Government buys Stanley’s Anglican Church securing museum’s future

The sale of Stanley’s Anglican Church to the government means the historic structure and the town’s museum precinct will be preserved.

THE Stanley community is celebrating news the Tasmanian Government is buying its Anglican Church in a deal which will not only save the structure but allow the historic tourist town’s museum to expand.

St Paul’s was one of the many properties the Anglican Church put on the market to raise money to fund its Redress commitment to compensate the survivors of child sexual abuse.

The community feared it would be sold and become private property meaning volunteers would need to move its historical artefacts and displays out of the church hall which is on the same title.

The government announced on Thursday it would pay $650,000 for the weatherboard church – built in 1887 – and the hall and renovate both buildings.

Breaking News Breaking News The Stanley Museum and St Paul's Anglican Church

Stanley Discovery Museum president Sue Smedley said the decision was a “Godsend” for the future of the museum.

“We put in a submission hoping something would come out of it and this is the best outcome we could have hoped for as a community. Things looked very uncertain when the property went on the market and we were worried the museum would not have a home.”

The state government’s Budget also included an extra $300,000 to support the work of the National Trust Tasmania, effectively doubling its support, so the Trust can continue to manage its portfolio of properties and undertake strategic business transformation activities.

“We are also investing in our heritage sites across the State, with the Budget including:

$600,000 over four years for the West Coast Heritage Centre at Zeehan to continue to manage and maintain its unique collection of mining heritage that helped build Tasmania,” Heritage Minister Roger Jaensch said.

Breaking News Breaking News The interior of St Paul's Anglican church at Stanley

The Currie Lighthouse on King Island, one of its main tourist drawcards, will also get a $250,000 spruce up and $100,000 will go towards the final stage of interpretative signage at Highfield Historic Site at Stanley.

The government has also put aside $6.8 million for Stage the of the Maria Island Re-Discovered project, which includes heritage building upgrades and revitalisation of the Darlington precinct and $2m to support the Don River Railway, museum and workshops at Don.

“We have also finalised the $1.25 million funding agreement for the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA) to lead the development of a convict memorial hub at the Hobart Penitentiary Chapel,” Mr Jaesnch said.