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A New Cathedral for Sydney

April 2026

A New Cathedral for Sydney

Níall McLaughlin Architects has been appointed to design a new Catholic Cathedral in Sydney’s Waitara suburb, as the centrepiece of a new spiritual, civic and cultural precinct for the Diocese of Broken Bay, in New South Wales.

The Cathedral Precinct Project will establish an integrated centre of Catholic life in the region and is poised to become a distinctive local landmark and a spiritual focal point for the parishes of the Northern Beaches, Central Coast, and North Shore.

Key to the project vision is the creation of a lifelong journey for congregants: from Baptism through to early learning, primary, and secondary education – ensuring the Cathedral is a living centre that serves all ages of its community. 

The design highlights responsible, sustainable materials that complement the natural setting, in keeping with Pope Francis’s call to care for our common home.

Generous public spaces will embed the site within the neighbourhood and welcome the community – creating a place that prioritises people and permeability.  

The international competition was organised by the diocese and led by the Archbishop Anthony Randazzo DD JCL, for the Hornsby Cathedral Parish community and the entire Diocese of Broken Bay. 

 

The SAHGB Annual Lecture

February 2025

The SAHGB Annual Lecture

On the 13th March Níall will be talking at The Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain as part of their annual lecture. the evening will be looking at "how can architects and architectural historians, between tasks of being chroniclers, designers, analysts, constructors and commentators, find ways to collaboratively rethink heritage and conservation practices while addressing challenges brought on by these large-scale changes and implications in buildings, resources, energies, policies, laws and environments?"

Tickets can be purcahsed here.