Diocesan Project Manager, Alastair Greenall, said, “Sacred Heart Cathedral is a magnificent building in the heart of Bendigo. It requires constant upkeep, and we are happy to have completed the preservation of this section of slate roofing.”

The work on the roof above the aisles took 7 weeks to complete.

 Bendigo slater Paul Monro, who completed the works, thoroughly enjoyed the job.  In line with principles of the International Council on Monuments and Sites Australia’s Burra Charter, he and his team gave the roof above the aisles a complete restoration by repairing as much of the roof as possible and replacing what could not be repaired with new, but the same or similar materials.   

 Every slate tile was removed and battens were replaced with new baltic pine battens.  A new roof sarking was laid to ensure the roof remains watertight and traditional copper flashing was installed.  Each Welsh blue slate tile was cleaned and replaced using copper nails.   

Paul Monro is one of a small handful of slaters in Victoria.  He has worked on the roofs of many culturally significant heritage buildings, including the Bendigo Town Hall, the Capital Theatre, St Kilian’s Presbytery and, most recently, Mackenzie Quarters, formerly the All Saints School Room and Master’s Residence.  This was Paul’s first time working on Sacred Heart Cathedral and he was thrilled. “It’s a great job to do,” he said. “I love everything about it.”  
 
Paul Monro was assisted by two of his protégés. Now in his 50s, he says he is pleased to have a crew of passionate younger people to whom he can pass on the skills and expertise necessary to help conserve Victoria’s built cultural heritage. 

Sacred Heart Cathedral has become a symbol of Bendigo. It is a magnificent landmark towering across the regional city’s skyline by day and by night.   It is listed with Heritage Victoria for its “architectural, historic and aesthetic importance to the State of Victoria” and, of course, holds great spiritual significance for Catholics in the Diocese of Sandhurst. 

It is often said that a Cathedral takes 500 years to build and the next 1000 years to maintain.  Sacred Heart Cathedral took 81 years to build, a short amount of time compared to the Ulm Münster in Germany, which took over 500 years, or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg in France which, after 250 years, is still missing its south tower.   

The Cathedral closely follows the authentic Decorated Gothic style design of architect William Tappin, who won Bishop Martin Cranes’ Cathedral design competition in 1885. The foundation stone was laid in 1896 and construction continued for only ten years due to a lack of funding. In 1954, works recommenced and the Cathedral was completed in 1977.

The work on the roof above the aisles is part of a long-term strategic maintenance plan for Sacred Heart Cathedral which will be funded by the Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst.  The Diocese is committed to the continual sympathetic conservation of its most iconic and spiritually significant building.  Cathedral Administrator, Very Rev. Dr Brian Boyle EV, said he welcomed this work.  “As the third largest gothic cathedral in Australia and the largest in regional Australia, it is important to constantly maintain the fabric of the building so that its aesthetic and spiritual value may be preserved for generations to come,” he said.