Detailed History

1948The first wave of post-war Serbian immigrants arrives in Brisbane. 
1952The first gathering of Serbs in Brisbane is held under the banner of the “Yugoslav Club”. 
1953The inaugural assembly of the Church-School Community is held on the 25th September 1953 in the hall of “St Luke’s” Anglican Church in the city. The key players were Father Budimir Djukic and Dusan Vujadinovic, a pre-war Yugoslav judge. 
1955The Church-School Community was registered on the 8th December 1955 as the “Serbian Orthodox Ecclesiastical School Community of St Nikolas – Queensland”. The registration was done via Letters Patent, issued by the Governor of Queensland, Sir John Dudley Lavarack, on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The president was Milijan Brankovic. 
1956On the 12th November 1956, property was purchased at Bayliss St, Toowong for the purposes of building a hall. The hall was constructed through the efforts of community volunteers lead by Boro Vukotic. 
1959The hall was opened on the 3rd May 1959. The blessing was done by Father Budimir Djukic. The hall was used for church services, functions, schooling, folkloric dancing, plays etc. 
1960King Peter II of Yugoslavia visits the Serbs of Brisbane. 
1963Schism in the Serbian Orthodox Church abroad. 
1964The schism affects the Church-School Community in Brisbane causing a split in parishioner loyalties. Father Budimir Djukic was barred from serving in the Toowong hall. Members who remain loyal to Father Budimir Djukic and the church in Serbia resume services on the 29th March 1964 in the Anglican “Trinity Hall” in the Valley. Ownership of the church property is in dispute and a prolonged period of legal action begins. Similar problems affect many parishes within Australia.  
1966Church services are held in the Russian “Lotus Hall”. On the 8th May 1966, the first full committee since the schism is formed with Jovo Aleksijevic as president, Milos Ilic as secretary and Stevo Ilic as treasurer. 
1968On the 30th January 1968, Father Budimir unexpectedly passes away. The spiritual needs of our parishioners were ministered to by Father Grigorije, parish priest of “St Seraphim” Russian Orthodox Church on Hawthorn St, Woolloongabba. 
1969Bishop Lavrentije visits Brisbane. 
1972Father Dusan Kuridza arrives from New Zealand and conducts his first service on the 13th May 1972. Services are held in the Russian and Greek halls and in the unused Methodist church in Ross St, Woolloongabba. 
1973With legal proceedings surrounding the church property at a deadlock, Bishop Stefan who was on fact finding mission regarding establishment of a Diocese for Australia, advises the community to purchase a separate property.   The old Methodist church on Ross St is purchased on the 26th August 1973 for $26,500. Conditions of the sale were negotiated by the President Milos Ilic, Treasurer Djuro Crnomarkovic and committee member Dusan Ilic who also pledged to honour the agreement if the church community was unable to. The trustees for the purchase were Father Dusan Kuridza, Djuro Crnomarkovic and Milos Ilic. 
1974 Renovations began in 1974 and continued for many years. The entry of the church was reconstructed; the interior was adapted to the Orthodox style and a new brick altar was constructed. The work was done by volunteers in the community under the guidance of master builders Djordje Licina and Djuro Crnomarkovic. 
1975The adjacent house at 8 Ross St is purchased. 
1978Renovations continue with the hand carved church iconostasis completed by Milos Popadic. Father Svetozar Ciric replaces Father Dusan Kuridza in December. 
1980Icons for the iconostasis are ordered from the Zica Monastery in Serbia for $6,000. A new church hall and priest’s residence are constructed to the rear of the church. 
1981The renovated church is consecrated on the 27th December 1981 by Bishop Vasilije. Trusteeship of the church property passes to Father Svetozar Ciric, Perica Bobic and Milos Ilic at an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 23rd August 1981. 
1982Father Nikola Bilic serves with Father Svetozar Ciric. 
1983Father Svetozar Ciric retires from service on Nov 1st 1983. 
1985The legal action started as a result of the 1964 division is settled out of court. The settlement grants the Church-School community ownership of half the Toowong Hall, the original Letters Patent registration papers and the church archives up to 1964. The Church-School community proceeds to purchase the other half of the hall, fully restoring its ownership of the property. The hall is renovated and restored. 
1987The property at Ross St is transferred from trustees to a body corporate registered on the 16th February 1987. 
1990Seven acres of land was purchased at Loganholme, 35km to the south of Brisbane. Father Dusan Stefanov takes over from Father Nikola Bilic. 
1992The schism within the Serbian Orthodox Church abroad is healed. Today, there are three church parishes in Brisbane that trace their origins to the Church-School community pre-1964. Father Dragoljub Pantelic takes over from Father Dusan Stefanov. The church hall in Toowong is sold. 
1993From the proceeds of the Toowong hall sale, 2 houses on Lockhart St in Woolloongabba (adjacent to the rear of the Ross St properties) are purchased. 120m2 of land from 10 Ross St was also purchased with the intention of providing extra room for a new church. 
1994At the Annual General Meeting on 27 November 1994, It was decided to sub-divide and sell the land at Loganholme with the intention of the money being used to build the new church. The sale took place over several years. 
1995Large numbers of Serb refugees are arriving in Australia from the fighting in the former Yugoslavia. A federal government backed refugee support group is established to help refugees settle into the Australian community. The coordinator is Dusanka Ilic. 
1996Father Jovan Cvetic takes over from Father Dragoljub Pantelic. 
2000At an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 26th August 2000, it is decided to proceed with the construction of a new church. Mile Mirkovic is president. 
2001In June provisional sketches of a traditional Serbian-Byzantine style church were commissioned for submission to the Brisbane City Council for approval. The architect was Ljubica Bosnjak from Belgrade, Serbia. 
2002Conditional approval was granted in July 2002 for the new church with the help of committee member Dina Bojic. On the strength of this approval, Ljubica Bosnjak was commissioned to draw up detailed church plans. 
2003The house at 8 Ross St is demolished and construction of the new church begins. The builder is Bosko Gojkovic. 
2004           Due to the specialized nature of the work, Milan Spasenovic, an expert in church construction, is sponsored to come from Serbia to work on the building of the church. The site was blessed by Bishop Milutin on 17th March 2004, and the foundations on 20th June by Father Jovan Cvetic and other priests. By December 2004 the walls of the church are completed and preparation for roof areas begun. To speed up construction, the church also sponsors Zeljko Sekulic, from Serbia, to work on the church. 
2005In February, Milan Spasenovic and Zeljko Sekulic arrive to continue work on the church. By year’s end, the domes and roof are complete. The exterior is rendered by Milan Prodanov, (Charlie and Sons). Two crosses, made by Dusan Lalic, are blessed by Bishop Milutin on 11th December 2005 and set atop the domes the next day. 
2006The interior is rendered, again by Milan Prodanov (Charlie and Sons). Covering the domes and roof in copper is completed. This specialized task was being done by Dusan Lalic assisted by his wife Sonja. 
2007Some progress was made on the exterior and interior fit out of the new church. Church hall kitchen and bathrooms receive a major upgrade. On the 14th April 2007, the new church’s bells are blessed by Bishop Irinej and installed the same day. On the 22nd December 2007, the first ever service is conducted in the new church by Bishop Irinej and the assembled clergy of Brisbane. 
2008Electricity was connected to the new church. Floor tiles and workmanship were donated by Zivan Zlatkovic. During the tiling, services were held in the old church. On Vidovdan June 28th 2008, services were relocated back to the new church on a permanent basis. Copper guttering and down pipes were installed. Fit out of the interior continues…
2018The church is consecrated by Bishop Siluan (Mrakic) on the 30 September
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