Churches, Halls and Cemetery

Anglican

Churches

St Augustine’s Church in Highfields was on the corner of Reis Rd East and the New England Hwy and was established by 1873. 

"six miles from Toowoomba on the property of Mrs Palmer, the old Mortuary Chapel, from Drayton cemetery, is being erected and converted into a place of worship, and divine service will be performed there in each Sunday alternatively by the Church of England and the Presbyterian Minister" (DDG 11/02/1874, p 3).

 According to a book on Spring Bluff History, the church was at Ballard's Camp (in the 1860's). Some of the stained-glass windows from the original church were used in the Holy Trinity Anglican church at Geham. 

The church was still there in 1933 as there was a marriage there (27/09/1933) of Mr and Mrs Jim Wilkes (photo to the left), LP and D Ryan bought the land in 1958-59 and the church was either moved or demolished by 1960.[8]

An extract from the DDGazette 25 Nov 1919:

The old historic Anglican Church at Highfields is undergoing a large amount of improvements and repairs. A new park fence has been erected and iron gates. The sanctuary has been renovated and hung with coloured curtains. A gravel path has been made leading to the church and the bell has also been re-erected. The cost of those improvements has almost been defrayed by the local residents- who are very enthusiastic over the matter. A brass memorial tablet is to be erected in the church in memory of members of the Palmer family, the church having been presented by Mrs Palmer. A brass alms has also been presented by the parishioners in memory of Mr William Palmer who was for over 28 years, warden of St. Augustine Highfields. On December 14th a dedication and memorial service is to be held conducted by Archdeacon' Rivers of Toowoomba.

The Holy Trinity Anglican Church at Geham was originally built in 1887 with "opening services at Geham on Sunday October 16" (TC&DD General Advertiser 15/10/1887). The list of "Closed churches" has the dedication date as 29/10/1891 by The Most Reverend St Clair Donaldson[9]. The 30-person church was built by the Plant family, and services were held on the fourth Sunday of the month. It was situated on Plants Lane. It is about 400 metres southwest of the school. It was demolished in 1940s about a mile away and rebuilt on the present location.

On 28 September 1986 there were centenary events with Grace Kinmond (nee Plant) at the celebrations. Grace started Sunday school in 1919 at the age of 5, walking a distance of about 5 miles with her two brothers and seven sisters. Her grandmother Mrs Sam Plant cleaned the church every Saturday for many years (Anglican Focus No 102, Oct 1986)

On 2 Nov 1889 a successful "Geham festival" was held at the Church. The road leading the church at every available place was decorated with  flags...over the gate an arch of evergreen was erected with the Union Jack...on one side and the other the German flag; underneath was a beautiful motto "welcome to all" entwined with rose, shamrock, thistle and leek...with the motto "friendship and unity" (TC 9 Nov 1889 p 4).

A committee member of the church, James Crighton, (whose ancestor was the builder Samuel Plant), said "the current caretakers were too old to continue looking after it. Only about nine people attend per month, which is why they've decided to cut their losses. It's never been connected to electricity - there's no toilet, you had to use a bucket."

The church closed in 2018. [9] 

St Gregory's 

This church was at Meringandan and opened in 1886. Before that services were held in the Lutheran church there.

St Martin's

St Martin's Anglican Church was opened at the Cabarlah Barracks in 1959 but closed circa 1961.[9] 

Catechist Training Centre 

Fernbank House (see businesses) was sold to the Anglican Church in 1906 and was used as a catechist training centre [2]. Archdeacon Arthur Richard Rivers established small ‘brotherhood’ of catechists at Cabarlah near Toowoomba, who worked the Highfields, Crow’s Nest, and “Goombimgee” districts. At the same headquarters he had founded a 'college' which served the twofold purpose of training young men for the office of catechist and giving a preliminary training to those who might enter the ministry. Classes at Cabarlah were to be held for probationers on four days a week during term, with four terms of ten weeks each year. Subjects included Bible, elementary Latin and Greek, elocution, and parish work. They were to receive two years' tuition, board and lodging free, and ten shillings per month pocket money. The Archbishop, at his discretion, might select some of the probationers as candidates for Holy Orders. There is no record of how many probationers ever went to Cabarlah[3]. A committee of 'leading laymen' found that the Cabarlah establishment was not viable, and it was closed at the end of 1909.

Hall and Sports Ground

It was reported in the newspaper that a new Masonic Hall had been built in 1896 and the local Masons journeyed to Cabarlah to consecrate the hall built for the Aubingy Lodge

There was an early hall owned by Lovejoy at least from 1904. 

The current Cabarlah Hall was opened in 1924[4] and was owned by the Farmer’s Arms Hotel (Jim Telford at the time). A sports afternoon followed by a grand concert and dance was held on the 23 August 1924 with the proceeds devoted to the reduction of the Holy Name Parish (TC & DDG 22 August 1924) 

Dances were regularly held at the hall after WWII with more than one romance blossoming! Jack Hoad met his future wife Dorothy there, as did Merv Reis and his wife Hazel (in Beyond Tall Timbers).  

(Photograph from Tall Timbers of Hall in 1984)

Extract from Geham school history (p 49):

The land behind the hall was first used as a sports ground in the twenties where cricket was played (children from the Geham school went there). "At this time, part of the land was owned by the publican [i.e. Farmer's Arms] and part by the Plant family whose butchery slaughter yard was where the present oval now is built. Sports, horse events (bending and flag racing) and rough riding were held there in the twenties and camp drafting in 1931. 

DDG 6/11/1928: From Land Commissioner, Toowoomba, with reference to the Council's application an behalf of the Cabarlah Cricket Club, for an area of acres 2 roods 16.6 perches of Subdivision 1A of portions 301 and 302, parish of Geham, to be set apart as a sports and recreation reserve, and desiring to know whether any further action was desired as regards the proposal of the department that if the Council was prepared to recoup the Crown to the extent of £13/18/2, action would be taken to set the land apart for a Sports and Recreation Reserve, under the Council's control as trustee.—To be advised that as the Cabarlah Cricket Club did not see its way clear to assist in the matter, no further action was desired by the Council." [por 301 and 302 are between Evans Rd West and Castle Street road reserves]

In the Toowoomba Chronicle (6th March 1924), a report is made of the "initial meeting of the Cabarlah Sports Committee" of which John Kynoch, chairman of the Highfields Shire Council was the Patron. Other members included vice-patrons, A. C. Moore , MLA and Ald. A. R. Godsall, Mayor of Toowoomba. The chairman of the committee was 0. E. J. Bartlett, the Geham State School headmaster, and the secretary and treasurer were Mr. J. J. Brennan and Mr E. Robinson, respectively. The Cashier was Mr. W. Quinn. The Committee decided to organise sports to benefit St Vincent's Hospital. There were horse events and rough riding in the programme. 

Football was played in the early 1920's and a concrete cricket pitch laid in the 1930's. Throughout the years, various organisations have held sports days, dances, concerts and other functions. There were pictures shown and dances held in the hall. Children from the school remember going to fancy dress balls in aid of the school. 

Buck-jumping shows were staged near the hall during the second world war. 

• 1970 saw a new dance floor and other extensions[5]

• 1970, the Cabarlah Rodeo was held to raise funds for the Geham State School centenary which was held in 1971. There were bending races, flag races, jumping, bullock rides, poddy and steer rides, barrel races and the favourites of the junior members of the crowd, catching the greasy pig. The winner of the throwing the broom race, nomination fee - 10 cents, won the broom!"

• 1975 the Farmers Arms and the Hall was bought by the Framers Arms Pty Ltd. (a group of residents from Toowoomba and surrounds under the leadership of David and Lea Rapoport[5].

The Cabarlah Sports committee was formed in 1976

The Cabarlah Community and Festival Committee ran events from 1975-1979 and purchased the hall and adjoining land from the hotel in 1978 (under the leadership of the longstanding chair of the Cabarlah Hall and Sports Committee)[5].

• 1986 Des and Valda generously agreed to sell part of their property on the western side of the Hall to complete the Cabarlah Hall Sports Ground

• 1986 the two committees joined to form the Cabarlah Sports and Festival Committee.

• 1988 the inaugural meeting of the Highfields Lions Club was held[5]

• 1992 there was a local version of Hey Hey its Saturday.

• 1993 a fundraising "Beauty Quest" and gala presentation night was held.

• 2024 air-conditioning was installed[5]