The OLR Parish

Our Lady of the Rosary parish, The Entrance has its origins back in the 1860’s when Mass was first celebrated at Long Jetty. The area was a popular tourist and camping holiday spot on the southern shores of Tuggerah Lake where the lake and the Pacific Ocean meet.

Today The Entrance and its surroundings is one of the premium holiday spots on the Central Coast and is the home of some 10,000 Catholic families.

Since its inception in 1947 the parish has grown and today boasts one of the most beautiful and prayerful Churches in our Diocese. Substantially designed by Fr Reg Reynolds, the parish church caters for the permanent Catholic population as well as the many visitors who holiday here.

The Parish Centre is a more recent addition which houses a multi-purpose function centre and offices to deal with parish business and the administration of the parish properties. A feature of the parish centre is the unique formed and stained glass shrine of Our Lady of The Entrance, a beautiful image of Our Lady of the Rosary casting her mantle over the dominant geography of our area – the Pacific Ocean and Tuggerah Lake.

The rise in population has seen the need to relocate the Primary School, which was originally behind the Church. Today, a modern K-6 Catholic Primary School is on a new site on Shelly Beach Road. The old school buildings have been redeveloped as a cultural/education centre to serve the parish.

The parish staff, housed within the Parish Centre complex is available Monday – Friday from 9.30am to 5pm to assist you with any enquiries.