Surface Hill Uniting Church, Heritage church in Surface Hill, Gympie, Australia.
Surface Hill Uniting Church is a brick Gothic Revival building located at the corner of Channon and Reef Streets, featuring pointed arch windows, stepped buttresses, and a steeply sloped roof. The structure displays typical architectural features of its era, with its distinctive masonry forming a notable landmark in the local townscape.
The present church is the third Wesleyan building on this site. A bark hut went up in 1868, followed by a timber church opened on 4 July (facing Reef Street). In 1889 Mathew Mellor moved to erect a brick church for 250 people; architect Hugo Du Rietz designed it, and it opened on 7 August 1890.
The pipe organ was bought in 1890 from James Lord, organist of Brisbane's Albert Street Methodist Church. It was made by George Benson of Manchester in 1888 and assembled in Brisbane. The instrument was included in the building's final cost of £3137/16/5.
The church sits at a street corner and is easily accessible on foot, with its elevated position and brick walls providing good visibility from the street. Visitors should note that access is straightforward from the surrounding roads, and the area is typically quiet and compact.
Eight foundation stones were ceremonially laid during construction, with an earthen jar containing church records buried beneath the building. This deliberate placement of a time capsule reflects an unusual documentation practice from that era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,383 contributors worldwide.