canowindra

our story

Canowindra Campus

“Beer is on the house” was the catch cry of a week not easily forgotten in 1863 when notorious bushranger Ben Hall held a three day party in Robinsons Hotel Canowindra – He forced the locals and the policeman into the pub and proceeded to shout them three days’ worth of beer. Since the river was in flood, he knew he was safe from policemen of other nearby towns.

Whether or not you like Ben Hall, he made an impact on Canowindra because he was counter cultural. Likewise, King David gained a following of men who were disillusioned and dissatisfied with life as they knew it. In him they recognised a man who could have an impact on the nation of Israel.

Our dream is to impact this country by helping men and women to recognise that there is more to life than a triple-fronted-brick-veneer-house in a nice suburb. Instead we aim to help people who come, to embrace the culture of the kingdom of God and to be subversive agents of it in the Australian context. May Canowindra see many disciples of Jesus sent out to have this type of impact on Australia.

The Canowindra Cornerstone Community was established in 1989 on Werrenga, a farm just south of Canowindra, some 300km west of Sydney. It lies in a picturesque valley on the banks of the Belubula River, in the middle of one of Australia's most productive farming regions. Canowindra is particularly known for its vineyards, ballooning, fish fossils and its historic main street.

Over the past 19 years, Canowindra campus has seen some 300 students trained and sent out on Australian mission teams for a full year. The towns in which these teams have been sent include Canowindra, Grenfell, Young, Bathurst, Cowra, Dubbo and currently Newcastle and Coonabarabran.

We have also seen numerous students from other cultures come to be trained here. Students have come from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Norway, Switzerland, USA, China, Korea, Solomon Islands, Timor, West Papua, Malaysia as well as numerous other countries. Often these people have come half way around the world because they have been unable to find anything as effective where they live at helping them to represent Jesus in their own culture.

This community supports itself through contract labour, working for numerous rural businesses in the area as well as running its own lucerne farm.

In the past year we have run numerous events including a leadership camp (for people wanting to become missional leaders), school camps and an open week. We are involved in running a kids club in Canowindra, as well as a youth group and teach scripture in a number of local schools.