queenslandchurches

Grand dame of Toowoomba celebrates 150 years In 2013 the Grand dame of Toowoomba celebrated 150 years One of Queensland’s iconic city churches celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, throwing the spotlight on a remarkable period of Christian witness in the southeast region. Dianne Jensen reports. Built of local basalt and sandstone, St Stephen’s Uniting Church (formerly Presbyterian) in Toowoomba was completed in 1884. The 150th anniversary marks the establishment of the charge (parish) in 1863, although the first church was erected in 1859. The fortunes of St Stephen’s have mirrored the evolving community of the Darling Downs, with small numbers until the population boom in the 1870s. Over the next century, both church and community flourished even in times of hardship and war. Source: journeyonline.com.au/local-church-news/grand-dame-of-toow...

The first Saint Mary's Church, Warwick is a substantial sandstone building, constructed 1863–1865 to designs of prominent Brisbane architect, Benjamin Backhouse.[1 The plan for the church was duly prepared by prominent Brisbane architect, Benjamin Backhouse, to the specifications that it was to be simple but tasteful, in the Gothic style and in stone or brick. Despite the setback of severe damage during a thunderstorm, the church building was officially opened on 23 August 1865 by Bishop Quinn, the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Brisbane. At this time the church was named the St Mary of the Assumption, now popularly shortened to St Mary's. This original building consisted of only the nave of the present church, with side entrances, not through porches, but simply accessing the body of the church directly. The roof of the building was slated or shingled. By 1867 a Catholic school, run by the Misses O'Mara until the arrival of the Sisters of Mercy in 1874, was established in the church by the next parish priest, Father O'Reilly. The church was partitioned with calico screens, firstly to separate the sanctuary from the teaching area and, later to divide the teaching area into smaller rooms in the body of the church. O'Reilly was replaced by Father McDonagh, who was the first resident priest, and after him in 1876 came Father James Horan who was to remain in Warwick until 1905. Horan was responsible for the completion of the church by 1894 when the transepts and chancel were added. By this time porches over the side, entrances were also completed.[1] AS St Mary's Church over time became inadequate for the needs of his community, new plans are sought for the construction of a second larger church, further north on the same block in Palmerin Street. Local architects, Dornbusch & Connolly drew plans for the second St Mary's church which, like the original church, was to conform to a cruciform plan, but only the body has thus far been completed. The new church was constructed between 1920 and 1926 when it was officially opened.[1] After the opening of the new church, the original St Mary's was partitioned, lined and used as school rooms, for the Catholic primary school which began in the building in its earliest days. It has remained as a community meeting hall and store to this day. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_St_Mary%27s_Church,_Warwick

The former St John's Pro-Cathedral preceded the current St John's Anglican Cathedral of Brisbane. It was located on what is now Queens Gardens, William Street. It was erected between 1850 and 1854, dedicated on 29/10/1854, and demolished about 1904. Before the St John's Pro-Cathedral, an earlier St John's Anglican Church, Brisbane had also existed "(on the site of current Queen and George Streets - on the western side of Queen Street towards North Quay). This originally was the site of a lumber yard and convict workshop established in 1827...The workshop building was altered in 1842 and used by the Church of England (Anglican) community for a church. After the new St John's Pro-Cathedral opened in 1854, occasional services were still held in this old church...The building was finally demolished circa 1902." (ehive.com/collections/4500/objects/684848/original-st-joh...) A photograph of this old church is also available at this site. Source: www.churchesaustralia.org/list-of-churches/denominations/... A pro-cathedral is a parish church that temporarily serves as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese.