St Thomas’ Church

Could a church rise from the ashes of its predecessor? At St Thomas’ Anglican Church in Toowong, the answer is a resounding yes. This isn’t the first St Thomas’ to grace this suburb. In 1865, a small timber church, also named St Thomas’, was built on Curlew Street. Designed by parishioner and architect William Henry Ellerker, it served the growing Anglican community, initially as an extension of All Saints Church on Wickham Terrace. St Thomas’ became its own parish in 1870. But with the arrival of the railway in 1875, Toowong boomed. The little timber church was soon bursting at the seams. The congregation dreamt of a grander, more permanent structure. That dream took shape in 1877, when the foundation stone of a new St Thomas’ was laid on High Street. Designed by another parishioner and prominent architect, Francis Drummond Greville Stanley, this new St Thomas’ Church was a testament to the community’s faith and ambition. Built by Henry Pears, the brick structure incorporated the Gothic style so popular in church architecture of the time. Its striking features included a steeply pitched gabled roof, bi-chrome brickwork, and lancet windows. But the story of St Thomas’ doesn’t end there. The church has seen several additions over the years. The nave was extended in 1886, and transepts and a chancel were added in 1947. While a grand tower was planned at different points in time, it never materialized. Despite the changes, the church retains its Gothic charm and historical significance. The stained glass windows, many created by William Bustard, add to the church’s beauty and tell stories of important figures in the parish. Even the landscaping surrounding St Thomas’ Church has a story to tell, reflecting garden design trends of the 19th and 20th centuries.