St George's Cathedral, Perth
St George's Cathedral is the principal Anglican church in the city of Perth, Western Australia and the mother-church of the Anglican Diocese of Perth. It is located in St George's Terrace in the centre of the city.
Built in 1888 the cathedral replaced an earlier building immediately to the north-east of the present one. The cathedral is described as Gothic Revival and is made from local handmade clay bricks from Queen's Gardens and Victorian blue stone pillars on footings of Fremantle limestone. It was designed by Sydney architect Edmund Blacket. The site is near to the location of the "Rush Church" - the first church built in Perth, by Frederick Irwin, in December 1829 a few months after the city was founded.
Its castellated bell tower was damaged in the 1968 Meckering earthquake. In 2005-2008 the cathedral was extensively restored with the tile roof replaced by slates as originally built. Earthquake protection was added to two walls to provide bracing and much other work was undertaken. Plans are currently underway to restore and develop other buildings in the complex, including the Burt Hall and the 1859 Deanery building, which adjoins the cathedral, on the corner of Pier Street.
St George's Cathedral has become noted for its innovative and controversial theological teaching, popular preaching, commitment to inter-faith worship and music. Its Cathedral Education Centre is unique to Australia.
Dean
The Very Reverend Dr John Harley Shepherd has been the Dean of the cathedral since 1990. Shepherd holds degrees in arts (history and philosophy), and theology from the University of Melbourne, where he studied at Trinity College, and a degree of Master of Sacred Music from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.
At St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he was the John Stewart of Rannoch Scholar, he completed a PhD on the relationship between the theology and music of the English Reformation and, as Chaplain of Christ Church, Oxford from 1980-88, taught Reformation theology and Renaissance music history.
From 1988-90, Dr Shepherd was Chaplain at the University of Western Australia, where he also taught in the faculty of music.
Dr Shepherd is married to Joy Shepherd, Principal of St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls. They have three children.
Further reading
- Evenson, Lilian M. (1977) A short history and guide to Saint George's cathedral Perth: Cathedral Chapter. (Based on a guide book prepared in 1950).
External links