Hawthorne Presbyterian Church (former)

The first Presbyterian Church service held in Queensland was conducted by the Reverend John Dunmore Lang in 1845. In 1849 about six hundred and thirty immigrants arrived in ships charted by Lang. Presbyterian, Baptist and independent immigrant settlers formed a Uniting Church and attended services conducted by an English Baptist Minister, Reverend Stewart who arrived on the ship “Fortitude”. 

Presbyterians in Brisbane were soon dissatisfied with this arrangement and in December 1849 a meeting at the residence of Reverend Thomas Mowbray in Kangaroo Point resolved to establish a Presbyterian Church in Queensland. In 1949 the Presbyterian faith celebrated 100 years in Queensland. 

The Hawthorne branch of the Presbyterian Church was reputedly established in c1910. This Chapter evolved out of the Norman Park Charge. According to the History of the Bulimba Electorate: 1859-1959 a small church was initially constructed before a new church was erected. It is noted:

To meet increasing urgent demands for additional accommodation the original building was subsequently extended in 1926 and 1929. Hawthorne had at this stage become a separate sanctioned charge with the right to call its own minister.1

Title Deeds disclose that in November 1918 land was acquired from the trustees of William Gibson and registered in the name of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland. The Post Office Directories (PODs) disclose that a Presbyterian Church was existent at Hawthorne Road by c1920.

The growth of the Church congregation paralleled the development of the Bulimba and Hawthorne environs and that of the Presbyterian faith in the early to mid-twentieth century. By c1926 the adjacent streets to the church, Miles and Dutton Streets were listed in the PODs. It was noted in the 1959 history that the enrolment at the Sunday School exceeded 200 students indicating the importance and influence of the church to Hawthorne parishioners.

In 1977 the Uniting Church was formed by the amalgamation of the Congregation, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches. A rationalisation of church properties then followed and the Hawthorne Presbyterian Church was disposed of in 1993. It now functions as a Children’s day care centre.

The external characteristics for the church, including its basic shape and construction materials of tin and timber are still existent. The church roof is steep-pitched and is double gabled. The front cover strips are still visible. A new side awning that forms part of the new entry to the Centre is located on the southern side of the building.

Internally the former church has been sympathetically partitioned and adapted to meet the needs of its current occupants. Much of the tongue and grove timber lining and timber decoration remain.

1. History of the Bulimba Electorate: 1859-1959.  Bulimba Electorate Centenary Committee. p.53