Bushley Uniting Church, southwest of Rockhampton, sells after 62 years

As religion continues to decline in popularity, churches are now hot property for quirky renovations. See other holy transformations and church sales in Central Queensland.

The former Bushley Uniting Church has just sold.

A former church on the outskirts of Rockhampton has been sold almost a year after its last service was held.

The former Bushley Uniting Church, 25km southwest of Rockhampton on the Capricorn Highway, sold in November, 2022 for a recorded $212,500 to local private individuals.

Kas Woch of Kas Woch Real Estate had the property listed for about a year and advertised for offers over $210,000.

The property, at 525 Brickworks Road, Bushley, sits on a half a hectare with the solid brick church building with timber floor and attached covered and concreted outdoor area, hall with kitchen facilities and amenities building.

The Bushley Church was opened in 1959.

It was previously owned by The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust.

The first Methodist worship service in the district was held in 1875 at the home of Mr and Mrs Isaac Coombs, who later donated land for a community hall about 1900.

Worship continued in the hall until the current church building was opened on December 13, 1959.

The bricks used to build the current church were from the Kalapa Brickworks, built by church members on weekends.

Inside the hall at the former Bushley Church.

A final service and carols was held at the church on December 5, as the congregation dwindled over the years particularly in the wake of COVID-19.

A crowd of about 75 people turned out for the last service, with past ministers and pastors also attending.

Bushley had a population of 30 people in the 2016 census.

Playfair State School, located at 213 Sandy Creek Road, opened on July 10, 1917 and closed in 1928.

Inside the church. The last service was held in December 2021.

Religion in Australia has slowly declined over the decades, leading to the closure of churches.

According to the 2021 Census data, Christianity decreased by more than 1 million people and almost 10 million Australians reported having no religion.

Data for the Rockhampton region local government area stated more than 30,000 people don’t affiliate with a religion, almost double the number reported in the 2016 Census.

Renovations of former churches have become popular over the years with some sales in Central Queensland.

Blackwater couple Ange Taylor and Nik Kettle bought the town’s former Anglican Church in December 2021 and are transforming it into a family home.

They are documenting the renovation journey on TikTok and have amassed more than 11,000 followers, including a 20-year old time capsule that was buried in 1995.

The old Catholic Church at Marlborough went up for sale this year.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton advised Livingstone Shire Council in 2019 they were selling three parcels of land, including the church building block and a public park parcel, and gave council the first option to purchase.

The council purchased the land for $80,300, to ensure the park remained for the public to use and then put the lot with the church building out for tender.

Not a traditional brick church, the building was not connected to sewerage or a septic system and had no toilets inside.

The property sold for $25,000 in April.

The St Marks Church in Allenstown sold to a private buyer in 2021.

The St Marks Church in Larnach Street, Allenstown.

The St Marks Church in Larnach Street, Allenstown sold in April 2021 for $140,000, also formerly owned by the Rockhampton Catholic Diocese.

The church building had high ceilings, an altar precinct, front balconies and an office, along with a hall and toilet block.

The Depot Hill church has been converted into a family home.

The church on Wood Street, Depot Hill, before the renovations to what it looks like today.

A quirky renovated church sits at 81 Wood Street in Depot Hill, sold off by the Rockhampton Catholic Diocese in 2008.

The renovation retained the church character and was converted to have three bedrooms, a grand entrance and formal living areas with the high cathedral ceilings and new porcelain tiles.