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St Mary's Catholic Cathedral & Organ

Location

Foster Street,, SALE VIC 3850 - Property No B5786

File Number

B5786

Level

Regional

Statement of Significance

Church Statement of Significance: This cathedral church, built in 1886-7 to the design of Barker and Henderson, is notable for the broad polygonal plaster-vaulted apse which, together with the side chapel, is elaborately pained and decorated. The interior also includes marble fittings with mosaic panels, stained glass windows and an anonymous pipe organ in the rear gallery. Originally of brick with decorated Gothic window tracery of Waurn Ponds stone, the church is now cement faced. The first Bishop of Sale, Dr James Corbett, was appointed to the see in 1857, having previously been parish priest of St Mary's, East St Kilda, where he was closely associated with the architect William Wardell.
Church Classified: 09/03/1989.

Organ Statement of Significance: A two-manual organ, originally of nine speaking stops, of unknown provenance, almost certainly by a local builder, and dating from the latter years of last century, the nucleus consisting of a small single-manual organ of four ranks. The instrument retains its original action, console, wind system and pipework, although with the addition of five ranks and a new great windchest during the restoration completed by S J Laurie in 1993. It incorporates a distinctive twin-tower painted case with stencilled facade pipes, restored in 1993. It is one of three historic instruments to be found in Gippsland.
Organ Classified: 19/08/1992

Group