The wedding of Estelle McCabe to Danial (Dan) Mallon on 15 July 2023, continued the tradition of family weddings at St Mary’s Catholic Church.
Estelle is the fourth generation on her father’s side to be married in the historic church.
Originally from Urana in the Riverina, Dan grew up on a mixed cropping and sheep farm. He was brought to Brisbane when he was posted to the 2/14 Light Horse Regiment.
Estelle and Dan connected through their interest in politics at Jade Buddah Bar and Kitchen in Brisbane and the couple have been inseparable ever since.
Dan proposed at Lilydale, on the foothills of Mount Barney, where Estelle’s great grandmother grew up.
On that trip, Estelle says they were fortunate to make it out of the Lower Portals as they nearly got swept away by floodwaters.
Estelle moved in with Dan at Waterfront Terrace in East Brisbane after about 18 months of dating.
They enjoy walks along the Brisbane river, coffee at nearby June’s Cafe and weekends away at the Sunshine Coast.
Dan is currently based at Kokoda Barracks, Canungra. He and Estelle regularly come back to Estelle’s home town of Beaudesert to visit family and go to Happy Valley Chinese Restaurant.
Other family weddings at St Mary’s were:
Estelle’s parents, Bernadette Todd and Mark McCabe on 24 February 1979.
Her maternal grandparents, Henry Flood Todd and Mary Daphne Cahill, married on 11 February 1956.
Bernard (Barney) McCabe married Dorothy Barrett on 27 December 1954 .
The beginning of this tradition was the wedding of John Cuthbert Barrett to Kathleen Egan on 21 July 1920. John and Kathleen are Estelle’s paternal great grandparents.
Estelle and Dan’s wedding reception was held at The Centre Beaudesert.
On her wedding day, Estelle wore a family heirloom gold brooch on a horseshoe that her great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Doherty (maternal side) found mining in Gympie in the late 1860s.
“Mary Daphne and Bernadette wore it too,” said Estelle.
