By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
ST MARK’S Anglican Parish of Warwick, which dates back to 1868, is opening its doors as part of the National Trust’s Heritage Festival, with guided tours of the sandstone and stained glass church.
One of the oldest churches in Queensland, St Mark’s Anglican Parish demonstrates the growth of the regional centre from the arrival of the Europeans in 1840.
Guided tours accompanied by sounds of the carillon and organ will start at 9am on Saturday 18 April and finish at 4pm with jewellery, cards and home-baked goods available until noon along with refreshments in the hall. The weekend event will start again at 11am on Sunday 19 April.
Parishioners will be able to answer questions on the tour and participants will be shown the refurbished pipe organ, a memorial for those of the parish who died in World War I.
Participants will get to take a closer look at the stained glass windows in the nave which are dedicated to early benefactors of the church.
St Mark’s Heritage Days co-ordinator, Sue Nalder, said the stained glass windows were highly regarded.
“They are regarded as the finest collection of windows by renowned stained glass window maker William Bustard,” Ms Nalder said.
“The first St Mark’s (church) on the present site was a timber slab construction, built for around $25,000 in today’s dollars and the second, the basis of today’s building, was completed in 1870 with a $700,000 (today’s dollars) extension, giving the church its present form,” she said.
“You are assured of a warm welcome to just have a quick look or take a tour – all for just a gold coin donation,” she said.
The church is located on the corner of Albion and Grafton streets, Warwick, and can be contacted on 0427 962 281.
