About us

St Luke’s Church, Maddington has a rich Anglican heritage dating back to the 1880s, when local residents first gathered for worship in a small shared building at Mason’s Landing, which also served as a school and courthouse. As the population grew, the need for a dedicated church led to fundraising through fetes, tea parties, dances, and community events. This resulted in the construction of the first church at Kenwick, which was consecrated on 29 September 1884 by Bishop Parry.

Although the first church became an important spiritual centre, it deteriorated over time due to construction limitations and was eventually demolished, leaving only its foundation stone. The bell and belfry, donated by the widow of Sheriff Roe, were preserved as lasting heritage items. Worship later continued in nearby districts while plans developed for a new church.

In the early 1920s, the Maddington community once again raised funds for a new place of worship. Designed by local architect Richard Butler and built by Bill Verrell, the present St Luke’s Church was constructed largely through local effort and donations, including furnishings provided by parishioners. The church was consecrated in 1926 by Archbishop Charles Owen Leaver Riley, with the original 1884 foundation stone installed inside the building near the altar.

From its earliest years, St Luke’s was a vibrant centre of community life, hosting services, social gatherings, youth groups, concerts, and dances. Strong parish involvement helped sustain church life through both growth and hardship, including wartime periods when lay readers maintained services with small congregations. Over time, dedicated clergy and parishioners continued to develop youth programmes, music, and community activities that strengthened parish life.

As the original building aged, major repairs were undertaken with significant volunteer support, but it was ultimately replaced. Efforts were made to preserve the historic structure, but it was demolished due to structural concerns. The present church was consecrated on 24 May 1987 by Archbishop Dr Peter Carnley, and the original foundation stone was carefully preserved and installed in the new building.

A new church was subsequently built on the corner of Sheoak Road and Westfield Street, Maddington, and was opened in 1987. It was dedicated and consecrated on 24 May 1987 by the Most Reverend Peter Carnley, Archbishop of Perth. 

More than 300 people filled the new St Luke’s Church in Maddington to witness its dedication by the Anglican Archbishop of Perth, Dr Peter Carnley.

In the traditional dedication ceremony for new churches, Dr Carnley knocked three times with his staff on the closed doors, which were then opened by the rector, the Rev. Peter Brain. The architect and builder, Terry Holton of Rimini Homes, handed the keys to the Archbishop, stating that they had been commissioned by the people of the parish to design and construct a new worship centre. “Our commission has now been fulfilled,” they said, “and we now hand you the keys to this building.”

During the first part of the service, the Archbishop blessed and dedicated various parts of the church before conducting the Holy Communion service.

The modern brick building replaces the earlier St Luke’s Church on Albany Highway, which was built in 1926.

Among those attending the dedication were two former rectors of the Gosnells parish: Canon Brown (1950–1956) and the Rev. Bill Adams (1964–1973). Canon Brown is now retired, while Rev. Adams serves as rector of East Claremont Anglican Church.

In 1987, during the demolition of the original St Luke’s Church building in Maddington, a rare and memorable heritage moment occurred with the opening of a time capsule that had been placed behind the Foundation Stone when it was laid in April 1926. The capsule, a simple pickle bottle, was opened by Bishop Kyme, who noted that he had never before experienced such an occasion, and the event attracted strong interest from parishioners and members of the local community. Among those present was Mrs Randell, who had attended the original foundation stone ceremony as a seventeen‑year‑old girl and was able to recognise many of the names recorded in the documents preserved within. When the cork was removed, several coins emerged, including two threepences and a well‑worn 1884 coin bearing the image of Queen Victoria on one side and Britannia on the other. The contents also included pieces of The West Australian newspaper dated Saturday, 24 April 1926, a formal document recording the laying of the Foundation Stone and listing the Rector, Leonard Arthur Marina, committee members, parish secretary, and Ladies’ Guild members, and a copy of The Church of England Monthly News from April 1926, which detailed parish services, baptisms, Easter celebrations, advertisements of the time, and an appeal for parishioners to contribute toward the cost of producing the magazine. References within the documents provide a vivid insight into parish life in the 1920s, including the Rector’s reliance on a horse and sulky to cover his extensive parish and advertisements that reflect everyday life, transport, health remedies, and entertainment in Perth at that time. Together, these carefully preserved items offer a tangible and deeply personal connection to the faith, commitment, and community spirit of those who established St Luke’s Church, forming a lasting link between present‑day parishioners and the generations who laid its physical and spiritual foundations.