1. CATHEDRAL

The Cathedral is surrounded by a high fence which precludes entry into the building. Major concerns for safety were centred on the West (front) wall, but we see here that repair work on this wall has been completed – at least to the exterior. The fine lines and detailing of the Cathedral are evident in this view. The large West window with its crowning star must have been spectacular.     INDEX

2. NORTH WALL

This view of the North wall shows most of the exterior architectural features of the Cathedral. To the right is the West porch with its Gothic arches. The covered North nave aisle is evident here too, with its lower roofline. Then at left we see the small Northeastern transept with its rose window – visible from the inside?   

3. SOUTH WALL

In structure, the South wall is a reflection of the North wall, apart from the transept. The lower windows are separated by supporting buttresses: interestingly these are not continued beyond the lower roof line – at least on the exterior.

4. BELL TOWER

The 1946 bell tower appears to be standing strong at the rear of the Cathedral. I am unsure about the cream painted finish, but the roof, windows and buttresses have all been designed to match the Cathedral architecture.

5. NAVE AND ORGAN

I could find very little in the way of interior views of this Cathedral. This view of the nave looks to the organ pipes mounted above the West doors. The doors are open, and we can see the outline of the West window above the pipes. We can also just see the hammer-beam construction of the nave roof. [Cathedral Photo]

The first organ in the new church, built by Joshua Porritt of Leicester, was intended to arrive in time for the opening of the building in 1883. It was involved in a shipwreck! The instrument was comprehensively rebuilt in 1933. The present organ was built in 1965 by J.W. Walker & Sons Ltd., Ruislip, UK, and installed in the Cathedral in 1966. This organ has become inaccessible since the closure of the Cathedral in 2017.

6. NAVE

This view of the nave shows something of the Cathedral’s former glory, especially the hammer-beam roof. We notice the apse, the side aisles, and the many stained glass windows. [Cathedral Photo]

7. SERVICE

This is a night view of the interior of the Cathedral in 2014. The occasion was the consecration and enthronement of David Richardson as Bishop on 3 September 2014, the first Bishop of Rockhampton to be consecrated in the city’s Cathedral. [Cathedral Photo]

8. STRENGTHENING THE WEST WALL

Work took place in 2019 to strengthen the West wall. Serious problems began for the Cathedral when its roof was badly damaged by severe Tropical Cyclone Marcia in 2015. [Cathedral Photo]    

9. BUILDING WORKS

The Cathedral was reopened in late 2016, but closed again in early 2017. Causes of the present structural unsoundness of the Cathedral are not exactly known, but it is thought that instability of the underlying soil, and inadequate foundations are mainly to blame. [Cathedral Photo]

10. ENTRY REPAIRS

The West wall now appears to have been stabilized, but much more work is required to make the Cathedral safe, and as always with cathedrals, expense is an issue. [Cathedral Photo]