Busselton church preservation complete

The latest renovations at St Mary’s Anglican Church have been completed, preserving the Busselton building for years to come.

Getting the damp under control has proven costly, involving laying trenches filled with blue metal and granite chips to draw out moisture from the walls.

St Mary’s warden and parish administrator John Morris said the project had been paid for by bequests and generous donations from parishioners.

“We were very concerned with the dampness having a serious effect on the future life and existence of the church,” he said.

“That’s why we’ve taken these steps in conjunction with the City and Heritage Council of WA, who have been enormously helpful.”

The flooring in the chapel was also replaced, with ducted air-conditioning installed underneath and a sound system for those who are hard of hearing.

The interior and exterior walls have been repainted, all the carpets have been replaced and a state-of-the-art audio-visual system has been installed.

Mr Morris said as the oldest stone church in WA, St Mary’s was worth preserving for the enjoyment of future generations.

“So many of the early settlers’ families are buried in the cemetery so it’s an important part of Busselton’s history,” he said.

“We get great feedback from tourists who enjoy wandering around its beautiful surrounds and will be endeavouring to raise more funds for more restoration work in the future.

“The church is open from early morning to evening and everyone is welcome to come and have a look at the work that’s been done.”

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