St. John’s
Church
688 Nudgee Rd, Northgate
Mass Times:
Friday – 9:00am
Anointing and Healing Mass every second Friday of the month
Adoration:
First Friday of the month following 9am Mass
Confession by appointment
Contact via the Parish Office at
(07) 3268 3040
[email protected]
St John’s Church, Northgate
St John’s Catholic Church in Nudgee Road, Northgate was Australia’s first civilian church erected as a Royal Australian Navy War Memorial Church. Archbishop Patrick O’Donnell blessed and opened it on Sunday 5th August 1962.
The Navy Minister (Senator Gorton), the officer-in-charge of the Eastern Australian area (Rear Admiral G.Gatacre) and the Naval officer-in-charge, Queensland (Commander J. Ferguson) were present at the Opening.
On Thursday, 2nd August 1962, Northgate’s Parish Priest (the Rev Father V. Rowan) formally received from the Naval Association a roll of honour bearing the names of 171 sailors, enlisted in Brisbane, who died in World War II.
St John’s Convent School, under the care of the Presentation Sisters, was opened on 9th December 1951 and the first classes commenced on 29th January 1952. The school closed on 31st December 1995.
St John’s Church and School were under the leadership of one priest based at Our Lady Help of Christian’s, Hendra until steps were taken to formalise an amalgamation of the two Parishes.
A Parish Meeting dated Tuesday 1 December 1981 at which the parishioners of St John’s were consulted by members of the Archdiocesan Consulters, namely Fathers Kearney and Mollison. While they indicated that they were operating as two parishes and two schools, they were under the leadership of one priest who administered the two entities as one unit. This document also suggests that Fr Peter Gillam who was appointed to Hendra on the First Sunday of January 1977 was then in charge of the St John’s Parish of Northgate. A second letter of appointment dated 8th September 1980 from Archbishop Francis Rush stated, ‘This letter will serve as official confirmation of your appointment as Parish Priest of Hendra and of the enlargement of the Parish to include what was the Parish of Northgate.’ However no formal signed decree was undertaken at this time.
In response to the omission of a signed decree when the Archbishop enlarged the parish of Our Lady Help of Christians, Hendra to include the parish of St John’s Northgate in 1980, Fr Michael McCarthy (now Bishop McCarthy), then Parish Priest of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, petitioned the Archbishop on 5th August 2013 for a formal signed degree of amalgamation of the two Parishes. On 2nd October 2013, after having consulted the Council of Priests, Archbishop Mark Coleridge signed the decree that the parishes of Our Lady Help of Christians and St John’s were amalgamated to form the new parish of Our Lady Help of Christians, Hendra.
This decree was back dated to the 8th September 1980 when a letter of appointment was signed by Archbishop Rush appointing Fr Peter Gillam as the Parish Priest of the parish of Our Lady Help of Christians, Hendra and to include the enlarged area which was previously the parish of St John’s, Northgate.
St John’s now rests in the care of the Parish Priest of the amalgamated Parish of Our Lady Help of Christians.
St John’s Royal Australian Navy Memorial Church
Significantly in Mother of Mercy Parish, St John’s Church at Northgate, holds a unique place in both local and national history as Australia’s first purpose-built civilian church dedicated as a memorial to members of the Royal Australian Navy. Completed and blessed in August 1962, the church was established not only as a place of worship for the growing Catholic community of Northgate, but also as a lasting tribute to naval personnel who served and sacrificed their lives during the Second World War.
The church was commissioned during a period of significant growth in the parish and was designed by the Brisbane architectural firm Corbett and Ryan. Its distinctive modernist design reflects the architectural style of the early 1960s while incorporating memorial elements that honour Australia’s naval heritage.
A central feature of the memorial church is the Honour Roll presented by the Queensland Branch of the Naval Association of Australia in 1962. Located at the base of the church’s bell tower, the memorial records the names of 174 Royal Australian Navy personnel who enlisted in Brisbane and lost their lives during the Second World War. Together with the Royal Australian Navy crest and commemorative plaques displayed at the church, it serves as a permanent reminder of their service and sacrifice.
The significance of St John’s extends beyond its role as a parish church. Its rare status as a naval memorial church and its strong association with Australia’s wartime naval history have led to its inclusion on the Brisbane City Council’s heritage register. The church is recognised for its historical, social and commemorative value, as well as its enduring connection with
generations of parishioners, veterans and the wider community.
Today, St John’s continues to serve as both a vibrant place of worship and a place of remembrance. Through its unique history and ongoing ministry, it preserves the memory of those who served in the Royal Australian Navy while remaining an important landmark within the Northgate community.
Sources:
Brisbane City Council. (2026). Heritage citation: St John’s Church, Northgate (Original
citation published 2011). Brisbane City Council.
Keogh, J. (2024, April 21). Way We Were. The Sunday Mail.
Heritage Citation
Brisbane City Council has formally recognised the rich history of St John’s with a heritage citation.
To read further about the history of St John’s, click here.