Church of Christ Hall

When Monro died on 22 March 1889, his estate was shared between his widow, Maria and three partners, Charles Henry Humphrey, William Morris and Walter Joseph Monro. But the death of Charles Henry Humphrey on 23 October 1898, delayed the finalisation of James Monro’s estate so that it was not until 9 March 1900 that the land was passed to Maria Monro, William Morris and Walter Monro. But Maria’s hold on her husband’s estate was short-lived because she died on 12 May 1901.

William Morris and Walter Monro disposed of Subdivision A to Sarah Jane Seeney, the wife of Stewart Seeney, of Brisbane, on 26 February 1914. The Seeneys mortgaged the vacant land for ₤300 on 16 March 1914. Mabel Southern, provided the money on behalf of her husband, Howard Clive Southern. The Seeneys held the land for less than a year before it was transferred into the ownership of Robert George Oates and Samuel Rowe, on 22 May 1914. But on 25 August 1914, the State Government, in the name of King George the Fifth, resumed all of Subdivision A plus a section of the adjoining Portion 47. This area totalled 138 acres, 1 rood and 1 perch was leased back to Rowe and Oates at a peppercorn rent on 19 October 1914. The reason for this arrangement remains a mystery. But as Oates and Rowe were appointed by the government as trustees of the property due to “no survivorship” then it may be related to matters stemming from the Monro estate.  

   

Rowe and Oates subdivided the land and sold off the first residential block on 17 December 1914. These subdivisions were to be the basis of the modern suburb of Boondall, though at that time the locality was known as College Hill. It was a farming district that was serviced by Boondall Railway Station (as Cabbage Tree Station) that opened in 1884. The name Boondall, meaning crooked creek, was adopted for the district in 1923. On 7 September 1922, William August Charles Wendorff of Brisbane, Frederick Thomas Keable of Tannymorel, Thomas Francis Stubbin of Boonah, Frederick Augustus Bignill of Sunnybrook and Joseph Benjamin Ash of Brisbane purchased Subdivision 319 from Rowe and Oats. The five partners were the nominated trustees of this block that had once been part of Portion 46.

The five men were acting on behalf of the Church of Christ and the land was selected as a new church site. At the time of their purchase of the land at Boondall, there were only 11 Churches of Christ across the whole of Queensland. In Brisbane, there were Churches of Christ at Hawthorne, Albion and New Farm. A large number of timber and brick churches were constructed in the suburbs of the Mid-North District during the 1920’s. This occurred because the “Roaring Twenties” was a period of economic prosperity and a renewal of interest in spiritual matters, both occurring as a result of the First World War. A Church of Christ is listed for the first time as an address in Queensland Post Office Directories in its 1924-25 edition. As the surveying of addresses for inclusion in the Queensland Post Office Directories was conducted in the year prior to the publication of each edition, then it can be concluded that the timber church was constructed in 1923. The first pastor of the Boondall Church of Christ was E.P. Aderman, who resided at Thistle Street at Kedron. Aderman had previously been the pastor at the Hawthorne Church of Christ. 

The new church building became an important community resource. Local historian Barbara Bow has claimed in Welcome to Boondall that the public meeting, that led to the formation of a building committee to organise the construction of the Boondall State School (opened in 1925), was held at the church. She claims that this meeting was held on 19 June 1920, but as the church was not built until 1923, then the date of the meeting was more likely to have been 19 June 1923 or 1924. On 2 August 1935, Frederick Bignill died and ownership of the property was transferred to the surviving four trustees. Only a few months after the outbreak of the Second World War, the ownership of the church and land was transferred from the remaining four trustees to the Church of Christ organisation. Thus the Conference of the Associated Churches of Christ in Queensland took over the Boondall church on 18 January 1940. This was part of a general reorganisation of Church of Christ properties throughout Queensland.  

The Conference mortgaged their Carlyle Road property through the Bank of Adelaide on 12 September 1956. The purpose of this mortgage was to fund the construction of a new church at Boondall. It was a reflection of the church’s need for more space to accommodate its expanding congregation that had resulted from the post-war housing boom in the area. The Brisbane City Council granted a building approval for the church on 3 December 1956. A stump capping ceremony to mark the start of construction on the new church was held on 23 March 1957. This ceremony was attended by the Conference President, Mr. G. McKelvie. Construction of the new church began on 6 April 1957. When the new Church of Christ was opened on 8 March 1958, the old church became the church hall. Toilets, costing $850, were added to the site in 1976.

But from the late 1960’s, church attendances across Australia began to drop particularly amongst the younger generation, whose interests were focussed on other forms of spiritualism, including non-Christian religions. By the 1970s and 1980s, many smaller church buildings were sold-off or demolished as their congregations were no longer viable. The Church of Christ continued to serve the Boondall community throughout this tumultuous period and the Church Hall has been an integral part of that service for 75 years.

The building is a symmetric structure with tall narrow windows to its sides and at either side of the front projecting structure.

Notwithstanding its simplicity and alterations, the building, almost built to the front boundary, has a strong pleasing presence within the road.

1. Bow, Barbara, Welcome to Boondall, (Brisbane: Sandgate and District Historical Society, 1997)

2. Brisbane City Council, Properties on the Web, post-1946 building approval cards

3. Brisbane City Council, 1946 aerial photographs.

4. Brisbane City Council Sewerage Maps

5. Department of Natural Resources, Queensland Certificates of title and other records.

6. John Oxley Library, Brisbane Suburbs clippings files – Boondall

7. Queensland Post Office Directories, 1868-1949