Designed by Edmund Blacket, with a 'Decorated gothic style' it set the precedent for many parish churches throughout New South Wales. The former Anglican Church is also significant, with Reverend Francis Bertie Boyce residing over the parish from 1886 until his retirement in 1930. He was an active leader in social reform, campaigning to clear slums, promoting pensions, and improving living conditions within the Redfern/Chippendale parish.
It is positioned in a prominent site, now beside the main railway line, built in the Colonial Decorated Gothic style, of sandstone construction, with slate covered timber roof. It has a square tower, surmounted by an octagonal turret, with a nave, two wide aisles, chancel, two vestries and two porches. The form is similar to the St Barnabas' Church of Homerton, England; designed by Arthur Ashpitel.
Sadly with the building of the railway line the attached school was demolished in 1854, then the rectory in 1864, and the government resumed more acres of land in 1911 to widen the adjacent rail tunnel.
It was sold to the Greek Orthodox Church in ~1970, becoming their Cathedral. [information from State archive: (
visit link) ]
An engraved brass plaque, screwed to the sandstone wall reads:
'Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
'Cathedral "The Annunciation of Our Lady"
'Built between 1847 - 1875
'The Cathedral formerly St. Paul's Anglican Church
was designed by Edmund Thomas Blacket
in a 14th Century decorated style of Kentish origin.
'Restoration of this building was
made possible by a grant from the
N.S.W. Bicentennial Council and by
donations of the Faithful.
'Officially opened on the 11th of September 1988.
'by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia
'In the presence of the Honourable Nick Greiner
M.P. Premier of N.S.W.'
Visited: 1050, Wednesday, 10 July, 2019