Discovering New Norcia

IF TOURIST brochures suggest staying at Margaret River, you can bet hubby will want to book at Yallingup, a stone’s throw up the road.

Doing the tourist thing or mingling with crowds is not his idea of a relaxing holiday. So, when we visited the southwest corner of Western Australia, he went to great lengths to find out-of-the-way places to stay.

There was one he missed, however: New Norcia.

When I discovered the ultimate retreat — a Spanish monastery — was just 132km northeast of Perth, he couldn’t argue. It was peaceful and charming, with a fascinating history and unique architecture.

Just because Australia was leading on the fourth day’s play of the second Test against Sri Lanka wasn’t reason enough, at least for me, to pass it up. Nor was the fact that the monastery guesthouse had no radio or television.

I wanted to spend our last night of the holiday experiencing the lifestyle of Benedictine monks.

Besides, hubby could always slip outside to hear the latest scores on our hired car’s radio. Alternatively, he could hike up the hill to the New Norcia Hotel, a former palace built in 1927 for Queen Isabella of Spain. She never made the intended trip because it was too far.

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Editor’s note: This story recounts a visit to New Norcia in 2007; some prices, facilities and details may have changed since then.

A piece of old Spain in the Australian bush

Dom Christopher Power, head of Friends of New Norcia, said Spanish monks established the tiny town in 1846 to work with Aboriginal people.

“With its large extravagant buildings, olive trees and church bells, the town is like a piece of old Spain in the middle of the Australian bush,” he said.

“In addition to 65 buildings, the town also houses a large art and artefact collection, a library of 75,000 books and a comprehensive archive dating back to the monastery’s foundation.

“The current community of 11 monks live a simple, prayerful life following the Rule of St Benedict and makes hospitality their special care.”

Today, visitors can learn more about the monastery, its history and current visitor experiences through the New Norcia website.

Staying at the monastery guesthouse

After booking by phone, checking into the guesthouse was refreshingly easy.

There was no swipe of our credit card and no request for photo identification or car registration details. Instead, a charming gentleman gave us a warm welcome, showed us where to tick off our names in the register and took us to our room.

According to hearsay, the rooms were supposed to be “sparse”. We found our twin-share room with ensuite (no doubles available) just as comfortable as an average motel room, minus the television and radio.

It was more akin to a bed and breakfast, with a shared kitchen, dining room, lounge and reading room.

Security, what security?

As for security, our host simply said: “This is a monastery and we’re in the country.”

Guests of all faiths were welcome. The $75 per person “donation” for the night included three home-style meals, including an impressive banquet lunch the next day.

Unfortunately, we had to pass that up because our plans meant being back in Perth by 2pm.

We were under instructions not to speak to the monks unless they spoke to us. They wandered freely through the dining room and kitchen as we soaked up the home-style atmosphere. After dinner, we cleared our tables and washed the dishes.

Among the 12 guests was a “contemporary Spanish artist” looking for inspiration. Another was a university lecturer from Perth who was on her fifth stay.

Every second month, the lecturer left her family behind to escape the “rat race” and indulge in the peace and tranquillity of New Norcia. On previous visits, she had used the time to write her PhD.

Without mobile phone coverage in the area, no one could contact her except in an emergency.

Guests could meet a monk at 10.30am but, again, our schedule didn’t allow it.

A spiritual experience at New Norcia

For a spiritual experience, guests could also join the monks for the daily celebration of Mass in the Abbey Church and prayers in the Monastery Chapel.

Only men could eat with the monks, but they shouldn’t expect much conversation other than prayer readings.

Hubby passed on that opportunity.

Where the guesthouse donations go

Checking out of the guesthouse was even easier than our arrival. We made our beds with freshly supplied linen, then picked up an envelope from the reception desk. We sealed our cash donation inside and placed it in a box.

Dom Power said the Friends of New Norcia received no regular funding from the Catholic Church or state and federal governments.

Guesthouse donations had helped fund several projects. In 2003, they helped restore and furnish the 19th-century reading room for monastery guests.

In 2004, the town’s education centre underwent refurbishment. The following year, work on the roofs and ceilings of the old St Ildephonsus classroom created space for the expanding library.

The following year, donations contributed to the Aboriginal Mission Cottages Project, including restoration of the last remaining mission cottage on the site.

Our stay at the monastery in Australia’s only monastic town was a wonderfully unique experience.

And the other half didn’t feel too disadvantaged by reading books instead of watching cricket on TV.

Australia was as good as home and dry anyway.

If unusual regional Australian destinations appeal to you, you might also enjoy exploring Winton: Dinosaur, Opal and Waltzing Matilda Country.

Planning your own Australian getaway?

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Travel with peace of mind

Unexpected things can happen even on a well-planned holiday. AllClear Travel Insurance offers travel insurance options for Australian travellers, including cover designed for people with pre-existing medical conditions.
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Need a car when you arrive?

Having your own wheels can make it much easier to explore beyond the main tourist stops. Avis Australia offers car hire from airports and locations around Australia.
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Pack smarter for the trip

From packing cubes and organisers to travel bags and accessories, BAGSMART has practical options for keeping luggage organised without taking half the wardrobe along for the ride.
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