Environment Minister Dr Susan Close has invoked her rarely-used legislative powers to act in the public interest with respect to an historic Millicent building.
Dr Close has extended the period by three months for written submissions on whether to confirm the heritage-listing of St Alphonsus’ Catholic Church.
She said it had been provisionally entered in the South Australian Heritage Register on August 18.
“Any person can make a written representation to the South Australian Heritage Council on whether or not to confirm the entry by February 25,” Dr Close said.
According to Heritage SA, the church is an outstanding, critically-recognised example of late twentieth-century ecclesiastical Modern Movement architecture in South Australia.
“St Alphonsus’ Church is a pivotal example of a post-war church, as it was the first South Australian church to respond directly to the Instruction on the Liturgy, a key document arising from the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican,” stated the Heritage SA submission.
“The George Street church is one of the largest churches built in regional South Australia after the Second World War.
“This reflects the rapid growth and prosperity of the town of Millicent as it emerged as a regional service centre for forestry and nearby associated industries during the post-war boom.
“Many were migrants, and those who attended Mass at St Alphonsus’ Church swelled the size of the Catholic congregation, leading directly to the construction of the new church in 1965-1966.”
