Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre Overview

Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre

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Monsignor Hawes - discover the man behind the work

This modern and beautifully interpreted display showcases the life and architecture of priest and prolific architect Monsignor John Hawes, who arrived in the Mid West in 1915. Excerpts from Hawes’ diaries, endearing anecdotes and factual information paint a picture not only of Hawes’ extraordinary accomplishments but of the man behind the work. The Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre sits aside one of Hawes’ greatest masterpieces - Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral. The cathedral was one 16 buildings Hawes designed and saw constructed over 24 years in the Mid West, in what was to be remembered as his most prolific design period.

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Address:

56 Cathedral Ave
Geraldton WA 6530
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9937 9504

Email:

mhhc@geraldtoncatholic.org.au

Opening Hours

7 days 10am - 4pm

Dominie

Faithful friend

If any one aspect of the Monsignor Hawes collection best reveals the man himself, perhaps it’s the story of his love for his dog. The fox terrier, Havelock Dominie, became the priest’s constant...

Model

Jewel in the crown of architect-priest’s constructions

Famed architect-priest Monsignor John Hawes fashioned this stunningly intricate model of Geraldton’s Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral to guide the design of the cathedral which graces Geraldton’s...

Silk vestment

A gift of gratitude in grief

In 1924 12-year-old Mullewa boy Selby Arnolds fell into a railway water supply dam. Monsignor John Hawes was among those who tried to rescue the child, diving repeatedly into the muddy waters in a...

Birdwood Military Museum

The men behind the medals

The Geraldton RSL Birdwood House features a collection of military artefacts within the Birdwood Military Museum. The items reveal something of the men behind the medals and the characters behind the...

Morawa District Historical Society Museum

World-renowned windmills

Like many Mid West townships, Morawa’s history is a tale of agricultural development. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than the Morawa District Historical Society Museum. The museum is housed in...

Museum of Geraldton

Harbourside museum showcasing rich shipwreck history

From its enviable position sprawled along the waters of the Batavia Coast Marina, the Museum of Geraldton paints a picture of the region’s colourful past - from its rich Indigenous heritage through to...

Geraldton Regional Art Gallery

Artistic heart of Geraldton

Geraldton Regional Art Gallery houses its vibrant and ever-changing mix of collections in what was formerly Geraldton’s Town Hall, built in 1907. The gallery’s traditional exterior belies a modern...