Page 28 - Port Douglas Magazine 36

“Those Ladies”
Virginia Donavan
& Judy Piat

Moving the church

“Over the next two years the Restoration Society began to reshape and restore St Mary’s.
Replacing the corrugated iron wall is the now breathtaking glass window that looks out
onto the Coral Sea and Mount Thornton.”

Virginia recalls that Port Douglas was going through significant change and After two years of lobbying council they were offered the current site at the
developers were beginning to purchase land at a rapid pace, so rapid that the waterfront provided rate payers would not be responsible for the upkeep and
Anglican Church that once resided on the corner of Macrossan and Wharf maintenance. Thus the “Save the Church Group” became “The Port Douglas
Streets was torn down overnight without any consultation with the wider Restoration Society,” a not for frofit organisation created to save St Mary’s.
community. Virginia and Judi were not about to let that happen to their Now that the Restoration Society had their site, the greater challenge of how
beloved St Mary’s Church, and thus the “Save the Church Group” was formed. to remove and replace the deteriorated church became apparent. The issue of
They approached the Catholic Church which, in support of their cause, powerlines and space were a major consideration and the Restoration Society
wrote to Virginia and Judi stating that the “Roman Catholic Church Trust received advice that the cost of raising powerlines would be more than $10,000
corporation for the Diocese of Cairns [was] prepared to the give the church – the total amount that the society had raised at that time.
building to Virginia and Judi on behalf of themselves and the members of the Not wanting to spend all their funds on the removal alone, Virginia recalls that
Save the Church Group with a provision that once the church was restored it one local builder had a solution. He proposed that they would just take the
would be run as a non-dominational chapel.” roof off the church and transport it in parts, and that he and his boys would
The deed required that the church be available to all community members be happy to do it for a few cartons of beer. So, the church was moved on 2
for weddings, baptisms and special occasions. With the church now officially November 1988 in two parts.
in their hands, Virginia and Judi, along with four or five other local women, Judi recalls how her husband Michel Piat asked the removalists to reposition
now had the mammoth task of finding a suitable location and funding for its it again to ensure that the window Judi had envisioned at the back of the
removal and restoration. building, lined up exactly with the panoramic view of Mount Thornton – a
Over the next couple of years, the “Save the Church Group” (or “Those Ladies” prospect the removalists weren’t too happy with, but luckily Michel got his way.
as they were beginning to be known as around town) lobbied and rallied to find Much of the community came out to witness its relocation and the true
a suitable location to relocate St Mary’s. community spirit of Port Douglas became apparent to the Restoration Society
Several grant applications were unsuccessful and so it was left to the as they started to campaign for funds. The support of locals and visitors was
community and the Save the Church Group to come up with a solution. The overwhelming.
community was strongly supportive of the project and people offered up their One of the major fund-raising events organized by the Restoration Society was
own land as possible sites. However Virginia and Judi knew the importance of the Bally Hooley Jazz Night and BBQ at Drumsara on 19 November 1988
St Mary’s remaining in the town’s historical precinct, and their foresight and where 250 guests boarded the Bally Hooley train as a jazz band played live on
determination finally paid off. board all the way to Mossman.

30 Port Douglas Travel Planner