6 churches to convert into your business dream for sale right now in Australia
Churches all over the world have been successfully converted into stunning commercial, residential and cultural spaces.
Swapping pews for pints, many have been reborn as restaurants, cafes, craft breweries and cocktail bars, with religious-themed names such as The Confessional, State of Grace or The Altar Bar.
Capitalising on their history and architecture, often featuring high ceilings and glass-stained windows, investing in a repurposed church could be just the divine calling your next chapter needs.
Whatever its next incarnation – from unique stays to luxe homes, creative hubs to co-working spaces, yoga halls to wedding venues, libraries to bookstores – the list of worthy resurrections is infinite.
Here are six old churches praying for a buyer to get you started.
Launceston
Known famously as “the old white church with the paint peeling off”, this Gothic revival-style building was built in 1859 and has become a well-known Tasmanian landmark.
Take advantage of all the hard work already done to revive the church into office space, with original flooring and arched stained glass windows adding a different touch.
The current owner, guided holiday specialist Tasmanian Walking Company, is letting go of the former Chalmers Church after buying the architectural space as their headquarters in 2023.
“True beauty comes from within, but we love the character that the shabby exterior brings to the building,” the company’s website reads.
“The church was bought and sold multiple times, and was even a residence in the 1900s. Graeme and Jodie Walker purchased the church in 2011, and the transformation of the new Chalmers began.”
The church was deconsecrated in 1981 and renovated over several years, before being tenanted by a design company, Walker Designs, in 2014 for nine years.
The church was designed by architect William Henry Clayton and named after Scottish preacher Thomas Chalmer.
Barney View
This 117-year-old church in picturesque Barney View has been lovingly restored from top to bottom.
Located in Queensland’s Scenic Rim, the church was built in 1908, when it was known as the Thulimbah Methodist Church.
Over the years, the church’s name has changed, but what has remained the same is the charm it holds.
Recently, it was revived with a new roof and chandeliers, fresh paint and sanded-and-sealed original timber floors.
Located just an hour and 40 minutes from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the hinterland treasure is ideal for wedding and event venue hire, plus it has the potential to add a caretaker’s cottage.
Will you be saying “I do” to Barney View?
Thornbury
Located in a tightly held corner of Melbourne’s vibrant inner north, this 1422 square-metre site includes a former church, hall and cottage – and it’s looking for its next owner.
Just seven kilometres from the CBD, the property is in a prime location with three street frontages and is well-connected with both the tram line and Thornbury and Croxton train stations, only moments away.
The high-profile corner site is also close to Thornbury’s eclectic mix of shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as Northcote Public Golf Course and Mayer Park.
Tailem Bend
Grab hold of a piece of history with this cute-as-a-button church that dates back to 1927.
Located in Tailem Bend, a rural town in South Australia, 85 kilometres south-east of Adelaide, the property also includes an additional hall and sits on a 412-square-metre block.
A short stroll from the centre of town, it’s the perfect space for a restaurant, studio or perhaps the town’s newest B&B.
Campbells Creek
If you’re after space, then look no further than the gold rush town of Campbell’s Creek.
This “rare and exciting” historic property operated as a school for over 40 years and features an original Methodist church that dates to 1860.
With seven extensive school buildings that sit on a hectare of land, this property offers endless possibilities.
Bulla
Dating back to 1858, this former Presbyterian Church is located in Bulla, Victoria, just 40 minutes north-west of Melbourne’s CBD.
Sitting on a sprawling 1.01-hectare parcel, the historic bluestone church with pretty stained glass windows was designed by architect Thomas M. Taylor, who also designed the nearby St Mary’s Anglican Church.
The property comes paired with a semi-renovated five-bedroom home, perfect for community groups, investors or large families.
