<P> The church of St Mary's by the Sea was built in 1914 and is associated with the early development of the Port Douglas district and the growth of the Catholic Church in North Queensland . It is one of the oldest buildings in Port Douglas and illustrates the built character of the town before modern redevelopment as a tourist resort . </P> <P> The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places . </P> <P> St Mary's is a good example of a modest church built to meet the needs of a small community in a remote area . Its simplicity, small scale and probable recycling of materials from its predecessor also illustrate the way in which many small communities of its era coped with the after effects of cyclones on towns with timber buildings . </P> <P> The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons . </P>

St mary star of the sea port douglas