Trinity Heritage Mackay

01/06/2026

💔😔😩🥺😢😭SENTIMENTAL ATTACHMENT is making YOU LESS HAPPY about the SALE of CHURCH BUILDINGS - so says THE BISHOP. 😟😟😕🙁☹️💔

Bishop Keith Joseph has said that "some people are less happy" about the sale of their church buildings "because of sentimental attachment" and "(he) gets that". Yet he still moves ahead with the restructure (now called "the current court-supervised renewal process"!) Maybe credit for this terminology should go to the PR firm, Rowlands, appointed by the receivers, likely to make everything seem not as bad as it actually is, and perhaps to pretend that the Bishop and Diocesan Executive are at arm's length from what is happening.

The facts are:

1. The Bishop said that the NQ Anglican Diocese, the organisation that he has managed for many years, was UNABLE to pay its redress scheme debts;
2. The Bishop APPLIED TO the court to appoint a receiver to apparently sort out the payment of those debts;
3. SV Partners were appointed as receivers;
4. The receivers indicated that the NQ Anglican Diocese WAS NOT and IS NOT insolvent - this should mean that the Diocese was ABLE to pay its debts!!;
5. The receivers advised that they needed to RESTRUCTURE - to pay the debts, to restructure for future and we assume to ensure that they, and the PR company Rowlands, are paid all their fees for all their advice;
6. The receiver said that 32 to 38 of the 56 NQ Anglican church properties will be sold. If 32 are sold, only 24 remain. If 38 are sold, only 18 remain.

Now we hear talk about seven (7) church clusters in the NQ Anglican Diocese - what does this mean - that there will only be seven (7) churches??? The Cairns Post reported that a spokesperson for the NQ Anglican Diocese said that the Diocese is committed to "worship opportunities" (note - not churches) - what does this mean? - internet church services??? - hiring space in your local community hall??? How does this work for baptisms, weddings and funerals??? Sorry, let's not get sentimental!!!

Just where is this restructure, sorry let's use the correct wording, current court-supervised renewal process, going to end AND what is the Bishop's legacy really going to be ...???

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Imaged sourced from The Cairns Post.

28/05/2026

💎📝HELP SAVE THE HISTORY OF HERBERTON HOLY TRINITY CHURCH 📝💎 We thank Isobel for her efforts to collect and record the history of one of the many church buildings being sold by SV Partners, the receivers of the NQ Anglican Diocese, to fund the Diocesan restructure, and no doubt, we assume, to likely pay the receiver's bills and those of their PR agency, Rowlands. It is worth reiterating that the receiver was appointed at the request of the current Bishop, and that the receiver has stated that the diocese was not insolvent. Beyond the historical connections that Isobel is keen to document, it is also worth remembering that these church buildings exist thanks to the hard work, consistent efforts and donations of their communities over generations. It seems incredible that the management of the NQ Anglican Diocese appears to have so little regard for the history of the establishment that they "caretake" and the work and commitment of their church supporters over the years.

🎯If you want to HELP SAVE OUR MACKAY HERITAGE
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13/05/2026

JUST ONE of the many NQ CHURCH BUILDINGS to be SOLD by the RECEIVER of the ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF NORTH QUEENSLAND as part of their "RESTRUCTURE"!

The ABC reported on 19 May, 2025 that the NQ Anglican Bishop said "It's not just a matter of flogging everything off" and "We want to keep the churches where there's a living congregation." We now know that the receiver, who was appointed "to have as little impact as possible on the church's congregations" plans to sell 32 to 38 of the 56 NQ Anglican Church Buildings.

See how active this Church was at https://www.facebook.com/StLukesCairns/

ABC article, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-25/north-queensland-anglican-diocese-enters-receivership/105684732

🎯If you want to HELP SAVE OUR MACKAY HERITAGE
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📍WRITE to us at PO Box 804, Mackay, QLD, 4740. See less

30/04/2026

💜💜OUT WITH THE OLD✝️ IN WITH THE NEW 💰🤩… Will the Trinity Heritage Precinct be sold to fund the receiver’s restructuring of the NQ Anglican Diocese❔

◻️WHY IS THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF NQ IN RECEIVERSHIP❔

Because the Bishop of the NQ Anglican Diocese made an application to the Supreme Court of Queensland asking for receivers to be appointed. ABC News reported on 19 May 2025 that the Anglican Diocese of North Queensland was “on the brink of financial collapse as it struggles to pay millions of dollars in compensation to victims of … abuse”.

Let’s be clear: we absolutely agree that the Diocese should fulfil its legal responsibilities and compensate its victims.

◻️WHAT IS THE COMPENSATION DEBT THAT APPARENTLY PROMPTED THE APPOINTMENT OF THE RECEIVERS❔

Over time, the Bishop has indicated that the debt is $6M, then $8M, or perhaps $5.6M, or maybe $8M to $15M.

The Supreme Court of Queensland approved the application to place The Corporation of the Diocesan Synod of North Queensland into receivership on Friday, 21 August, 2025. SV Partners were appointed as the receivers and managers, and we believe that they now legally control all the assets of the NQ Anglican Diocese.

◻️WAS THE CORPORATION OF THE DIOCESAN SYNOD OF NORTH QUEENSLAND INSOLVENT❔

Interestingly, SV Partners has said that The Corporation of the Diocesan Synod of North Queensland IS NOT, and indeed WAS NOT, insolvent.

◻️SO EXACTLY WHY IS THE RECEIVER PROPOSING TO SELL 32 TO 38 OF THE 56 NQ ANGLICAN CHURCH BUILDINGS❔

Simply put, to restructure! The receiver has said that the future of the Diocese depends on reallocating resources to support future growth and that the sale of these properties will reduce holding and operating costs, with the proceeds used to build for the future.

◻️SO WHAT’S THE FUTURE FOR MACKAY❔

We hear there are plans to acquire a site and develop a new Anglican church within 2 years in the Mackay Northern Beaches area. Apparently, this is where the majority of Anglicans reside.

◻️HAVE THE COMPENSATION DEBTS BEEN PAID❔

We don’t know, and nor should we. Still, we would expect that if new developments in the Northern Beaches area of Mackay, and perhaps elsewhere, can be considered, then the compensation debts should be paid in full, particularly as we believe the payment of compensation debts was used as the justification for the receivership application (and the sale of church buildings) and also because the Corporation of the Diocesan Synod of North Queensland was not insolvent and clearly likely have had sufficient funds to pay the receiver’s costs, which we would expect to be substantial.

◻️SO WHAT ABOUT THE TRINITY HERITAGE PRECINCT? WILL IT BE SOLD❔

We do not know. Maybe the sale of the Trinity Heritage Precinct and other properties will fund the proposed Anglican development in the Mackay Northern Beaches area …❔❔❔

🎯If you want to HELP SAVE OUR MACKAY HERITAGE
📍FOLLOW us at Trinity Heritage Mackay
📍EMAIL us at [email protected]; or
📍WRITE to us at PO Box 804, Mackay, QLD, 4740.

25/03/2026

💙❤️👁️I SPY WITH my little eye ... the Trinity Heritage Precinct through the arched window of the Civic Cinema ... a view that has changed little since the 1940s.❤️💙

🎯If you want to HELP SAVE OUR MACKAY HERITAGE
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14/03/2026

🎭💛💙DRAMATIC PERFORMANCES BY MACKAY COMMUNITY FUND FIRST HOLY TRINITY CHURCH💙💛🎭 In 1870, 156 years ago and two years after this picture of early Mackay was taken, crown land was purchased from the Territory of Queensland for £12 5s to accommodate an English (Anglican) Church. Fundraising for the church construction began earlier, in 1867, with amateur dramatic performances by local townspeople who rehearsed at Kemmis & Bovey’s Woolstore. Acts included “The Bride of Abydos"🥲🎭, written by Lord Byron in 1815 and “Box and Cox”, a one-act farce 😂🎭 by John Maddison Morton, first performed in London in 1847, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhiT3-Yrrno.

The first Holy Trinity Church was erected on the site during 1870/71 by Mr Phil Wheelan, with sureties provided by Mr P. McKenney (storekeeper in Sydney Street) and Mr John Duffy (baker and storekeeper in Sydney Street), both apparently followers of the Catholic rather than the Anglican faith. However, in 1878, after a week of continuous heavy rain, the eastern gable of the Church, which was already in poor condition, collapsed. A second Holy Trinity Church was erected in 1880.

🎯If you want to HELP SAVE OUR MACKAY HERITAGE
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02/03/2026

🕵️‍♀️ WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY ? 🧔‍♂️👳‍♂️👩🏾‍🦳👩‍🦱🧔🏻‍♀️👨🏾‍🦱👱🏽‍♀️👩🏻 GO SEE THE Genealogical Society of Mackay

01/03/2026

🗝️🤍WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MACKAY'S HISTORY ... CONSIDER THIS...🤍🗝️

Coming Up This Week ......

The next Mackay Historical Society, Open Monthly Meeting will be held this Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 2pm onwards.

The Meeting will be held at the Mackay Historical Society, Research Centre at 4 Casey Avenue, South Mackay.

Those wishing to join or would like to find out more about the Historical Society are welcome to attend this Saturday's meeting.

This Saturday's Mackay Historical Society Open Monthly Meeting will be the first meeting for 2026.

01/03/2026

A LUCKY LITTLE CHURCH - let's make sure the Trinity Heritage Precinct is lucky too!!

01/03/2026

💙🩵💨MACKAY'S HISTORY 💎 IS VANISHING💙🩵💨 Three cottages built in 1927 remain on Pine Islet but are soon to be demolished; see https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-22/lighthouse-keepers-cottages-on-pine-islet-to-be-demolished/106368846

If you are interested in knowing more about the Pine Islet Lighthouse or helping with its restoration to become the only operational kerosene-powered lighthouse in the world, see https://www.facebook.com/pilighthouse

Image sourced from Mackay Regional Libraries, circa 1910 - 1920. "Adults and children on the verandah of the Lighthouse keeper's residence at Pine Islet. Pine Islet is situated 65 nautical miles south-east of Mackay in the Broadsound Channel of the Percy Islands. Pine Islet was named by Captain Matthew Flinders on his voyage in the Investigator in 1802. Captain Flinders had anchored at West Beach on Middle Percy Island for water and named the Percy Islands after the Duke of Northumberland. Pine Islet was named because of the Hoop pines on the island. The first proposal put forward for a lighthouse in the Pine Islet was made in the Report of the Portmaster, Queensland on 26th July, 1881. Another proposal for a Pine Islet Lighthouse was in the Report of the Portmaster on 18th August, 1882, but it was not until 17th May that tenders were called for construction. On July 18th, 1885 the lighthouse and keepers residence were completed." (Information taken from: J. Norman, Pine Islet Lighthouse, 1988).

🎯If you want to HELP SAVE OUR MACKAY HERITAGE
📍FOLLOW us Trinity Heritage Mackay
📍EMAIL us at [email protected]; or
📍WRITE to us at PO Box 804, Mackay, QLD, 4740.