Open for Eternity

The building that gave inspiration to Arthur Stace’s famous message ‘Eternity’ is opening its doors today (July 26) to celebrate the completion of its first stage of restoration.

The historic Burton Street Tabernacle in Darlinghurst, which was built as a Baptist Church in 1887, fell into disrepair in the late 1990s before it was acquired by the City of Sydney in 2004.

Stage one included waterproofing the roof and replacing it with traditional Welsh slate to maintain its historical appearance; the installation of copper guttering; the restoration of stained glass windows and light-well prisms on Palmer Street; the mouldings on the outer facade were restored and traditional tuck pointing (including the replacing mortar) was used to replicate the original finish; the original timber ceiling featuring intricate patterns were restored after being discovered behind internal plaster boards.

The final two stages, which are expected to be completed by 2010, involves the the upgrade of plumbing, internal finishes, and redesigning the inside of the Tabernacle as a community cultural space and theatre.

The site will be open to the public between 11am and 1pm on Saturday July 26.