• The restored and completed Cathedral consists of three sections
from three centuries: The western end from the original building
opened in 1865; the eastern end opened in 1930; and the new centre
which features 10 metre high glass windows behind a façade of precast
concrete columns, and which includes an underground development.
• The tower on the south-west corner is from 1865, repaired and restored.
• The tower on the north-west corner is new and contains stairs and
a lift from the underground section to the main floor and to the choir
loft. It is a heritage requirement that it does not exactly match the
original tower and spire.
• Many of the original floorboards have been recycled and relaid in the new Cathedral.
• Jarrah timber from the original pews has been converted into more
ergonomic and comfortable pews by Glen Holst, of Bridgetown.
• The arrangement of the altar and pews in the new central section
will accommodate more people and give all of them better sight and
sound contact with the altar and the choir.
• The organ and choir loft have been relocated from the southern
side of the 1930 building to their original location in the 1865
narthex section. The original Dodd organ was refurbished and enhanced
by a South Island Organ company in New Zealand before being reinstalled.
• An older and smaller Hobday pipe organ donated to the Cathedral was refurbished and installed in the chancel.
• The 1930 Hardmann stained glass windows were all retained, repaired and restored.
• The side chapels and altars (1930 section) have been restored to
their former glory, including the paintings that formed the backdrop to
the two on the northern side.
• The designer glasswork on the rear screen, the top of the curved
nave windows, the backdrop to the Stations of the Cross and the
Baptistery mural and font was created by Perth glass artist Peter
Bowles.
• The beautiful mosaic floors of the sanctuary and side chapels
which had been damaged by the 1968 Meckering earthquake were repaired
and restored.
• The 14 Stations of the Cross which depict the suffering and death of Jesus were sculpted by Perth man Gerry Darwin.
• A statue of St Joseph the Worker carved out of a single block of
jarrah and a portrait of Blessed Mary MacKillop were created by local
wood carver Mehdi Rasulle.
• A new front door facing Murray St on the theme ‘The Good Shepherd’
was designed and forged in iron on a backdrop of glass by Herne Hill
blacksmith Antonio Battistessa.
• The entirely new underground section incorporates a crypt for the
interment of past and future Archbishops and Bishops, a parish centre,
a choir practice room, meeting rooms, kitchens, toilets and parking to
boost the parking provided above ground.
• Construction began under the management of EMCO Building in
November 2006. It involved more than 600 skilled tradespeople,
suppliers, contractors and professionals working more than 200,000
manhours on site. This figure does not include the long hours spent by
architects, designers, engineers, manufacturers, supply companies,
artists and administration staff in support of this historic
undertaking.
• The work required movement of 8,000 cubic metres of earth; 6,000
tonnes of concrete; 175 tonnes of structural steel; 25 kilometres of
cabling; and more than 125,000 bricks, wall stones, cobblestones and
paving blocks.
• More than 4,600 plants and 3,000 metres of new lawn have restored
and renewed the peaceful garden setting of the Cathedral. The design of
the special schools memorial garden honouring the efforts of the
Catholic school communities in support of the Cathedral is based on the
arithmetical Fibonacci series.
• The forecourt incorporates an Aboriginal mosaic lane designed by
Laurel Nannup representing Christ the light of the world, and a water
feature representing the river of life flowing to the world.
• The full cost is $32.9 million which has been donated by
individuals, families, groups, schools, parishes, businesses and the
State and Federal Governments, all of whom wanted the project to go
ahead to give Perth a beautiful Cathedral on the highest feature at the
eastern end of the CBD.
