St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church, Innisfail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church, Innisfail |
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St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church, 2003
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| Location | 114 Rankin Street, Innisfail, Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1940s - 1960s (post-World War II) |
| Built | 1961 |
| Architect | Eddie Oribin |
| Official name: St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church, St Andrew's Presbyterian Church | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 12 December 2003 |
| Reference no. | 602332 |
| Significant period | 1960s (historical) 1960s (fabric) ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | stained glass window/s, church, church hall/sunday school hall |
| Builders | Andrew George Pepper |
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St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church is a special old church building located at 114 Rankin Street in Innisfail, Australia. It was designed by a famous architect named Eddie Oribin and built in 1961 by Andrew George Pepper. People also know it as St Andrew's Presbyterian Church. This building is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on December 12, 2003.
Some people have called the church "an amazing A-frame building designed by a very clever architect."
History of the Church
St Andrew's Memorial Church is a striking building with an A-frame shape. It stands on Rankin Street in Innisfail. It was built for the Presbyterian community in 1961. The new church even used parts of an older church building that was on the same spot. Its unique design makes it a very important part of Innisfail's look.
Early Days of the Church
Before this church was built, the first regular Presbyterian church service in Innisfail happened in October 1913. It was held in the old Court House. Before that, monthly services took place in the Oddfellows Hall. A man named Mr. Charles Fixter traveled from Miriwinni to lead these services.
In January 1914, the first church committee meeting was held. In 1916, the land where the church now stands was bought from Mary Graham. A generous gift of £500 from Peter Margach helped start a building fund. This led to the decision to build a church.
Building Challenges and Growth
Construction of the first church began in early 1918. However, a cyclone in March flattened the framework. The builder, Frank Robson, rebuilt it, and the church was finished and opened in November 1918.
In 1925, the ground under the church was dug out. A concrete hall was built there by Peter Van Leeuwen. This was possible because of another gift of £499 from Mary Kate Margach. This hall was 36 feet by 26 feet. Later, it was made 24 feet bigger and became the base for the new church building.
A Memorial Church
In 1959, the church community decided to build a new church. This new building would honor God and remember those who died in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. This is why it's called a "Memorial Church."
The Architect: Eddie Oribin
The new church was designed in 1959 by Eddie H. Oribin. He was working with Sidney George Barnes at the time. Eddie Oribin was born in Cairns in 1927. He became a registered architect in 1953. He and Barnes worked together in Cairns, designing homes, businesses, and churches. After Barnes passed away in 1959, Oribin continued his work until 1973.
Eddie Oribin designed other churches too. These include the Church of England in Gordonvale, St Paul's Anglican Church in Proserpine, and the Methodist Church in Mareeba.
Designing the New Church
St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church in Innisfail was designed to use part of the old church's concrete floor and walls. These parts housed the Sunday School kindergarten. The plans for the new church were approved by the Innisfail church members. The estimated cost was £18,000 for the building and £2,000 for the furniture.
Bids for building the new church were accepted from November 2, 1959, to January 29, 1960. A local builder named AG Pepper won the contract. On May 18, 1960, a change was made to the design of the back wall. Originally, Oribin wanted a large cross made of wood that went from the top of the roof to the ground. This cross would have been inside a glass frame with diamond shapes. Some of these diamond shapes were meant to have colorful glass. The change to the back wall was meant to save money temporarily. The plan was to rebuild it later as designed, but this didn't happen because of damage from Cyclone Winifred.
Opening the New Church
The new building was officially opened on November 4, 1961. Reverend AL McKay, who was the leader of the new Presbytery of Carpentaria, unveiled a special memorial tablet. The local newspaper said the building looked like a traditional tent. It was made of steel "A" frames. The main church floor was on the crossbar of the "A" frame, with the hall below it.
The outside of the building was covered from top to bottom with ribbed aluminum sheets. It had three dormer windows on each side for light and air. The church could seat 200 people, with space for 30 more in the choir. The new hall was almost twice as big as the old one.
Local Materials and Furnishings
All the materials for the church were bought locally or through local businesses. Local workers did all the construction. The church had 24 polished silky oak pews, a maple communion table and chairs, and a polished lectern. It also had a marble baptismal font and a polished maple cabinet for hymn books. The choir area had a special electric organ.
Inside, the walls were covered with beautiful tongue and groove tulip oak wood, laid diagonally. The church floor was polished Johnstone River hardwood. A blue carpet ran down the center aisle, and blue rubber flooring was on all the staircases.
The chancel (the area around the altar) had a patterned screen wall with green glass. A softly lit gold cross was above a polished copper flower bowl. Natural light came from triangular side dormer windows and triangular front windows. There were also three triangular tinted fiberglass skylights in the roof. At night, the church was lit by hidden fluorescent lights and spotlights.
The hall had kitchen cabinets with laminate tops and fluorescent lighting. The minister's vestry (a room for the minister) was in the north-west corner. It had a polished table, chairs, and a telephone. An open side area, or vestibule, was below the three dormer windows on the north side. This area was good for entering the building in wet weather.
Changes and New Beginnings
In 1976-1977, the Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches joined together to form the Uniting Church in Australia. This meant the church's name officially changed from Presbyterian to Uniting Church.
On February 1, 1986, Cyclone Winifred hit the Queensland coast. It damaged the church. The church members had to hold services at the East Innisfail State Primary School. They raised money for repairs. However, the cost to fix the church was very high. So, the Uniting Church gave the building to the Johnstone Shire Council. In return, they received a block of land in Scullen Avenue. The church members used the insurance money from the cyclone damage to build a new church on this new site.
When the Uniting Church moved to their new building, they took mobile items like the pews, cross, and altar with them. The Oribin-designed church was empty until 1988. At that time, a different Presbyterian group, which had separated from the Uniting Church, asked the Council to buy it.
The new group repaired the church through fundraising and volunteer work. They got help from many people from Cairns to Innisfail. The biggest challenge was fixing the roof and ceiling inside, which were damaged by Cyclone Winifred. Around this time, the illuminated cross that was on the roof ridge, almost 20 meters above the ground, was removed because it was hard to maintain. No one knows where it is now.
In 2016, a real estate agent used the building as their office.
What the Church Looks Like
St Andrew's Presbyterian Church has an A-frame design. It sits on a raised area on the western side of Rankin Street. From here, you can see the Johnstone River. Rankin Street has other important buildings like the Town Hall and the Catholic Church. The church still looks very much like it did when it first opened, except for a few small changes on the ground floor and the removal of its original furniture.
Outside the Building
The church is located high above street level. You reach it by stairs that have large diamond-shaped planter boxes. There are two sets of doors under big, layered awnings on the eastern side, which is the front of the church. The eastern wall has a folded triangular shape with bricks laid diagonally. It has a triangular band of windows and a diamond-shaped stained glass window with a burning tree design. The western wall has sash windows for the kitchen and sanctuary. It is covered with timber boards.
The roof is very steep and covered with ribbed aluminum sheets. It has three dormer windows on the north and south sides, between the main support beams. Where the roof meets the ground, large concrete foundations or drains and planter boxes connect it to the land. Three triangular skylights are placed above the dormer windows at the very top of the roof.
Inside the Building
The entrance area, or lobby, is at the eastern end of the building. Two matching staircases along the side walls lead up to the main church area. Above that is a mezzanine floor for the choir. On the ground level, a single door in the middle leads to the hall.
The hall is one large room with an open kitchen at its western end. It has high windows on the southern side and pairs of French doors that open onto an open vestibule along its northern side. The stairs to the chancel and the old vestry (which is now a toilet) are in the north-western corner of this floor. The eastern part of the open vestibule has been closed off more recently to create a new vestry. The hall floor is painted concrete. The ceiling is covered with fibrous cement sheets, showing the timber floor structure of the church above.
The walls of the church are covered with vertically-joined tulip oak boards. They are laid diagonally, spreading out from the top point of the A-frame. Darker panels fill the spaces where they meet. The lighting pelmets (decorative covers for lights) along the side walls have a triangular design. They have triangular cut-outs at the bottom to let light shine both up and down the walls. Hanging lighting baffles at the top filter light from the skylights above. The chancel area has a screen, altar, lectern, and planter, all of which also use triangular shapes in their design. Behind the screen is a single flight of stairs leading to the ground floor.
The church's original furniture, including the pews and communion table, has been moved to the current Innisfail Uniting Church. The original royal blue carpet and rubber mats have also been replaced.
The Manse
A house called a manse is located at the back of the property. It is reached by a driveway along the northern side. It is a rectangular timber house, raised on stumps, with a hipped corrugated iron roof and enclosed verandahs all around. The manse is rented out as a private home. It is not considered part of the church's special heritage value.
Why This Place is Special
St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on December 12, 2003. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed.
The church is on the same spot as the first Presbyterian Church in Innisfail and even uses parts of it. This shows how the Presbyterian community grew in the area. It also shows their commitment to remembering those who died in wars.
- It has great aesthetic significance.
St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church in Innisfail is a beautiful and unique example of how local timber and craftsmanship were used. Its design shows the influence of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright's ideas about organic architecture, which means buildings that fit naturally into their surroundings. Because it's a tall, A-frame building on a ridge overlooking the Johnstone River, St Andrew's Presbyterian Church is a well-known landmark in Innisfail.
- It shows high creative or technical achievement.
This church is a great and well-preserved example of the new and clever work of Far North Queensland architect Eddie H. Oribin.
- It has a strong connection to the community.
The community values St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church for its importance to the town's appearance and as a memorial.
- It is linked to an important person or group in Queensland's history.
It is especially connected to Far North Queensland architect Eddie H. Oribin. It's an excellent and complete example of his creative and inventive work.
