The Saint Mary MacKillop Museum Building: A Historical Overview
Constructed around 1880, the Saint Mary MacKillop Museum building is a timber weatherboard structure with a rich history. It replaced two earlier churches—one damaged by high winds and another destroyed by fire in 1877. The first recorded wedding in this church took place in 1881 between Sarah Grealy and Thomas Heffernan.
Originally referred to as "The Eden Catholic Church," the building was later named "St Mary’s Church" and eventually "Our Lady Star of the Sea," a title widely used from the mid-1880s. The timber for its construction was likely sourced locally, except for the Oregon pine floorboards, which were imported. Built on sturdy hardwood piers, the structure features mortised wall studs and hand-crafted timberwork, showcasing the labour-intensive methods of the era.
The church's corrugated iron roof, held in place by hand-driven nails, was complemented by galvanised guttering and earthenware drainage pipes. A memorable incident occurred when a painter fell off the roof during school hours, spilling red paint and alarming the children. Fortunately, no serious harm was done.
The southern end of the building originally housed a room for travelling priests, furnished simply with a bed, chest, washbasin, and kerosene lamp. In 1947, this section was raised to create an altar area, expanding capacity for worshippers.
A northern extension was added in 1912, featuring a confessional under the choir loft, which was accessed by narrow, winding steps. An organ, played for many years by Mrs Perks, was located upstairs. The choir loft underwent modifications in 1962 to add seating but was later restored to its original design during renovations in 2001.
A bell tower or "lantern" once adorned the northern roof, serving as a guiding light for the community. Removed in the 1940s, possibly due to wartime restrictions or timber deterioration, it was reinstated in 2020, restoring a key heritage feature.
The surrounding fence, initially made of hand-cut palings and later sawn pickets, had fallen into disrepair before being restored to its original design during the building’s extensive renovations.