Anglican Diocese of Rockhampton
The Anglican Diocese of Rockhampton, also known as Anglican Church Central Queensland, is a diocese in the Province of Queensland and one of the 23 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia. The diocese covers an area of approximately 57 million hectares, roughly twice the size of New Zealand and four times the size of England and Wales. The diocese contains nearly the whole central regions of Queensland. The population of the diocese is 216,000 of whom approximately 48,000 indicate that they are Anglicans. The diocese has 20 parishes and ministry districts, with the largest parish bigger than the State of Victoria.[1] The cathedral church of the diocese is St Paul's Cathedral in Rockhampton. The office of Bishop of Rockhampton is currently vacant since the last holder, the Right Reverend David Robinson retired in February 2020.
Diocese of Rockhampton | |
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 Coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| Territory |
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| Ecclesiastical province | Queensland |
| Metropolitan | Archbishop of Brisbane |
| Headquarters |
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| Information | |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Rite |
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| Established | 1892 |
| Cathedral | St Paul's Cathedral, Rockhampton |
| Language | English |
| Current leadership | |
| Parent church | Anglican Church of Australia |
| Bishop |
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| Dean |
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| Website | |
| Anglican Church Central Queensland | |
History
The Diocese of Rockhampton traces its history unbroken through the beginnings of the Anglican Church in Australia back to the establishment of Christianity in England in the first and second centuries. The Rockhampton diocese was formed in 1892 from the Diocese of Brisbane and its first bishop was Bishop Nathaniel Dawes.[2] The diocese celebrated its centenary in 1992.
Region
The diocese reaches across central Queensland, between the Diocese of Brisbane to the south and the Diocese of North Queensland to the north. It stretches from the east coast of Australia to the Northern Territory border, with its northern border being a straight line just north of the town of Moranbah and its southern region including the localities of Boyne Island, Biloela, Moura, Tambo and Blackall. Named after its main city of Rockhampton the diocese also includes the cities and towns of Gladstone, Yeppoon, Gracemere, Mt Morgan, Middlemount, Dysart, Blackwater, Springsure, Emerald, Clermont, Barcaldine, Longreach, Winton, Bedourie and Boulia.[3]
Bishops of Rockhampton
- 1892–1908: Nathaniel Dawes
- 1909–1920: George Halford
- 1921–1927: Philip Crick (translated to Ballarat)
- 1928–1946: Fortesque Ash
- 1947–1958: James Housden (translated to Newcastle, 1958)
- 1959–1963: Theodore McCall (translated to Wangaratta, 1965)
- 1964–1971: Donald Shearman (later became Bishop of Grafton)
- 1971–1980: John Grindrod (translated from Riverina and to Brisbane, 1980)
- 1981–1996: George Hearn
- 1996–2003: Ron Stone
- 2003–2013: Godfrey Fryar (previously Assistant Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn)
- 2014–2020: David Robinson
Ministries
Chaplaincies: hospital, correctional centre, police, Mission to Seafarers
Aboriginal and Islander Anglican Ministry: Woorabinda, Murri Wodja
Anglican Regional Ministry
References
- Diocese of Rockhampton website.
- The Australian Anglican Directory 2009, p. 5.
- Diocese of Rockhampton Year Book 2009-2010, p. 3.