St Marks Anglican Church, Yungaburra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Marks Anglican Church, Yungaburra |
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St Marks Anglican Church, 2003
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| Location | 7 Eacham Road, Yungaburra, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900–1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1912 |
| Official name: St Marks Anglican Church, St Marks Church of England | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600484 |
| Significant period | 1912 (fabric) |
| Significant components | furniture/fittings |
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St Marks Anglican Church is a special old church located at 7 Eacham Road in Yungaburra, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1912 and is also known as St Marks Church of England. This church is very important, so it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Contents
History of St Mark's Church
St Mark's Church was built in 1912. It was made for Anglican Christians living in the new town of Yungaburra and the areas nearby.
Early Settlement in Yungaburra
The first Europeans to arrive in the Atherton Tablelands worked in logging and mining. However, the rich soil and cool weather were perfect for farming. In 1888, a government surveyor planned a village called Allumbah Pocket. This village was later named Yungaburra.
A plan called the Village Settlement scheme started in 1885. It offered 40-acre farm plots and home sites in a village. Around the same time, work began on the Tablelands railway. This railway would connect the port of Cairns to the Tablelands.
The first farms in Allumbah started in 1891. Settlers grew vegetables, corn, and raised dairy cows. But without easy ways to get their goods to markets, the farming plan was not very successful.
Growth of Yungaburra
In 1906, a new law helped more people get land. Many miners came from Charters Towers, as mining there was slowing down. A small town grew to serve the area. In 1910, the railway line from Cairns finally reached Allumbah. The town was then renamed Yungaburra to avoid confusion with another town.
This started a time of fast growth for Yungaburra. A sawmill, a hotel, and many shops and houses were built near the Yungaburra railway station. In 1911, the Eacham Shire local government was formed.
The Bush Brothers and Church Services
The first Anglican church services in Yungaburra were held in William's hotel hall. These services were led by members of the Brotherhood of St Barnabas. They were also known as the Bush Brothers. This group was started in 1902 by Reverend Aneurin Vaughan-Williams.
The Bush Brothers were priests who traveled to remote areas. They helped people in large, spread-out communities. They often visited mining camps. The Brothers did not marry during their two years of service. They earned a lot of respect for their work. In 1908, George Frodsham, who was the Bishop of North Queensland, helped the group grow by finding more priests in England.
The very first service at St Mark's church happened on 5 December 1912. The first baptism took place on 16 March 1913. However, the church was not officially dedicated until 7 November 1913. In 1918, a small room called a vestry was added to the front of the church.
Yungaburra's Development and Tourism
In 1926, the Gillies Highway opened. This road connected Yungaburra to Gordonvale. It was the first proper road from the coast to the Tablelands. Yungaburra became a popular place for tourists. People came to see the beautiful natural attractions like the nearby lakes. This led to another period of growth for the town. Tourism is still a very important industry in the area today.
St Mark's Church does not have its own full-time priest. It is part of a larger church area based in Atherton. A married priest took over from the Bush Brothers in 1951. This priest also serves churches in Herberton and Malanda. In July 1998, the church members started a fundraising program. They raised money to replace the roof and do other repair work in 2000 and 2001.
Design and Features of St Mark's Church
St Mark's is a small, one-story timber building. It stands on low, square metal posts. The roof is very steep and shaped like a triangle (gabled). It is covered with corrugated iron.
At the back of the church, there is a three-sided section called an apse. At the front, there is a smaller, narrower gabled roof. This covers a small vestry, which is connected to the church by an entrance porch. You enter the porch by timber stairs on the left side. There was probably a matching entrance on the other side, but it is now closed. Above the porch, under the church's roof, is a belfry with louvred windows.
Double timber doors lead from the porch into the church. The church and the vestry have simple, tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. The inside of the church is plain and simple. It has a coved ceiling made of stained timber boards that follow the shape of the apse. The walls are painted, and the floor is made of timber. The original church benches, called pews, have ends shaped like flames. They were recently cleaned and restored.
Why St Mark's Church is Important
St Marks Anglican Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it is considered very important for several reasons:
Demonstrating Queensland's History
St Mark's Church is a simple church built in a new farming town. It shows how Yungaburra grew and how the Anglican Church developed in Queensland. The community helped build it. For many years, the Bush Brothers served the church. This shows how the church tried to reach small, faraway communities that could not afford their own full-time priest.
Showing Key Characteristics of Churches
St Mark's church is a good example of a simple timber chapel. These types of chapels were often the first churches built in many new settlements. It is still in very good condition.
Aesthetic Significance
The church's shape, size, and details make it a beautiful and important part of Yungaburra's look and feel.
Strong Community Connection
The church has a strong connection with the Anglican community in Yungaburra. It has served the village and nearby farms since the early 1900s. It also shows the important work of the Brotherhood of St Barnabas. They provided spiritual care to the growing Tablelands region.
