remodelled to become residential dwellings or commercial shops while others are used by wedding reception businesses as a chapel for wedding services.
However, it is doubtful if any other old church building has found itself transplanted into anything like the crazy but wonderful world that Tony Fenner
has created in Nobby for the old Clifton Lutheran Church.
The old church is now an important part of Tony’s Dillybag Gunyah Wedding and Events Complex, set on half a hectare of land across the railway line from the iconic Rudd’s Pub.
A walk around the complex tells you Tony has a sense of humour but it also tells you he doesn’t take life too seriously.
Dillybag Gunyah is best described as a collection of Australiana antiques and objects both weird and humorous, set in a beautiful garden of roses, bougainvillea and native species.
The church however, has not changed since its life in Clifton complete with the pews and altar cloths and serves as a venue for wedding services, christenings even a funeral and numerous fund raising and commemorative events.
“Some people bring their own minister or celebrant, and a previous Clifton Catholic priest, Father Thomas, even held a Catholic mass here once,” Tony said.
Tony even dismantled an old disused shed built in 1866 and rebuilt it on the complex and it now serves a multitude of purposes capable of housing over one hundred guests.
Tony is a third generation Nobby original and takes a keen interest in the history of the local area.
The old church displays photos of people and events from times long ago while also housing a collection of books on the local history and so serves as a museum as well as a wedding venue.
It is not surprising to learn that Tony was a registered builder as the gardens of Dillybag Gunyah have numerous timber shelters, fences, gates, water features and garden benches that are all constructed in the Australiana bush tradition and all built by Tony.
The old Clifton Church was under threat of demolition by 2000 and it is safe to say Tony Fenner saved it from a tragic fate.
He gave it a new life in a wonderful world of historic memorabilia and Australiana humour while preserving its role as a serious venue for weddings, christenings and even a funeral.
Well done Tony and long live Dillybag Gunyah.
