This web-site is devoted to the Shoreham Bush Chapel within Buxton Reserve.

It is an open-air chapel – meaning that its structure is minimalistic. There is a low stone entrance wall and entrance-way pillars. A platform of the same construction sits at the front of the chapel supporting a lectern. The seats were simple timber planks set on hand-made concrete supports. The side “walls” and “ceiling” are provided by trees and sky. It was originally an integral part of the YMCA Camp Buxton.

Chapel dedication

The Chapel was formally dedicated as the Cyril Young Memorial Chapel. It is a registered war memorial.

Cyril Young was an Army Officer who died as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in Borneo just before the end of WW II.

The Chapel’s lectern is dedicated to his younger brother Ivan Young who was an RAAF pilot missing in action over Libya in 1942.

The site is managed by the Cyril Young Memorial Chapel Association Inc – a group formed from members of the Shoreham community, relatives of the Young heroes, the Flinders District Historical Society, the RSL and the YMCA.

What is its history?

The YMCA was forced to sell off Camp Buxton after the YMCA got into financial difficulties in the 1980s. The camp continued for a time in private hands and was eventually subdivided for housing when those businesses proved non-viable.  Part of the subdivision became the Shire of Mornington Peninsula’s Buxton Reserve; the remainder was subdivided as private property.

The subdivision was controversial and ended up being “called in” and settled by the then Planning Minister.  Due to what only can be described as a blunder, the Chapel ended up partly in private land with the majority in public land (within Council’s Buxton Reserve).  A heritage overlay originally protected those parts of the former camp in private hands only. It is to extended to include all of the Chapel and a fire-pit.

Where is the Time-capsule and Plaque ?

Facing the Chapel entrance, the right hand pillar was originally considerably taller as our photo shows:

We think the reason is that a time-capsule was built into the pillar (c1950-51) and this was removed – possibly at the time of one of the sales. The brass plaque of dedication was also removed. If anyone can shed light on these mysteries, please contact us.

What happened after the Shire took over?

The Chapel fell into neglect on the Council’s watch – becoming very overgrown.  Damage to the chapel and precinct occurred following occasional tree falls and due to tree root damage within the platform surrounding the lectern.

Persons unknown removed the deteriorating Jarrah seating some years ago – after 2010.  This exposed the seat supports to further damage due to weathering and, perhaps, damage due to Council’s occasional slashing/mowing of the grasses there.

In more recent times (last 5-6 years or so), neighbours and community members took to weeding and grass mowing on an informal basis to look after the remainder of the Chapel.

Now and the Future?

It is obviously desirable that the chapel be managed as an integral unit.  After first contemplating selling the part of the chapel on public land to the neighbouring owner, the Shire reversed its decision in favour of acquiring the Chapel land and a buffer from the private owner in 2018.  This followed concerted opposition spearheaded by the Shoreham Community Association and relatives of the fallen heroes (the extended Young family).   

The Cyril Young Memorial Chapel Association was formed from the opposition to the sale.  It includes local community members, the Young family, representatives from the Shoreham Community Association, the RSL, the YMCA and the Flinders & District Historical Society.  The group is actively raising funds from supporters and working with the Shire to help support the restoration of the site. 

Council commissioned a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) in 2019 – its findings were accepted unanimously by Council in March 2020.  It recommended restoration of the Chapel and inclusion of all of the Chapel into the Heritage Overlay.

A formal maintenance team has also been formed to perform weeding etc and working bees are already being undertaken under the auspices of the Shire’s Natural Systems Unit.