The Holy Family Parish, Northeast Mallee was formed by joining groups of neighbouring parishes that have already been working together and sharing a parish priest. The Northeast Mallee parish covers Swan Hill, Sea Lake and the northern part of Quambatook parish. The formation of this new parish is the fruit of several years of consultation, including the Looking Forward gatherings that have been held since 2014. The detailed proposals for the new parish developed through discussions among priests and parishioners over the past few months and were endorsed by the Council of Priests at their meeting on June 19. Bishop Paul Bird confirmed the formation of the new parish on July 1, 2018.

These new arrangements will make it easier for the local communities to share the tasks involved in pastoral care and parish administration and will give the priests more time for pastoral and sacramental ministry.

Information

Swan Hill:

St Mary’s Swan Hill is on the Murray River in the north of Victoria. We are 3 hours from Ballarat, and 4 hours from Melbourne via Bendigo. Fr Edward O’Sullivan Goidanich was appointed first Parish Priest of Swan Hill in 1893.

Sea Lake:

Sea Lake is a wheat-belt town of around 500 people and is located on the Calder Highway, 369 km north-west of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia.  The Parish of Sea Lake includes the communities of St Mary’s Sea Lake, St Joseph’s Nandaly and Sacred Heart Culgoa.  It was established in 1907.