Geraldton Diocese has launched a significant conservation initiative, focusing on the restoration and preservation of two of its most cherished heritage sites. Source: The Record.
The sites are the San Spirito Chapel in Utakarra and the Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church precinct in Mullewa.
The project, spearheaded by the Msgr Hawes Heritage Incorporated (MHHI), continues the legacy of architect-priest John Cyril Hawes, whose unique blend of arts and crafts and spirituality left an indelible mark on the Mid West region of Western Australia.
Designed in 1936 as a personal meditation on mortality, the San Spirito Chapel in Utkarra Cemetery features a modernist exterior juxtaposed with a Romanesque interior, complete with barrel vaults, mauve mourning stripes, and a stunning painted Rood of Christ flanked by Mary and the Apostle John.
Though fully funded by Msgr Hawes at the time of construction, the chapel now requires extensive conservation.
MHHI was recently placed on a reserve list for a State Heritage Council grant to support $181,000 in urgent external repairs.
Even if the funding is secured, 50 per cent of the cost must be locally sourced, with future internal works expected to cost significantly more.
Beyond its aesthetic value, the chapel is a spiritual landmark. It houses the reinterred remains of Archdeacon Adolphe Joseph Lecaille and features a commemorative plaque for Msgr Hawes himself, who is buried beneath his hermitage on Cat Island in the Bahamas.
The chapel’s distinctive features – including wrought ironwork by Wilfred Priestner and a ceiling mural by migrant Italian artist Dan Mazotti – underscore its cultural and artistic significance.
During the centenary celebration of the laying of the foundation stone at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church in Mullewa last September, concerns over the building’s deteriorating condition became impossible to ignore.
In response, MHHI launched the OLMC Precinct Project to develop a comprehensive conservation plan.
Initial works in 2024 saw the waterproofing and repainting of the church’s three domes and façade cappings, costing $37,000, partially funded by donations.
The next phase of the project will address rising damp issues, requiring drainage improvements and foundational repairs, estimated to cost around $1 million.
FULL STORY
Preserving sacred beauty: Geraldton Diocese embarks on major conservation works (By Jamie O’Brien, The Record)
