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Australia’s most unique public toilet is dubbed the Cistern Chapel

Joanne Karcz Joanne Karcz
Visitors are busting to tour the toilets at Maryborough’s Town Hall, cheekily dubbed the Cistern Chapel.

If you’re anything like me, you avoid public toilets. That’s not the case with Maryborough’s Cistern Chapel. People flock to use the facility and as Nancy Bates says, “Almost everyone leaves here with a smile on their face."

How did this unique toilet come to be?

The Golden Throne
The Golden Throne. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

When community-minded Bates, former editor of the Fraser Coast Chronicle, went to use the toilets in late 2019, she thought, “Hell – this is in the middle of what is now a tourist precinct and it’s not good enough."  She wanted “toilets to pull people off the highway [and] see what other marvels, quirky attractions…we had to offer."

The wall-to-ceiling artworks on the walls took so long to complete that committee member Greig Bolderrow suggested dropping the original name ‘Divine Dunnies’ and calling the facility the ‘Cistern Chapel’. The name stuck.

Since opening in May 2022, thousands have passed through the doors to spend a penny or to be shown around by a “Flusher Usher."

What to expect in the Cistern Chapel

Maryborough's Cistern Chapel inside the Ladies' Loo
Local artist Akos Juhasz painted the murals in the ladies’ and men’s restrooms. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

Volunteer “Flusher Ushers" run the tours. They ensure the coast is clear for men to check out the ladies’ loo, where they’ll hear classical chamber music suited to the feminine theme. Murals depict women in soft white, flowing dresses as they smell and pick the flowers in a cottage garden. Fresh flowers in hand-carved wooden vases adorn the windowsill.

When I take a seat, it’s a little disconcerting that the woman on the wall appears to be watching me. A second cubicle, with walls of gold, houses a golden throne beneath a gilt-framed mirror.

Local artist, Akos Juhasz, painted the ladies’ and men’s toilets. The latter have an industrial feel. The first locomotive to be built in Queensland, the Mary Ann, was built in Maryborough and features on one wall. Beside it is the bespectacled face of Maryborough Mayor Billy Demaine, who defied the no vote in a 1935 referendum to make the city the second in Queensland to get a sewerage system.

Apollo with his magnifying glass in the male toilets.
(Image: Joanne Karcz)

The women in the planning committee had a bit of fun with the men’s loo. A statue of Apollo holds a magnifying glass in his outstretched hand above the urinals as Handel’s Water Music plays in the background.

Gary Madden, also a local, painted the whimsical scene in the parents’ room. It’s a fun place for little people who’ll enjoy finding the creatures hidden in the artwork. Butterflies, a frog, a willy wagtail. Little furry friends fly in the hot air balloons hanging from the ceiling.

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Where to find the Cistern Chapel

Maryborough's Cistern Chapel inside the Ladies' Loo
The cheekily named toiles have become an attraction in their own right. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

Maryborough, a city of Queensland’s Fraser Coast, is a short half-hour drive south of Hervey Bay and a three-hour drive north of Brisbane. The Cistern Chapel is on the side of the Town Hall alongside Town Hall Green.

There’s more to Maryborough than a unique toilet

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop mural on the mural trail
Find St Mary of the Cross MacKillop painted on the Maryborough Mural Trail. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

Visitors will meet a bronze statue of Duncan Chapman, the first ANZAC ashore at Gallipoli, when they discover the Gallipoli to Armistice Trail. Chapman was born in Maryborough.

Story Bank is housed in the former bank where Mary Poppins’ creator, P.L. Travers, was born. The whimsical interactive display will appeal to adults and children alike.

Only one of the 39 VCs awarded for the Gallipoli Campaign is on display outside the Australian War Memorial. You can see it in Maryborough’s Military and Colonial Museum.

Pop into the Visitor Information Centre in the City Hall to collect a map of the two-kilometre mural trail. There are 39 murals to discover. And while you’re there, ask about the free 90-minute Heritage Walking Tour.

Mary Poppins sliding down the banister in Story Bank
Mary Poppins sliding down the banister in Story Bank. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

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Joanne Karcz

Joanne Karcz

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Can’t handle the cold? Hamilton Island serves a slice of summer in winter

(Image: Hamilton Island)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    When the winter chill settles in, an escape to Hamilton Island’s year-round tropical shores is the only acceptable coping mechanism.

    As a heliophile with the cold tolerance of a Mediterranean house cat, the arrival of winter tends to spark a particular panic. How will I survive? Must I really start layering? What do you mean, Aperol season is over? But there are far better ways to spend the cooler months than sulking in the depths of your doona.

    Enter, Hamilton Island. With its year-round sunshine and permanent on-holiday atmosphere, this Whitsundays favourite promises a veritable slice of summer in winter.

    Think salt-stiff hair and the smug pleasure of devouring seafood beside the water while friends back home are defogging their windscreens. Here’s why Hamilton Island should figure into your winter plans.

    1. Year-round summer weather

    A woman hiking along the Passage Peak trail on Hamilton Island.
    Hike under sunny winter skies on Hamilton Island. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

    In the crisper months, Hamilton Island offers perfectly mild, sunny weather (17-24°C) that lends itself to morning swims and afternoon spritzes. Better still, you can enjoy the island’s outdoor adventures – from hiking to mountain biking – without the humidity or rain you’ll often find in summertime. With direct flights from most major Australian cities offering ease of access, Hamilton Island is the ideal place to flee the cold.

    2. Getting active without the humidity

    A buggy parked overlooking Hamilton Island’s golf course, with sweeping views of the sea at Whitsundays in winter.
    Zip around Hamilton Island by buggy. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Whether you’re hiking up to Passage Peak or exploring the island by buggy, tropical Queensland humidity is nobody’s friend. The one way to guarantee you will avoid the inevitable stickiness and fluffy hair? Visit during winter. There’s plenty to be enjoyed, from sunrise yoga at The Sundays (exclusive to guests of The Sundays) to playing golf on Dent Island.

    3. Hamilton Island Race Week

    Yachts racing across the sparkling Whitsundays during Hamilton Island Race Week.
    Feel the thrill of Hamilton Island Race Week. (Image: Salty Dingo)

    Taking place in August, Hamilton Island Race Week is a destination in its own right that attracts spectators and racers from around the globe. Boating enthusiasts and thrill-seeking holidaymakers flock to the island, which is palpably energetic as the first yachts set off for Dent Passage from Hamilton Island Yacht Club. The annual action-packed week, taking place from 15 to 22 August in 2026, offers an exciting calendar of on- and off-water events – spanning everything from celebrity chef dinners to golfing comps and wine tastings.

    4. Best time for snorkelling

    A woman snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
    Explore Hamilton Island’s winter waters. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

    While the crowds on Hamilton Island may disperse with the cooler weather, the marine life certainly doesn’t. Winter is widely considered one of the best times to snorkel and dive in the Whitsundays.

    It’s down to a number of reasons: excellent water visibility, higher chances of seeing whales as they migrate north and – best of all – no nasty stingers. This means no need to wear those notoriously unflattering full-body wetsuits visitors have to wear in warmer months. On top of all this, you’ll find calm seas ideal for sailing and Great Barrier Reef tours.

    5. Fewer crowds

    People kayaking.
    Experience a quieter Hamilton Island on a kayaking adventure. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Winter is often the quietest time to visit Hamilton Island, with the peak season crowds thinned to a relaxed trickle. You can snorkel or dive straight off the reef-laced waters of Catseye Beach, then swap fins for a buggy and zip between One Tree Hill, the marina and sunset cocktails without the usual summer queues. Active days stretch from kayaking, sailing and jet skiing to hopping over to famous Whitehaven Beach to witness those breathtaking white swirls of silica sand. You won’t have to elbow your way to the front of the crowd to get a good snap.

    6. Delicious dining

    The interiors of Bommie Restaurant, featuring modern coastal design with warm lighting and elegant detailing.
    Treat yourself to Bommie Restaurant’s fine dining featuring fresh, seasonal Aussie produce. (Image: Nikki To)

    The food on Hamilton Island tastes just as good any time of year, and winter is still perfect weather for sundowners. Start with an iced tea Negroni at harbourside Bommie Deck, before transitioning to Bommie Restaurant for a fine-dining feast centering on seasonal Aussie ingredients. Or perhaps enjoy a more casual poolside evening at Sails Restaurant, where plates of chermoula chicken skewers, baked cauliflower steak and crispy sumac squid come served with ocean views. From family-friendly pub meals to elevated wine tastings, there’s something for everyone.

    5. Clear skies for idyllic views

    The golden hour across the Whitsundays in winter.
    End your day with golden Hamilton Island sunsets over the water. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Never let a cloud rain on the parade of Hamilton Island’s spectacular scenery. Winter brings clearer skies and more stable weather to the Whitsundays, meaning your picture-perfect sunset at One Tree Hill is likely to remain that way. And after putting in the legwork to hike to a scenic lookout, the last thing you want is a vista hidden behind low cloud and haze.

    To learn more about travelling to the Whitsundays in winter, visit hamitlonisland.com.au.