All Saints Anglican Church

The oldest surviving Anglican church in Brisbane was partially rebuilt in 1869 to enhance the original place of worship, which was designed by esteemed colonial architect Benjamin Backhouse and consecrated by Bishop Tufnell in 1862.

With a growing Anglican community spilling in from nearby populated Windmill Hill and Spring Hill, the decision was taken to extend the church. This time George Suter, the church warden and architect (who was chief proponent of the gothic style that defined churches from that era) was appointed for the design and the foundation stone dedicated by Governor Samuel Blackall (founder of Toowong Cemetery).

Early on in construction, major hitches meant that the walls of the original church had to be demolished and only the original floor plan, roof and flooring were saved.

The new walls were built of local tuff and the east end still retains its original stained glass windows, installed in 1870 and as such the oldest in Brisbane. The organ hails from London 1873 and the altar lights, which date from 1874 are the first to be installed in Brisbane.

The Stations of The Cross plasterwork is that of esteemed sculptress Daphne Mayo in 1935 and the ethereal sculpture in the forecourt, ‘Christ Receiving the Cross’ by Andre Meszaros, was installed in 1962.

Meantime the original shingle roof has since been replaced, as has the floor, both in the 1930s. And during Brisbane’s demolition era the 1980s rectory and hall were demolished to make way for an adjacent office tower.