Presbyterian Centenary Queensland

An illustration of a burning bush appears on a white background. Blue and red text borders the rim. 

The Presbyterian Church has a long history in Queensland, Australia. As documented in a history of the church for a centenary event, from their perspective the church began in 1849 as a missionary movement to colonize and convert the Aboriginal people of the land. The Aboriginal people defended themselves against the forced imposition of religious beliefs, which often resulted in violent events as the church persisted its mission. The Church went through a number of iterations and ups and downs—including having a cyclone destroy the church and mission station in 1936. For the centenary event in 1949 they created a new church building and the site became a local monument in Queensland. In 2023, the Church refused to take part in acknowledgement of country, a recognition of the Aboriginal owners of the land that takes place at many Australian public events; Australia remains the only country colonized by Britain that has no government treaty with the Indigenous people.