History
Laura History
Early Years of the Baptist Church
Early Years of the Baptist Church
* Prior to the arrival of Europeans the district was home to the Nukunu First Nations people.
* By the 1840s there were a number of large pastoral holdings in the area.
* The first European in the area was Thomas Burr in 1842.
* Beetaloo Station had been established as a cattle run in 1844.
* In the early 1870s the pastoralist, Herbert Bristow Hughes, took over Beetaloo Station.
* By 1872 he had surveyed and subdivided much of his holding and named the settlement Laura, after his wife.
* The Laura Brewery Company operated from 1873-1893.
* In 1882 the Corporate town of Laura was established.
* By 1884 there was a railway line running from Gladstone to Laura.
* The Laura Standard newspaper was first published in 1889.
* C.J. Dennis worked as a barman for his father in 1898 but they soon fell out and he left and went to Broken Hill.
* The District Council of Laura was established in 1932.
* The railway was closed in 1969.
Early Years of the Baptist Church
Early Years of the Baptist Church
Early Years of the Baptist Church
With vision, dedication, and a commitment to community, the Walter family left an indelible mark by erecting the iconic Laura Baptist Church, a structure that has stood the test of time and served as a spiritual haven for generations.
Built in 1875, the church's doors swung open for the very first service on..., and it became a cornerstone of the town's identity.
1874- Building works began. Church was large enough to seat 150.
1875- Opened for worship November.
1876- Formation of Fellowship August 18.
1903- Lecture Room built. Eventually became the Sunday School room.
1922- Church renovated.
1923- Memorial windows installed.
1926- Front Fence erected.
Golden Jubilee
Early Years of the Baptist Church
Memorial windows
Photograph taken pre 1923.
In 1926 The Golden Jubilee was not only a celebration of the church's existence but a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the congregation who had carried its legacy forward.
To celebrate their first 50 years, the 3 Sunday services on August 8th were above capacity.
There were 'demonstrations' held in the Sunday School, a High Tea, a picnic, and a Jubilee Birthday cake cut by Marie Walter, the last surviving Founding member.
The current intricate front fence was erected in honour of the Jubilee.
Memorial windows
Memorial windows
Memorial windows
The building has 6 treasured stained-glass windows, each with memorials dedicated to those who were influential in the early years of the church. We have carefully researched those memorialised in these windows, and this is displayed on the walls of the building.
* Heinrich and Johanna Walter
* David and Mary Golding
* Percival Thorn Smith, Uriah Smith and David Smith
* Henry Walter
* Richard Humphris
* John and Elizabeth Walter
Transition
Memorial windows
Restoration
2022- Decision made by members of Laura Baptist Christian Community to sell the historic building and move to a space in the heart of the town to enable the church to be a more visible and active presence in the community. They now reside in House of Hope in the Main Street of Laura.
April 2022- Property placed on the market for sale. We immediately arranged an inspection and put in an offer.
August 2022- Last Baptist Service in the building.
August 2022- Little Blessings Brewing moved in.
August 2022- March 2024- Renovations to open as Little Blessings Brewing.
Restoration
Memorial windows
Restoration
We have documented our restoration project from August 2022- March 2024.
We created a video clip of our journey here.
Restoring this building has been the hardest and biggest thing we've ever taken on, but it's been a labour of love.
The memorial stained-glass windows will be restored in stages as we can manage it.
We are grateful to everyone who has been part of this reno; tradesmen, volunteers and friends. It's been an incredible effort by so many!