The present city blocks were surveyed in June 1863 when the settlement consisted of several dozen huts and tents in a line along a track parallel to the southern bank of the river, and the first land sale was held at the police office, Bowen, on 13 October 1863.

Among the speculators was Edward Wyndham Tufnell, Bishop of the Church of England, Brisbane, who purchased six lots in the heart of town for £396.

[1] While early settlers in Mackay were cattlemen, it was soon realised that the soil, climate and rainfall were suitable for the growing of sugar-cane.

The building of the church at a time of depressed economic circumstances reflects a strong commitment by the congregation to their religious beliefs.

The first Trinity church was completed in 1871 of an English design with a steeply pitched roof covered with wood shingles.

The building had been in a dangerous state for some time past and, judging from the numerous cracks in the walls, and imperfect foundations, it is a wonder it has stood for so long.

[1] The second Holy Trinity Church was designed by the Queensland Colonial Architect, F D G Stanley, who supplied the plans free of charge.

The building was constructed of wood, and was of a Gothic design with a steeply pitched roof covered with shingles, sited on the southern side of the grounds and capable of holding a congregation of 500.

Lighting was by gas, with ornate brass standards, about seven feet tall, each surmounted by a cluster of three lamps representing the Trinity.

It suggests the style of a Spanish church with the addition of open verandahs to allow for the harsh northern climate.

The incumbent Rector, Canon Fortesque Leo Ash, arranged for a Warriors' Chapel as an integral part of the building in memory of those who had died in World War I.

During his long career as an architect Powell designed many prominent buildings, including St Martins Hospital and the Masonic Temple in Ann Street, Brisbane.

[1] In his design of the Holy Trinity Church, Powell used a blend of Romanesque, Spanish Mission and Mediterranean architectural styles, all popular during the inter-war period.

The massing and detailing of these two churches illustrates the use of Romanesque architecture which was popularised in America from the late nineteenth century by architect, Henry Hobson Richardson.

That the churches are rendered with smooth cast stucco suggests strongly an overriding Spanish Mission influence.

The Queensland Premier William Forgan Smith specifically travelled to Mackay for the opening of the parish hall on 4 September 1937.

The Mackay Daily Mercury reported on the 6 September 1937 at the laying of the foundation stone:[1]"the hope was that the hall would be the centre of culture for the city – physical culture, arts, drama and music – as well as providing rooms for smaller meetings for social, religious, and industrial purposes.

The hall would be used a great deal for Church purposes and also for other social occasions that were well run and for the benefit of the people.

"The church hall was officially opened by the Bishop of North Queensland, Dr John Feetham, 19 April 1938, at a mask and domino ball reported by the Mackay Daily Mercury as needing little extra in the way of decoration owing to the aesthetic surroundings, but the lighting effects and the outstanding artistry of the interior required nothing in the way of additional support to add to the pleasure of patrons.

Front elevation has decorative parapet including dentil course and raked arch motif below the eaves line and crucifix finial.

The residence is also rendered with white stucco and has a decorative front parapet, and a group of three round arch windows on the principal elevation.

[1] Holy Trinity Church Complex was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 29 April 2003 having satisfied the following criteria.

The Church is of particular architectural quality, with well composed interiors and detailing, and has special associations with the architect Lange Powell, in illustrating the breadth of this work.

[1] The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.