Bishop's House, Cairns

Bishop's House is a two-story building on Abbott Street designed with wide verandahs, heavy cornices, and balustrades in reinforced concrete to handle the tropical climate. The structure displays 1930s architectural features adapted to serve as a residence for the local Catholic bishop with integrated office areas.

Father Joseph Phelan designed this building in 1930 to replace an earlier timber presbytery from 1887. The new construction established a permanent Catholic presence in Far North Queensland with more durable facilities.

This building stands next to St. Monica's Old Cathedral as part of a religious complex that shaped how the Catholic Church developed in Cairns. Visitors can see how the place reflects the spiritual life that remained important to the local community.

The building is located in central Cairns and can be viewed from the street, making it easy to find and photograph. Since it serves as an active residence and office space, visitors should check ahead about access to interior areas before planning a visit.

This building survived multiple tropical cyclones thanks to its reinforced concrete construction, showing how architects planned ahead for extreme weather in the 1930s. The building method they chose proved to be both practical and ahead of its time.

Location: Queensland

GPS coordinates: -16.91680,145.77240

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:21