In 1989, then Diocesan Archivist Br Leo Ansell released the book “Stones That Speak”, which shares the history of St Patrick’s Cathedral through the lens of the early church and the episcopates of our first four bishops. In the late 1980s, the cathedral would have been glistening, still glowing from the renovations of the 1970s. Indeed, photos in the book show a beautiful, bright interior of warm cream walls, deep red carpet and polished marble. What is not visible in these photos is the damage already happening by some of the well-meaning restorations.
While St Patrick’s was always cared for through minor building maintenance, by the 1970s, significant work was required. Under the direction of Bishop William Brennan, Mons Patrick Doyle, Cathedral Administrator, commenced a consultation process to create a detailed scope of work. These works included restoration and protection of the building, modernising the lighting and sound system, and implementing Vatican II changes.
While the restoration works carried out were done with care and in consultation with experts at the time, some works would merely be bandaids in some instances and unfortunately even be a cause for further damage in others. When replacing the rusted galvanised roof, the decision was made to exclude dormers from the roof (a roofed structure that projects vertically from a roof and provides ventilation). While original plans show the dormers being replaced, the reality is they weren’t. Also, whilst cleaning the external walls, the decision was made to fill cracks and replace missing mortar with modern filler and seal the stone to protect it. These choices have meant that a building designed to “breathe” has been suffocated over time, trapping moisture in places it shouldn’t.
With St Patrick’s Cathedral gaining “heritage listing” status from the National Trust of Queensland on 25 March 1986, all restoration work must now pass a strict consultation process. All current work has been planned and carried out in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) to ensure it meets the building’s heritage listing status. While various efforts to kickstart restoration work have been initiated over the years, it would be a silver lining opportunity during the COVID lockdown that begins our current restoration journey.
The restoration work on St Patrick’s Cathedral began in earnest in 2020. Under the direction of Bishop Robert McGuckin, extensive work was carried out on the cathedral’s foundation where subfloor works were necessary to address building movement. These works included the installation of a root barrier along the tree line to the west of the cathedral to prevent tree roots from drying out the soil beneath the structure. An irrigation and monitoring system has also been implemented to maintain soil moisture levels and prevent further movement due to dry soils.
The restoration work continues under the guidance of Bishop Ken Howell, with the exterior of the building being the current focus of the project. In recent weeks, anyone passing the cathedral would have seen workers diligently cleaning the stonework and repairing the roof. The cleaning involves removing dirt, mould, and old sealant from the external bluestone and sandstone using a steam cleaning method to ensure no damage to the stonework. Additionally, the project includes pointing repairs with a lime-based mortar similar to the original, reinstating dormers to restore roof ventilation and repairing and painting the roof to reinstate its galvanised appearance.
Some 50 years after the major works of the 1970s, the stones of St Patrick’s Cathedral are speaking again. The stones tell the story of past builders’ skills, the generosity of the faithful and the dedication of decades of parishioners and clergy who have graced its doors. The work carried out now will add to the cathedral’s story the skill of today’s artisans and tradespeople.