To win the August 21 poll, atheist Julia Gillard and Catholic Tony Abbott must attempt to show voters what their beliefs are and where their morals come from.

The quaint, 110-year-old place of worship in the Eden-Monaro electorate demonstrates Australia is far from being an easy-to-peg, conservative Christian nation. The Holy Trinity Church in rural Tilba Tilba demonstrates religious belief in Australia is diverse and often a mixture of spiritualities. This makes it a potentially risky concept for politicians wanting to play the religion card to win any election.

On the outside the church in the electorate of Eden-Monaro appears predictable: probably a weekly meeting place for conservative Anglo-Saxon Anglicans.

Not true. ''I'm too left [wing] to vote Liberal,'' verger Lyndall Magnusseson said, although she is disillusioned with the Labor Party and its voiceless branch members.

And what was once a place of worship for staid pastoralists is still owned by the Anglican Church and now described as ‘‘ecumenically broad’’ by Ms Magnusseson.

It welcomes all religious believers, including Buddhists for example, to come and practise their own non- Christian beliefs.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times