Attractions -

Attractions in Avondale, NL and immediate area:

Barry’s Island Falls

Beautiful Natural Over Fall about a 4km hike from the Oldmill RV Park.
The walking trail takes you along the Main Brook River banks.
Take a picnic with you and enjoy the scenery walk along the river bank.

Avondale Express Diner

The Express Diner is aboard a genuine dining car, which is part of the display of an old train including an engine, dining car, cook car, brake car, and caboose. Delicious food to be had.
Diner is closed, will up date when it reopens

Main Brook River

The main Brook River runs around two sides of the park
The river was used one time to power the Old saw mill that once was here
The river is very powerful when it rains

Sight seeing in Avondale

Church
Wharf
Lee’s Pond Mountain
Graveyard
Heritage train station
Heritage train track
Breathtaking scenic route

Trailways Along River

Avondale Railway Station

Built by the Anglo-Newfoundland Telegraph Company, in either 1870 or 1880, the Avondale Railway Station served as a repeater station for the first telegraph land line serving St. John’s. From 1900, to 1949 the structure was freight and passenger station operated by the Reid Newfoundland Company, and was an important terminus during World War II for transporting men working at the American military bases in Argentia. Now the oldest surviving railway station in Newfoundland, from Confederation in 1949 until its closure in 1984, the Canadian National Railway used the station as a terminus for their passenger and freight service in Conception Bay. The two-storied structure has a mansard roof complete with arched windows.

In recent years the building has been used as a community and railway museum. With numerous artifacts from the railway era the museum is open daily in July and August.

The Newfoundland Historic Parks Association awarded the station a Manning Award. This award is presented in recognition of outstanding efforts “in the Public Presentation of Historic Places within Newfoundland and Labrador.” Established in 1993, the association named the award after former Area Superintendent for National Historic Parks in Newfoundland and Labrador, Bill Manning.

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador declared the Station a Registered Heritage Structure in February 1988.

The Church of the Assumption

The Church of the Assumption, situated on a hilltop in the center of Avondale, Conception Bay is popularly known to motorists as the: Disappearing Church”. Quite visible upon entering Avondale from the north, the church gradually disappears from view as the highway descends to sea level, only to reappear further down the road.

From 1886, when construction started on the first church, until 1909, Avondale, a community of over 800 people was a mission of Harbour Main. During the 1909 year Rev. Richard M. Shean became the first resident priest and stayed there for 12 years. In 1911 Rev. John Roe who served the parish as a mission died and on that same night the original Avondale Church was struck by lightning totally destroyed it. In June 1911, just one year later the cornerstone was laid for an impressive gothic style church which could accommodate 600 people. In 1921 Father John Kavanagh became the first parish priest and maintained this position for 34 years until Sept 19, 1955, when, at age 72 and in ill health, retired. However, church activity had been quite evident for many years and indeed two churches had been erected prior to this date. In 1972 lightning was the cause of yet another fire, resulting this time in the destruction of the famous steeple. It was not until December, 1982 that a new 36 foot steel and wooden steeple was skillfully placed in position by the Ironworkers of the parish.

Like so many other projects, the new steeple had been planned by volunteers and financed by the parishioners. Indeed, cooperation and generosity has been the mainstay of Assumption Parish, from the erection of parish buildings to the renovations and beautification of church property and grave sites, Avondale has been a parish alive with the results of volunteers and hard work. Also through the generosity of the parishioners a new sound system allows familiar hymns to call the parishioners to worship and the hillside ” grotto” of the Blesses Mother proclaims to all that this is indeed the Church of the Assumption. Although the parish does not have any missions as such today, people from Brigus Junction still come here for educational purposes and to attend Church services.