Information

Built 1947-51, the architect was Reg Waldman. In 1864, the Queensland colonial government declared an Eight Mile Plains Agrigultural Reserve. Comprising 100 farmland portions, with Logan Rd being the major route to get produce to the Brisbane markets. The area remained a rural, outer Brisbane suburb until housing subdivisons began in the 1990s. Post-World War II, the Lutheran church purchased this site on the farms’ arterial of Levington Rd. The site was close to Logan Rd, which was becoming busy with Gold Coast traffic. The plan was to build an impressive brick church that could be seen by the travelling public. Construction began in 1947. The foundation stone was laid on 2 April 1950. The use of local, voluntary labour delayed completion of this substantial building. St Johns Church opened in 1951 but without its spire. This was added in 1976 thus completing this Church and marking the building changes to come to the area. Lutheran congregations formed in Brisbane from German and Scandinavian migrants, where Lutheranism operated in the home country as a ‘state religion’ as Anglicanism in British empire. Like Anglicanism, congregations were dispersed in a broad church movement with Liberal and Evangelical factions. In Australia, however, Lutheran congregations were associated with smaller Protestant denominations, and were part of the ecumentical endeavours in the Queensland Council of Churches.

Citations

Brisbane City Council, HERITAGE REGISTER SUMMARY, https://heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/heritage_register/placeDetail.do?action=readandplaceId=1714andfullDetail=trueandnavParam=startBasic;; Jack Ford, Report: A Brief History of the Property located at 161 and 161a Underwood Rd, Eight Mile Plains (1883-1986), [Brisbane: J. Ford, 2017)

Image Citations

Map References

Qimagery. Greater Brisbane Area 1951. Scale: 1:16,000.