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Stunning views over the Coral Sea

“As a heritage listed building it provides a place for the community and tourists to come together and
appreciate the history and beauty it holds. After meeting these women it surely restores one’s faith in the
value and strength of community, and what can be achieved when people rally together.”

It’s success, alongside the Sheraton Mirage’s Inaugural Ball on 24 November St Mary’s is now host to many weddings a year and is reportedly one of the most
1988 organised by two local women who donated all proceeds to the Society, photographed places in Port Douglas. It is generously open daily for visitors
gave the church the funds they needed for its restoration. and locals who are able to sit inside, take in it’s history and enjoy it’s beautiful
Most local business donated what they could with the local hardware store location and outlook.
providing all and any nails that would be needed. Alongside scaffolding, Due to the work of Judi and Virginia and the Restoration Society, St Mary’s
timber, glass and labour, the Restoration Society also received a phone call from is one of Port Douglas’s most iconic landmarks. As a heritage listed building
a local Kuranda man who was a retired stained-glass maker. He mentioned that it provides a place for the community and tourists to come together and
he had been married in St Mary’s, and christened his son there so he wished to appreciate the history and beauty it holds. After meeting these women it surely
offer his time to restore the church stained-glass windows – a testament to how restores one’s faith in the value and strength of community, and what can be
much the church meant to people on a personal level. achieved when people rally together.
Over the next two years the Restoration Society began to reshape and restore Judi remarks that for her she has “an emotional attachment” to St Mary’s and
St Mary’s. Replacing the corrugated iron wall is the now breathtaking glass that “when you enter the church you feel something.” Port Douglas is that
window that looks out onto the Coral Sea and Mount Thornton. The original much richer because a group of ladies decided to fight for what Virginia rightly
altar and statues are intact and have been beautifully restored, and the pews are calls “a very, very special little church.”
decorated with small plaques as an acknowledgment to major donors.
After years of tireless work St Mary’s was reopened on 11 November 1989 and
the clergy from all the churches attended alongside the community to celebrate
the amazing efforts of all who pulled together to save an important piece of portdouglasrestorations.com
history.