Bereen Church restoration completed

Bereen Church back to life with $14,850 restoration complete

The picturesque and quaint St Mark’s Anglican church, nestled in the Horton Valley, has been brought back to life thanks to $14,850 of funding to restore the 111-year-old building. I inspected the completed works alongside Gwydir Shire Mayor John Coulton and church wardens                            Ali and Ian McDouall last week.
The restoration involved painting the exterior and interior of the building, including the roof, as well as repositioning and remounting the church. Skilled tradespeople lifted and repositioned the church onto new footings, which will assist in diverting storm water away from the foundations and maintain the building’s structural integrity.

 St Mark’s is a much-loved church and a place of support and pastoral care for the farming families who live in the Horton Valley. It is a true local gem, absolutely adored by the local community, and everyone worked together to allow this charming old building to be so beautifully restored. The works were made possible by a $14,850 grant under the previous State Government’s Community Building Partnership program. A church fundraising committee was also formed, and money raised paid for a new access ramp, minor repairs, preparation, and extra painting.
 Upper Horton has always been a very self-sufficient community where everyone watches out for each other, and the restoration of the church is a true reflection of this. The Bereen Church in the Horton Valley holds four services a year.