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What’s
in a name? The name “Warragamba” comes from the Aboriginal words
Warra and Gamba meaning ‘water running over rocks’.
The Gundungurra tribe of Aborigines occupied the land of the present-day Warragamba parish prior to European settlement. This particular tribe moved about the area of the Great Dividing Range from the Taralga / Wombeyan area to the O’Connell Plains, south of Bathurst. William Russell (“Werriberri”) is significant in that he was the last king of the Gundungurra Tribe living in the Burrogorang Valley. He was born at Werriberri Creek, a tributary of the Warragamba River. He died in 1914.
The first recorded presence of the church in our
parish was the block of land at Greendale, given to the Church in 1818 by Mr.
George Wentworth. In October 1848, forty four adults received the Sacrament of
Confirmation in the timber church erected on the site. The church was in regular
use until about 1893. After this, it was only occasionally used and, in about
1930, the building was sold and was moved into Wallacia as part of a private
home. From 1848 until at least 1874, a Catholic school was in operation at this
Greendale site. This was one of the first 21 Catholic schools set up in N.S.W.
In 1892, Fr. Sheridan, parish priest of Penrith, built
St. Mary’s Mulgoa church on land given by Mr. Stephen. An adjoining block was
purchased from Mr. Dykes of “Winbourne”(presently the Edmund Rice Retreat
Centre run by the Christian Brothers). Fr. Sheridan recommended that the church
bell from the Greendale church be hung in Mulgoa. This was done eventually but
unfortunately it was stolen in 1982 and never recovered.
After Mulgoa was consolidated in 1900, a new
Catholic family formed in Luddenham. In 1912 St. Francis Xavier’s church at
Luddenham was built on land given by the Anschau family.
From 1934-1942, Sydney experienced a record
drought. To augment the water supply essential for Sydney, the Water Board began
a 50 foot Weir at Warragamba in 1937. The present dam was officially opened in
1960. By 1951 the rise of the Water Board town and the increase in population
saw the need for a new parish. This Parish became formally known as Warragamba
in 1951 and included the churches of Mulgoa and Luddenham and those particular
villages along with the villages of Wallacia, Greendale, Bringelly, Badgery’s
Creek, and Silverdale – all in all, an area of over 400 sq. km.
On Sunday, 23rd November 1952, the Sacred
Heart Church at Warragamba was blessed and officially opened by Bishop Lyons.
Fr. Thomas Everard was the first Parish Priest of Warragamba (1951-1953). It was
Fr. Everard who bought the present church at Warragamba. He paid 450 pounds to
the Sydney Water Board for it. At that time (October 1952) the building was the
Town Hall and then the Cinema of the old Warragamba Township located near the
present-day Red Spot Petrol Station on Silverdale Rd. The cinema was transported
in three sections and trucked to its present location where it was re-assembled
in November 1952.
50 Year Celebrations took place in Warragamba Parish in
2001 in commemoration of the forming of the Parish in 1951. Bishop Kevin Manning
presided at the Mass with Fr. Paul Marshall, current Parish Priest, and the
Pastor Emeritus, Fr. John Evans, at the church at Warragamba followed by a
celebration of a meal with the Bishop, priests, Mayor of Wollondilly-Christine
Towndrow and special guests. Frank McKay, one-time Mayor of Wollondilly Council,
spoke on the occasion. A more detailed chronicle of the history of the parish
can be read in the book published in November 2002 coinciding with the arrival
of the church in Warragamba 50 years before. This publication called “The
Journey” is available from the Parish Office at Luddenham for $15.
You can review the first 5 pages and back cover of the booklet by clicking here.
Publications
available for purchase: The
Journey | Beyond
the Hills