Grazier Claire Mactaggart has always admired the architecture of historical buildings in the bush.
So after a wild storm blew a 110-year-old church off its stumps in the small town of Duaringa in central Queensland, she was resolved to save another historic church from a similar fate.
"It was deteriorating a little, so I approached the church … and asked them what their plans are," Ms Mactaggart said.
The Uniting Church agreed to sell the historic structure, which was built in 1907 and had not had a religious service for years.
Repurposing old churches in small communities is a growing trend, according to the Uniting Church in Australia's Queensland Synod.
For Ms Mactaggart, it is about preserving the special memories that have been made in the building.
"A few people have said to me already, 'I've been to three weddings and a funeral there' … I love the stories," she said.
"I'm really mindful there's a long history with this place. We've got to look after it and respect it and allow people to see it."
After buying the structure, she then shipped it on a truck to her Duaringa cattle station, 45 kilometres away on a narrow stretch of dirt road.
She spent months working to carefully restore it, keeping as many original period features as possible.
"I love that it's a really honest, quite a plain little building, but it's a lovely shape and proportion," Ms Mactaggart said.
"From what we gather, it was largely bush carpenters working on it.
"It's a credit to the people who come before us."
A nail-biting journey
The church, which is held upright by internal metal rods, was transported on a truck through a narrow, steep crossing on the Mackenzie River.
"I liken it to an expectant mother, and it's birthing day," Ms Mactaggart said.
"I definitely felt a little emotional about it, hoping it would make it here in one piece."
Her builder, Cameron McDouall, said the structure's condition was "as good as it can be" for its age, despite some termite damage.
"It's all timber, whereas the new builds you'll have either lightweight claddings of fibro … or brick, whereas this is just all original timber carpentry work," Mr McDouall said.
Ms Mactaggart says she bought the building to set up as a self-contained house on her property so that visitors or her children, when they grow up, can stay in a separate house.
She was also considering hosting community workshops in the future.
"This building means so much to a lot of people in Duaringa," Ms Mactaggart said.
"I just hope they feel comfortable coming, visiting it and seeing what we've done to it,"
Finding new purpose
The Reverend Andrew Gunton, the moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia's Queensland Synod, said many of their old buildings in small towns are remaining in the church and finding new purposes.
"Uniting Church buildings throughout Queensland are part of the regional story – places of family and community going back generations," he said.
Mr Gunton said they were trying innovative ways of serving the community and keeping church buildings widely used.
He gave the example of Childers Uniting Church in the Bundaberg region, which had a shrinking congregation.
Mr Gunton said they realised one of the biggest challenges for that community was meeting the needs of young people.
"They called in Youth with a Mission [YWAM]), which is a worldwide movement who focus their efforts on young people," he said.
"Some months later, the YWAM work is helping the community and giving new life to Childers Uniting Church."
Preserving country churches
According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data, there has been a growing number of Australians identifying as having "no religion".
In 2021, 39.9 per cent of Australians identified as having no religious affiliation, but more than 50 years ago, in 1971, only 6.7 per cent ticked "no religion".
Ms Mactaggart said she was interested in the renovation project to preserve a piece of country Australia's history.
"It's such a shame to lose these old buildings in town. There's a little church like this in most regional towns that's either being used or not," she said.
"I love seeing things preserved and being able to see what the character, what the history of a town is."
