St Mary’s Hostel

We are expanding social housing stock and safeguarding a sacred site in Alice Springs through the recent acquisition of St Mary's Hostel.

There are no immediate plans for redevelopment of the site however, we will ensure any future development honours the historical and cultural importance of the site and the chapel.

Statement of Intent

This is a Statement of Intent - between the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities and the Anglican Diocese of the Northern Territory - to ensure the preservation of, and future access to, the St Mary's Hostel chapel located at 311 Stuart Highway

The two parties are aware of the local interest in the future of the chapel and the desire for the community to have ongoing access to the chapel.

We share a determination to honour the request of former residents of the Hostel, including stolen generations survivors, who wish for the chapel to be preserved.

We are committed to maintaining the chapel as a focal point for the community.

We are committed to providing reasonable access to the chapel, by negotiation, for the purposes of healing and cultural, religious and community events.

This statement of intent is intended to be a show of good will to the community who have an interest in 311 Stuart Highway, that their wishes for the chapel have been heard.

Accordingly, we commit:

• to ensure that the Northern Territory Government services provided at 311 Stuart Highway will not impact the built environment of the chapel, nor impede reasonable access.
• the Anglican Diocese commits the allocation of up to 10 per cent of tbe sale amount to memorialising the legacy of the St Mary's site, in collaboration with former residents; this could include supporting and preserving the history of the chapel.
• to a rigorous and robust process, including a community voice, to support the current Heritage process looking at declaring the St Mary's Hostel chapel as a Heritage Place.
• to working closely with the St Mary's Stolen Generation Group about future development of 311 Stuart Highway.

Download Statement of Intent - St Mary’s Hostel Chapel PDF (204.0 KB)