Rockhampton’s Oasis Church to build new church at the site of 2023 arson attack

The Oasis Church, destroyed in a devastating 2023 fire in Rockhampton, is being replaced with a new place of worship. SEE THE PLANS

Fire destroyed the Oasis Church. Photo: Queensland Ambulance Service

The Oasis Church, destroyed in a devastating 2023 arson attack, is set to rise from the ashes with a new place of worship at the North Rockhampton site.

Rockhampton Regional Council on Tuesday approved a development application for the church to construct a double-storey building at the 5,630sm block on Glenmore Road.

The church has been holding services at the North Rockhampton Event Cinema complex following the August 2023 fire.

The Oasis Church moved its Sunday services to the North Rockhampton cinema complex after the 2023 fire.

The man charged with the arson, Jason James Pronger, from Gympie, was later found to be of unsound mind and had all charges dismissed. 

During a bail application on August 29, police prosecutor Corey O’Connor told the court Pronger was found naked in Kershaw Gardens a few hours after the fire “laughing about what had happened” and “asking about other churches in Rockhampton”.

Photos taken by Kent Murray of the fire destruction at Oasis Church on Sunday August 27, 2023.

Cr Marika Taylor told the council meeting it was great to see the site being “rejuvenated” after the fire.

“It’s good to see progress happening there,” she said.

The development application shows the new place of worship will have a contemporary design, with a variety of materials and colours used to articulate the structure with a total gross floor area of 1,695.5 square metres and a maximum height of 8.5m.

Glass doors, fixed glass panels and awnings are located over the proposed building entrance.

An artist's impression of the proposed Oasis Church on Glenmore Road, North Rockhampton.

The church will be oriented to the Fraser Street frontage, with the main entrance leading into a public hall and open main auditorium.

The building includes a kitchen, amenities, a main stage, parent room and three Sunday school rooms while the second-floor mezzanine level includes, offices, amenities and a board room.

The development maintains all existing parking spaces, with a total of seventy-seven parks available, fifty-one located onsite and twenty-six on the Fraser Street reserve.

The design layout for the new Oasis Church on Glenmore Road, North Rockhampton.

The application includes an illuminated wall sign (1.65 metres x 5.45 metres) at the front of the building.

Existing landscaping will be retained along with the existing boundary flood fence to ensure the development remains protected from Fitzroy River flooding.

The hours of operation are Tuesday through to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm and Sundays from 8:30am to 2:30pm.

However, conditions allow from 7:00am to 7:00pm, 7 days per week for flexibility for church events.

The location of the new Oasis Church in North Rockhampton to replace the building destroyed by an arson attack there in 2023.

The proposal was the subject of public notification between November 4-22, 2024 with no submissions received.

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the application.

The former building on Glenmore Road was originally built for the North Rockhampton Rugby Leagues Club in the mid 1960s, which sold it in 2000.

About 2002, it was extensively renovated and transformed into Kershaw House and over the years hosted many weddings and events.

The Oasis Church purchased the building in 2014 for $1,045,000.

The church has been approached for comment.