St Mary's Church, Maryborough facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Maryborough
St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 2008
St Mary's Church, Maryborough Location in Queensland
25°32′14″S 152°42′13″E / 25.5373°S 152.7037°E / -25.5373; 152.7037
Location	271–275 Adelaide Street, Maryborough, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland
Country	Australia
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	29 July 1869 (1869-07-29)
Founder(s)	James Cleary
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Charles Tiffin (1869) Francis Drummond Greville Stanley (1884–85) POE Hawkes (1936)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Years built	1869–1936
Completed	4 February 1872 (1872-02-04)
Specifications
Number of spires	1
Materials	Stuccoed masonry church Stone and concrete grotto Modern steel and canvas shelters
Administration
Parish	St Mary’s
Archdiocese	Brisbane

St Mary's Church is a historic Catholic building in Maryborough, Australia. It's located on land given to the church by an early settler named James Cleary. The church was first designed by Charles Tiffin and built between 1869 and 1872. Later, it was made bigger with designs by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley and POE Hawkes. Today, St Mary's Church is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical building.

The Church's Story

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church was built in different stages over many years. The very first church building was started in 1869. It was designed by Charles Tiffin. Later, the church was made much larger in two main steps. The first was in 1884-1885, designed by FDG Stanley. The second big change happened in 1936, designed by local architect POE Hawkes.

Early Maryborough and the Church

The first town of Maryborough was not where it is today. It was on the north side of the Mary River. This was because wharves were built there in 1847-1848. These wharves helped transport wool from sheep farms. In 1850, a surveyor named Hugh Roland Labatt came to Maryborough. He was told to find the best place to build a town. He also had to find spots for public buildings, churches, and parks.

The site he suggested was not where the town grew. From the early 1850s, the town developed further east. As part of this plan, two acres of land were set aside for the Roman Catholic Church.

First Services and Buildings

To serve the early Catholic community, Father James Hanley from Brisbane visited Maryborough. He held the first service in August 1852 in the home of the local police chief. By the late 1850s, Maryborough was growing. More public buildings, including churches, were being built. In 1856, the Catholic community decided to build a timber church. It was planned to hold 300 people.

This timber church was ready in 1858. However, it was not built on the land that was first set aside. That land often flooded. Instead, a new site was given to the church by James Cleary. This has been the main Catholic church site in Maryborough ever since. The timber building was mostly used as a school. But it also served as a church when Dean Rigby, Father Hanley's replacement, visited.

Queensland Becomes a State

In 1859, Queensland became its own state, separate from New South Wales. The Roman Catholic Church then created the Brisbane Diocese, which covered all of Queensland. Bishop James Quinn was appointed to lead it. He arrived in 1861 and quickly planned to visit all the towns, including Maryborough. He came to Maryborough on July 25, 1861, with two other priests. One of them, Father Tissot, stayed in Maryborough as the first local priest.

Building the Permanent Church

By 1867, Father Tissot and his church members felt the timber building was too small. They decided to build a new, stronger church. This was also when gold was found in Gympie. Maryborough quickly grew as the port for the gold fields.

They hired Charles Tiffin, a well-known architect from Brisbane, to design the new brick church. The first stone was laid on July 29, 1869. Charles Tiffin was the first Queensland Colonial Architect. He designed many famous buildings in Brisbane, like Old Government House and Parliament House. He also designed buildings in Maryborough, such as the Government Bond Store.

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church was finished and opened on February 4, 1872. Father Tissot led the first service. Local builders G Smith and J Thomas constructed the church. It was described as having an "Early English" style. It was made of brick with stone details. The roof was steep and covered with shingles. The church had a small porch, a chancel (the area around the altar), and two sacristies (rooms for priests). Father Tissot also helped design the main altar and a carved wooden canopy above it. The church was designed so it could be made larger later.

Expanding the Church

On November 21, 1882, a meeting was held to decide to make St Mary's bigger. The new bishop, Robert Dunne, was there. They asked Colonial Architect FDG Stanley to draw up plans. The church was reopened in May 1884 after the work was done. Fritz Kinne was the builder.

The church was made longer by three sections. A large new chancel was also added. The roof was changed from shingles to slate. Inside, the church was painted. New pictures showing the Stations of the Cross were added. These were colored pictures printed with oil paints and framed in gold.

During the 1800s, the Catholic Church in Maryborough continued to grow. New churches were built in nearby areas. A large house for the priest (presbytery), a convent, and a school were also built. In 1912, a new organ was installed in St Mary's. It cost £900.

Major Changes in the 1930s

More big changes were made to St Mary's in 1936. These were designed by local architect P.O.E. Hawkes. Herbert Neilson was the builder. The church was made even longer. New chancels (areas around the altar) were added to the north and south. Also added were sacristies, confessionals (small rooms for confessions), and a baptistry (for baptisms).

The organ was moved from the gallery to the Sacred Heart transept (a part of the church that crosses the main body). Outside, the building was covered in a smooth plaster finish. A new entrance was made from Adelaide Street. Before this, people could only enter from Bazaar Street. A beautiful marble main altar was made by a local craftsman, Mr Prout. A rooster weather vane was added to the western roof. This showed the French connections of Monsignor MacCarthy, who was the priest at the time. Roosters were sometimes put on French churches to show feelings about the papacy (the Pope's leadership).

Recent Changes

Since 1936, some smaller changes have been made. The roof was covered with new tiles in 1959 and 1967. Part of the wooden floor was replaced with concrete in 1979. In 1980, work was done to make the foundations stronger. A porch was built on the northern transept in 1987. The wooden canopy over the main altar was removed in 1989.

What the Church Looks Like

St Mary's Church is in the middle of Maryborough. The church complex includes the main plaster-covered church building. It also has a stone and concrete grotto (a small cave-like shrine) and two modern shelters made of steel and canvas.

The main part of St Mary's, called the nave, runs from northwest to southeast. You can enter the church from both Adelaide Street and Bazaar Street. The main entrance is from Adelaide Street. The chancel (altar end) and transepts are at the Bazaar Street end. The building has a very steep, pointed roof. With its gothic decorations and cross-shaped layout, the church looks like many old gothic churches.

The front of the building has a central pointed section. Next to it on the northeast is a smaller pointed section with a small plaster statue of a rooster on top. On the front of the main section is the entrance. It has a pointed porch with a statue of Our Lady above it. On either side are plaster pinnacles (small pointed towers). Above the entrance is a large stained glass window. It has five tall, narrow windows with clover-shaped designs above them. The roof is hidden by a decorative wall that goes all around the building. A Latin Cross sits on top of the central pointed section at the front.

Inside, St Mary's Church has seven sections in the nave. These sections are marked by columns that support a row of pointed arches. Above these arches are small, four-leaf clover shaped openings. These let light into the upper part of the church. Around the altar, the style changes to classical. Here, Corinthian columns support a decorative band. This creates the chancel area. On this band, there are religious phrases in Latin. These writings continue around the top edge of the transepts. A large organ is located in one of the transepts.

Why St Mary's is Important

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it's officially recognized as an important historical place.

Showing Queensland's History

St Mary's Church is the main Catholic church in Maryborough. It shows how the town grew from a small port to a big city. The church also shows how the Catholic Church developed in Queensland. It started with churches in major towns in the mid-1800s and then improved them in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

A Typical Church Building

The building is a good example of a large regional Catholic church. Many parts of it are from the 1800s, with well-matched additions from the early 1900s.

Beautiful Design

St Mary's is beautiful and well-designed. It was created by several talented architects. It's a well-put-together building on an important site in Maryborough. The church has wonderful craftsmanship. This includes the marble main altar, the stained glass windows, the Stations of the Cross, and the wooden details.

Important to the Community

The church is very important to the Catholic community in Maryborough. It has been their place of worship for 125 years. It is also connected to many of the priests who helped add to or change the building over time.

Connected to Important People

The building is linked to the work of architects Charles Tiffin and FDG Stanley. It also has a special connection with POE Hawkes, who was a creative architect from Maryborough.

Important Dates for St Mary's

Bishop James Quinn arrived in Queensland in 1861. He began his first visit to the area with Father Renehan and Father Tissot. They left Brisbane on July 23, 1861, and arrived in Maryborough two days later. Father Tissot stayed in Maryborough and became its first resident priest.

1852: The first Mass (Catholic church service) was held in Maryborough. It took place in the home of Sergeant William McAdam.
1858: A wooden church and school building was finished. Mass was held here when priests visited.
July 29, 1869: The foundation stone for the new church was laid.
1869–1872: The main church building was constructed.
February 4, 1872: St Mary's church was completed and blessed by Bishop Quinn. Charles Tiffin was the architect.
April 26, 1872: James Cleary, who donated the land for the church, died. He was buried in St Mary's church.
July 10, 1875: Father Tissot left Maryborough to go back to France.

1880s

April 1880: The Sisters of Mercy arrived to help with the school.
1884–1885: St Mary's church was made larger. F. D. G. Stanley was the architect.
May 10, 1885: The church extensions were blessed by Bishop Dunne.
September 2, 1888: Archbishop Duhig blessed and opened the Christian Brothers school. This school later joined with the Mercy Sisters' girls' high school in 1979 to form "St Mary's College."

1890s

1892: A new convent (home for nuns) was built.

1910s

1912: A new organ was installed in the church. It cost £900.

1930s to Present

March 22, 1936: A second major extension was added to the church. This work included moving the main entrance to Adelaide Street and adding a new chancel. P. O. E. Hawkes was the architect.
November 29, 1936: The completed extensions were blessed by Bishop James Duhig.
1936: A large stained glass window was donated by the Corser brothers. It was designed by William Bustard.
1977: The wooden flooring in the church was replaced with concrete.
1989–1991: The church organ was fully repaired and restored.
August 4, 1991: The church was rededicated.
February 9, 1993: The church was restored by Bellero Constructions.
1994: The church was officially declared a heritage building.

Parish Priests

Here are some of the priests who have served at St Mary's Church:

1861–1875: Father Paul Tissot. He was the first resident priest.
1875–1878: Father Thomas O'Brien.
1879–1898: Father John O'Reilly.
1898–1922: Father Phillip Brady.
1922–1925: Father Patrick Brady (Phillip Brady's brother).
1926–1941: Dean John Francis McCarthy (later Monsignor McCarthy).
1941–1957: Father Martin Jordan. A grotto (shrine) was built in 1951 in memory of his nephew.
1957–1978: Father Robert Lyons (later Monsignor).
1978–1989: Father Guilford Lyons.
1989–2002: Father Harry Bliss.
2002–2005: Father Anthony Mellor.
2005–present: Father Paul Kelly.