Catholic church goes on the market

St Augustine’s Church on Tuapeka Mouth Rd.  Photo supplied.
St Augustine’s Church on Tuapeka Mouth Rd. Photo supplied.
A small Catholic church that served the faithful for almost a century is for sale after church services stopped due to low numbers.

St Augustine's Catholic Church in Tuapeka Mouth Rd is up for tender. The 104sqm church occupies 4199sq m of land.

Farmlands Real Estate agent Patrick Bowden said the congregation decided to sell the church after it had been vacant and unused for several years.

There was potential to turn it into a home, although Mr Bowden said he could see it being used as a holiday destination.

Self-employed meat processor Tim May, of Tuapeka, was baptised there by his uncle, Fr Frank Skinner, when Mr May was 10 days old .

Mr May said he attended church regularly right up until it was closed.

‘‘If you weren't early to church, you would be struggling to get a seat.''

He said things were very different now.‘‘People don't put as much emphasis on that [religion] anymore,'' he said.

According to reports, about 50 vehicles lined the road on its opening day in February 1918 and the church was ‘‘packed to overflowing''.

The church was designed by Dunedin man John Woods.

By Samuel White.

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