Naringal church grows out the ashes

All that remains of that church – melted window glass, damaged plaque and a large key – are now on display in the foyer of the Naringal Baptist Church’s new extensions, which were officially opened on Sunday.

About 300 people attended the service at the church, which now includes a cafe and 300-seat worship centre.

Mr Hose, who has been a regular at the church his whole life, said the original weatherboard church was built in 1901 by the early pioneers.

When the Ash Wednesday bushfires started on a hot, windy day on February 16, 1983, Mr Hose was in Warrnambool with his wife.

“We heard there was fire at Naringal, and we knew that if that was the case on a day like that, it was going to be a disaster,” he said.

They raced home to their farm, which is about 1.5kms from the church. “Ours was one of the very few houses on this mile block which wasn’t destroyed. Just about all the others were,” he said.

“We got home and the fire was coming in the front, it was coming in around the back on the back lawn. We had a cattle trough with water in it and a fish pond, and we bucketed water out of them.

“We spent the next few days fighting.

“It was a terrible time.”

The church was lost in the fire, along with the neighbouring house and studio owned by artist Robert Ulmann.

“He just got out in his car. The tail lights at the back had melted a bit,” Mr Hose said.

The church purchased his old property and is where the new building now stands. 

Up until 1983, the church had been used by three different denominations – Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians.

After the fire, they received enough donations from all across Australia and were able to rebuild what became the Naringal Baptist Church. 

“The church has just grown steadily since then,” Mr Hose said. “I suppose as a church we’re bucking the trend of most other churches which is quite unusual and quite amazing.”

People travel from Terang, Camperdown, Cobden, Timboon, Warrnambool and Caramut to attend services.

The church also offers occasional child care to the community one day a week.