St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Toogoolawah, Anglican church building in Toogoolawah, Australia
St. Andrew's is an Anglican church in Toogoolawah built from timber with a steep gable roof, projecting gables, and buttresses added after storm damage in 1913. The structure displays the classic timber construction style of its era with careful architectural details throughout.
The church was designed by architect Robin Dods and built between 1911 and 1912 on land donated by Mary Elizabeth McConnel. This project marked an important moment for the growing religious community in Toogoolawah during the early 20th century.
The baptismal font came from Archbishop St Clair Donaldson's private chapel at Bishopsbourne, given before the church was dedicated on 12 May 1912. The McConnels were personal friends of Donaldson, and the land was donated by Mary Elizabeth McConnel of Cressbrook. The church marked its centenary on 12 May 2012 with a service led by Assistant Bishop Rob Nolan.
St Andrew's stands on a corner site at 2 Mangerton Street, forming the northwestern boundary of McConnel Park, with the church hall to its south and the 1925 rectory further south again. The timber building sits on stumps, so expect a step up at the western door; the interior floor is raised again at the sanctuary, pulpit and altar. Mature trees on the south and southeast sides screen the church from the park, where the Toogoolawah War Memorial stands.
The original cedar shingles on the roof were replaced in 1966 with locally sourced ironbark and crow's ash timber. This material choice shows how the community preserved the building's character while making necessary repairs using resources from their region.
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