Brookfield Uniting Church

The church's origins were derived from the decision of the Bible Christian movement, a form of Methodism, to send a mission to Queensland in the early 1860s. The organisation of the Queensland Bible Christian's mission was left to Br William Woolcock who acquired land for a "preaching station" at the locality called Brookfield.  

The Woolcock family became well known in locally in the area and throughout Queensland. William became quite well off owning land at Kenmore, Figtree Pocket, Moggill and Enoggera. His son achieved a number of milestones within Queensland. He was appointed as parliamentary counsel (1899), private secretary to Sir Samuel Griffith, involved with the foundation of the University of Queensland and the State Public Library. At his death he was accorded a state funeral.

While the celebrated date of the founding of the Brookfield mission is given as 1869 the title deeds disclose that land, 2 acres, 1 rood and 30 perches, was transferred to the Corporation of the Bible Christian Church, Brisbane circuit in January 1871.

The Brookfield Church was one of two churches established by the Bible Christians in the area. The other being that at seventeen mile Rocks. The Bible Christians emphasis upon education meant that any hall erected would serve as both a school and as a place of worship. Evidence indicates that the wider community contributed to the erection of the first hall.

A combination of internal conflict occurring within the Bible Christians at Brookfield and disputes arising within the community over "school affairs" as it 

Seemed it was no longer acceptable to others, not connected to the church, for the community-built hall to be located on Church land.1

There is conflicting evidence over the exact date of construction of the second (current) hall. The title deed discloses that a mortgage for £100 as taken out on 20 November 1886. A photograph c1888 discloses that the new church (current) was erected and the earlier church/hall had been moved to the nearby reserve for community use.

In 1896, following the union of Methodism in Queensland, the property passed under the control new trustees appointed under the Wesleyan Methodist Church Property Trust Act 1896 (Qld). It is interesting to note that on the same day as the appointment the new trustees a mortgage was given on the property for £50.

Dingle in his Annals of Achievement discusses the circumstances surrounding the transfer of property to the Methodist Union and provides an extent of the growth of the Bible Christians in Queensland at that time;

After two years of meetings and correspondence with England, the following report to the conference of 1896 was made by the Rev. H. Youngman: "the following sites have been transferred to the interim trustees under the provision of the Model Deed: Clifton Terrace, Kelvin Grove, Everton Park, Bunya (2), Brookfield, Moggill, Indooroopilly Pocket, Hamilton and Carina" The final repayment was made to the Bible Christian Conference in England in 1897.2 

In September 1969 a celebration of the centenary of the church was held. In keeping with the original intentions of the Bible Christians to contributing to the community the funds from the celebration "towards the building of a brick and concrete hall to be named Pioneer Memorial Hall."3

The Methodist church has remained an integral part of not only the Methodist congregation of Brookfield but, also the wider Brookfield Community.

1. Libby Wager. Different Tracks. (Kenmore-Brookfield, Kenmore-Brookfield Parish of The Uniting Church in Australia. 1988) p 86

2. Rev. R.S.C. Dingle,  Annals of achievement: A Review of Queensland Methodism. 1847-1947. (Brisbane, Queensland Book Depot. 1947) p 68

3. Courier Mail 12 September, 1969

4. Certificates of Title.

5. Courier Mail. 12 & 15, September, 1969

6. Rev R S C Dingle ed Annals of Achievement: A Review of Queensland Methodism 1847- 1947, Queensland Book Depot, Brisbane, 1947

7. John Oxley Library, photographic collection.

8. Johnston, W.Ross. "Woolcock, John Laskey (1861-1929)". Australian Dictionary of Biography.  John Ritchie  (Gen Ed) Vol.12. 1891-1939. Smy-Z

9. Wager, Libby. Different Tracks. (Brookfield: Kenmore-Brookfield Parish of the Uniting church in Australia. 1998)