Community
3 October, 2025
Fair comes to Benedictine Abbey
CAMPERDOWN’S Benedictine Abbey will open its doors to the community as part of a combined Anglican Parishes of Camperdown and Holy Apostles parish fair and abbey open day.
The free event will run between 9am and 1pm on Saturday, October 25, and will see the abbey grounds filled with a variety of activities and stalls.
Reverend Matthew Jones said the idea to combine the fair with an open day for the abbey came from discussions he had with residents around the district.
“A lot of people I talk to around town often say they’ve never been up to the abbey and should go up one day – we thought this was an opportunity for people to come up in a very enjoyable way because there’ll be all sorts of stalls and things like that,” he said.
“There have been people who have lived in the town for years who have driven past it all the time, but never been up there.
“We thought it was a great opportunity to combine our fair with an open day at the abbey to invite people up to see what it offers.
“It’s an opportunity for people from right around the district to come up to the abbey, particularly those who have never been to the abbey, to experience that beautiful place overlooking the lake.
“Sister Raphael Stone will be there, and there’ll be friends of the abbey as well – they’re known as oblates and they’re very committed friends of the abbey.”
The fair will see a variety of stalls, from cakes, bric-a-brac and plants to crafts, plants and fresh produce.
Rev Jones said the day would also see kite making and flying, animal displays, the Lego Brick Club’s stall and an opportunity to tour the Benedictine Abbey’s grounds – located at 280 Camperdown-Cobden Road, Camperdown.
“If people want to buy things from the stalls but they don’t have enough cash, we can cover that with EFTPOS,” he said.
“There’ll be things for sale at the abbey shop as well as at the stalls around the grounds.
“There’ll be areas for parking, and we’re hoping to have some limited parking near the abbey for people who might have mobility issues and are unable to walk up the road.
“The plan is we’ll have a vehicle which will run people up to the abbey if they want a lift.
“Regardless of mobility issues, people can come, and we’ve suggested to Sunnyside they’d might like to bring a mini bus and let people out.”
A barbecue and tea and scones will be provided, with live music to fill the abbey church.
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