St Mary Star of the Sea, Newcastle

St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church is located on the hill overlooking Newcastle Harbour. In February 1864, assisted by Fr Cusse, Archbishop Polding of Sydney laid the foundation stone for St Mary Star of the Sea Church. This beautiful Victorian inspired sandstone church was completed and opened on St Patrick’s Day in 1866 by Vicar General Rev Sheehy of Sydney.

St Mary’s had been remodelled in 1933 when many of its internal features were altered. Work commenced in 1999 to restore the church to its former glory, under the watchful eye of the National Trust of Australia (NSW). Finding significant structural damage, St Mary’s was closed from July 2002. St Mary’s opened for weddings in November 2006. The restored church was officially reopened and blessed on St Patrick’s Day 2007, 141 years after its original opening. In 2015 further restoration work began to ensure the stability and beauty of St Mary’s for the future.