New Norcia Hotel in 2011

The New Norcia Hotel is a historic building in New Norcia, in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region.[1] Part of the Benedictine Monastery Precinct,[2] it opened in 1927 as a hostel for travellers and families of boarders at the New Norcia colleges,[3][4] but later opened to the public. It closed in January 2020.[5][6]

New Norcia, Australia's only monastic town, was founded by Spanish Benedictine monks in 1847.[7] Since the early 20th century, there have been boarding colleges associated with the monastery in New Norcia – St Gertrude's opened in 1908 for girls,[8][9] and St Ildephonsus' opened in 1913 for boys.[10][9] By 1926 the existing hostels were barely able to cope with the crowds of visitors coming for Easter reunions.[11][12]

Construction of a new, more elaborate,[12] hostel began in 1926,[1] and it opened in 1927, along with a modern motor garage.[3] The two-storey structure was built in a neo-classical architectural style[4] from stone.[13] A large stairway, several metres wide, leads to a passageway, with guest rooms on both sides. The windows overlook several hectares of the monastery's farm,[13] while from a colonnaded balcony there are views of St Gertrude's College, St Joseph's Orphanage, and the public chapel.[14] The verandah is tiled in a traditional Spanish style.[15]

By 1952 the hostel had electricity, but the supply was turned off at 9 pm, with candles provided to guests.[16] In 1955 the hostel was turned into the New Norcia Hotel,[17]: 57  with fifteen rooms, as well as a bar and a restaurant.[18][19] The monks were the first religious organisation in Australia to have a hotel licence.[17]: 62 

The tourist experience at New Norcia was promoted since the 1980s as a niche-interest, promoting cultural traditions, and historical and spiritual experiences, with the active use of historic buildings a way to maintain them.[17]: 62–63  There were few changes evident at the hotel by the 1990s.[20]

The hotel received a permanent entry on the Register of the National Estate on 21 October 1980, and was classified by the National Trust on 3 November 1991. Its condition is described as "good".[1]

In the first week of January 2020, the monks made a sudden announcement that the hotel was closing, as it was "not part of [their] strategic plan".[5][19] A letter sent to local residents stated:

We regret to inform you that after long consideration, the Board of the Benedictine Community has reached a decision to permanently close the New Norcia Hotel. As a Community we understand the New Norcia Hotel has been of significance to generations of locals and the decision to close it has not been taken lightly.

— Father John Herbert[7]

The Shire of Victoria Plains' president Pauline Bantock said the closure would have a significant impact on the local community, due to the hotel's popularity with tourists, and because it was the only place within 50 kilometres (31 mi) for meals and social contact.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Heritage Council of Western Australia (31 December 2016). "New Norcia Hotel and Quarters". inHerit. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  2. ↑ Heritage Council of Western Australia (31 December 2016). "Benedictine Monastery Precinct, New Norcia". inHerit. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  3. 1 2 "NEW NORCIA". The Sunday Times. Perth. 20 November 1927. p. 20. Retrieved 27 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. 1 2 "New Norcia Hotel". New Norcia Benedictine Community. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. 1 2 Hedley, Kate (7 January 2020). "Last drinks in New Norcia as landmark pub shuts its doors". WAtoday. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  6. ↑ "Community's shock as Benedictine monks close down beloved New Norcia Hotel". The West Australian. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 Warriner, Jessica (7 January 2020). "End of an era as New Norcia Hotel, a historic WA monastic landmark, closes its doors". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  8. ↑ Byrne, Francis, 1949-; New Norcia Catholic College (1988). 80th anniversary, St. Gertrude's College, New Norcia, 1908-1988. New Norcia Catholic College. Retrieved 27 November 2014.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. 1 2 "The Benedictine Monastery at New Norcia". The Dawn. Western Australia. 14 September 1926. p. 8. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  10. ↑ "ST. IDELPHONSUS' COLLEGE. NEW NORCIA". The Southern Cross Times. Vol. XI, no. 277. Western Australia. 4 January 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 26 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ "EASTER AT NEW NORCIA". Call. Western Australia. 9 April 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  12. 1 2 "NEW NORGIA". The Moora Herald And Midland Districts Advocate. Western Australia. 22 April 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  13. 1 2 "MAGAZINE: TRAVEL Monastic trail of dedication". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 February 1989. p. 21. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  14. ↑ "Old Spain in Young Australia". Sydney Mail. New South Wales, Australia. 26 February 1936. p. 14. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  15. ↑ "A Mission in WA is Link With Old Spain". The Argus Week-End Magazine. The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 9 April 1949. p. 3. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  16. ↑ "THE ABBEY AT NEW NORCIA". The Australian Women's Weekly. Australia. 9 April 1952. p. 16. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  17. 1 2 3 Ryan, Maria M.; McKenzie, Fiona Haslam (2003). "A monastictourist experience: the packaging of a place". Tourism Geographies. 5 (1): 54–70. doi:10.1080/1461668032000034060. S2CID 154862491.
  18. ↑ "Sadness over New Norcia Hotel's shock closure". The West Australian. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  19. 1 2 "Last drinks for New Norcia Hotel". PerthNow. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  20. ↑ "Rewarding contact with wildflowers". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 18 August 1991. p. 18. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
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