A century at Marra

The Marra Creek district of north-west NSW has long been associated with the breeding of Merino sheep, but its “shepherds” have long had human as well as ovine roles. A tiny bush church located on the creek’s blacksoil banks near well-known Lemon Grove Station was among the first in NSW to be ministered by the Brotherhood of the Good Shepherd.

The Brotherhood was founded in Dubbo in 1904 and for about 80 years a network of peripatetic “Bush Brothers” delivered Anglican services to isolated outback communities.

Built in 1912 from local pine and consecrated the following year by Bishop Long from Bathurst, the Anglican Church of St Mary the Virgin this year celebrates a century of outback worship.

And next Sunday at 11am, worshippers past and present will gather at the Marra to join Bishop Richard Hurford from Bathurst as he conducts the historic centenary service. Read more