Restored historic church hits market in regional NSW

In the quiet village of Wallabadah, 50km south of Tamworth, the former St Anne’s Catholic Church at 35 Coach Street is now on the market with its original bell tower.

Ray White Rural Scone selling principal Hamish Firth is marketing the property with a price guide between $690,000 - $720,000.

Mr Firth described the two-bedroom, two-bathroom property, which sits on 4,000sqm, as a “rare blend of historic character and exquisite comfort”.

Owners Elizabeth and Tom Fischer first spotted the abandoned church while driving to the annual bull sales in Nundle, an event they attend every year.

What they found was a crumbling, powerless, waterless building filled with pews, cracked walls, worn carpet and decades of neglect.

But they bought it at auction in 2017 after it had sat empty since 2014 and set about bringing it back to life.

Inside, the restoration revealed layers of history: a 1932 newspaper tucked beneath the floorboards, a blessed‑water font near the entrance (now cleverly repurposed as a drinking fountain), and extensive plaster damage that required painstaking repair.

The church itself had been rebuilt once before, after a devastating fire in 1902, with locals contributing labour and stained glass windows that still illuminate the interior today.

By 2022, the Fischers’ vision was complete.

“It was a dream to transform a truly beautiful piece of historic architecture into a modern, elegant and comfortable residence while preserving the fabric of the building,” Mrs Fischer said.

The result is a soaring open‑plan home featuring a king‑size loft bedroom overlooking the nave, a spacious living area, and an original bell tower (minus the bell, which locals once rang every New Year’s Eve).

A baby grand piano sits at the heart of the living space fitting for Mr Fischer, a pianist who first encountered the church en route to a performance.