Wynnum Manly Historical Association’s final effort to keep historic church on the bayside

A 109-year-old church on Brisbane’s bayside earmarked for relocation has a local group fighting to keep it in the area.

A local history group is making a last-ditch effort to keep a heritage-listed church on Brisbane’s bayside despite the building being set to make way for a giant new development.

The 109-year-old former Wynnum Baptist Church on Bay Terrace will be relocated in the coming months after giant Queensland construction company BMD, who own the land, revealed plans for a new headquarters at the site.

But with the relocation destination to be decided by the Brisbane City Council, the Wynnum Manly Historical Society has expressed interest to council to use the building as their home at another site on the bayside.

Wynnum Baptist Church with the Wynnum Manly Historical Association starting a petition to keep the 109-year-old building in the area. Picture: Supplied

“The society is attempting to secure the building for use as its official home and headquarters,” Sid Weiss, from the Wynnum Manly Historical Society, said.

“In this aim we have been in contact with BMD/Urbex and the local councillor Peter Cumming to secure council land to move the building to.
“We have started a Facebook campaign and petition.

“We would like somewhere in a prominent position as we would like to see it used as local heritage centre.”

The heritage-listed former Wynnum Baptist Church on Bay Terrace. Picture: Supplied

Mr Weiss said he believed George Clayton Park near the Sea Scouts would be a good place, while suggested the possibility of the building being moved to Memorial Park.

But BMD director Scott Power said time was running out to find a local site for the church to be relocated to.

“Council has had the best part of 10 years to find a home for the church,” he said.

“We have had a couple of options, both outside the local area and are currently in the final stages of securing a location in the Logan area.”

Brisbane City Council’s Civic Cabinet Chair for City Planning and Suburban Renewal Councillor Adam Allan (LNP) said they knew the building was of importance to the local community.

“While Labor Councillor Peter Cumming has said he doesn’t care if the church is demolished, the Schrinner Council wants to see this much-loved building retained,” he said.

“We want to see this former church retained and as part of an application approval in 2011, we made it a condition that this building be carefully relocated to another suitable site.

“We remain incredibly supportive of the land owner making sure this former church can be moved to an appropriate location not too far away from Bay Terrace.”

Councillor Peter Cumming wants to keep the former Wynnum Baptist Church in the area. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese)

But Councillor for Wynnum Manly Peter Cumming (ALP) denied he wanted it demolished, saying it would be great to keep the church in the area.

However, Cr Cumming believed the costs of maintaining the hall would be considerable and could well exceed the financial capacity of the historical society.

“In addition I believe most residents will not want a hall in the park close to where they live,” he said.

He also said relocating the church to another bayside location was proposed around 10 years ago but all possible sites were ruled out by council staff.

“However I have written to the Lord Mayor’s office and put forward a number of possible locations for the hall,” Cr Cumming said.