Paynter Dixon (PD) embraced the complexity of a highly confined worksite in a heritage building. With the Church remaining open to the public, our team worked at height via custom-made rigging. 

Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral is a church which attracts visitors from around the world. But for many years something was missing – the ringing of the Cathedral’s Angelus Bell.

The Archdiocese of Sydney turned to PD to get the bells ringing again. It was a complex job – the bell was still in place, but it needed a new support structure.

The bell tower was also a highly confined space, requiring engineering ingenuity to get materials to the worksite, with access via a 120-step tight staircase.

PD used a specialist chain block rigging and support system for heavier equipment. The bell tower floor had to be designed in a grid system, cut into pieces and then carried up the staircase.

All work also had to meet strict heritage regulations. Our team built the new frame for the bell, also installing a new striking mechanism attached to custom-built engineered brackets.

Remarkably, the project team worked to reinstall the bell while downstairs, the daily prayers and services continued.

Work was also completed after hours to minimise noise and disruption. Despite the challenges, the project was a success – the bell ringing out again over Hyde Park and the CBD.