Saint Paul's Laanecoorie

Quick links

Maldon Parish

Eastville
All Saints

Maldon
Holy Trinity

Newstead
All Saints

Yandoit
Holy Trinity

St Paul's Laanecoorie, Guiney Street, Laanecoorie, 3463

St Paul's Laanecoorie was first built in 1908. Before this, services were held in the Mechanics Institute. This small town on the banks of the Loddon was then more extensive and prosperous than it is today. In the 1940s the town had a general store, post office, garage with Holden dealership, a hall and two resident clergymen for the Methodist and Anglican parishes. Today all that is left is the hall, some houses and the Uniting and Anglican churches. Laanecoorie is a popular water holiday spot, with a caravan park whose visitors are always welcome. Its bridge, designed by Sir John Monash, is on the Australian Institute of Engineers register of historic bridges.

Termites rendered the church unusable, and St Paul 's had to be rebuilt and rededicated in 1953. These days, its small congregation is active within the parish of Maldon, playing its part in governance, fundraising, social occasions and combined parish services. The Rector comes to Laanecoorie once a month, and there has been a strong tradition of lay ministry at other times. Members of All Saints Eastville frequently join with Laanecoorie for worship.

Parishioners of all centres have appreciated Laanecoorie in the past as the setting for combined open air services at Laanecoorie Weir (where a baptism took place on one occasion). During the drought, this lost its appeal, but recent rains may change that!