First a short explanation of the history of Freemasonry in Queensland.

In 1864 Queensland’s first Lodge, North Australian Lodge No. 796 was formed under a Charter from the United Grand Lodge of England. Subsequently, other Lodges were formed under the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland as well as England.

In 1904 the Grand Lodge of Queensland was formed by 25 Irish Lodges and 14 Scottish Lodges. No English Lodges joined and quite a few Scottish Lodges also did not join this Grand Lodge. As a result there was some disharmony as the Grand Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland did not recognise the GLQ.

On the 30th April 1920 all the other Lodges not in the GLQ (except for two English Lodges) joined to form the Queensland Grand Lodge.

On the 21st April 1921 the two Grand Lodges, GLQ and QGL, combined to form the United Grand Lodge of Queensland. Up to that time there were 200 Lodges with 12,063 members in the Queensland Grand Lodge and 80 Lodges with the Grand Lodge of Queensland. By 1986 there were 459 Lodges with 27,395 members under the United Grand Lodge of Queensland. In 2014 there are 283 Lodges. We are almost back to the numbers of 1921.

The two English Lodges that did not join the UGLQ are still in existence and still come under the United Grand Lodge of England. They are Port Curtis Lodge No. 2235 at Gladstone and the Geraldton Lodge No. 3544 at Tully.
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Cooroy: On the 28th June 1911 a preliminary meeting of 13 Worshipful Brethren and Brethren was held in Cooroy and it was resolved that a petition should be sent to the GLQ requesting that a warrant be issued for a Lodge to be called “Lodge Cooroy”. The district of the Lodge to be set at a ten mile radius around Cooroy. This petition was supported by Wor. Bro. J. Jackson, of Lord Dufferin Lodge and Wor. Bro. J. T. Lowe, of Nambour Lodge.

On the 4th October 1911 the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Queensland, Most Wor. Bro. Adolf M. Hertzberg, accompanied by his Grand team including Most Wor. Bro. William Jones, Deputy Grand Master, attended the consecration of Cooroy Lodge No. 58 and the Installation of its first Worshipful Master.

Most Wor. Bro. Hertzberg conducted the consecration ceremony and Most Wor. Bro. Jones conducted the ceremony of Installation and the Investiture of the Officers.

There were seven Past Masters present from Lord Dufferin Lodge, including Wor. Bro. J. Jackson and four Past Masters from Nambour Lodge, including Wor. Bro. J.T. Lowe.

The foundation officers of the Lodge were:

Wor. MasterWor. Bro. J.L. Boden
I.P.M.Wor. Bro. J.T. LowePM of Nambour Lodge
S.W.Bro. J. Fisher
J.W.Bro. H.L. Cooper
Chap.Bro. A. Martin
Treas.Bro. E.H. Edwards
Sec.Bro. C.B. Mills
S.D.Bro. R. Lack
J.D. Bro. E.J. Sneesby
D.C. Wor. Bro. W. Cronk
I.G.Bro. T. McC. Kenyon

The interesting point is that Cooroy Lodge No. 58 was not formed under the Grand Lodge of England, Ireland or Scotland but under the Grand Lodge of Queensland. It was sponsored by two originally Irish Lodges.

The meeting time for Cooroy Lodge No. 58 was set down as the Thursday on or before the full moon.

Queen Alexandra: On the 20th September 1913 a warrant of constitution from the United Grand Lodge of England was issued to form a Masonic Lodge in Eumundi. The Lodge to be called the “Queen Alexandra Lodge No. 3709”, and on the 16th December of that year the Lodge was consecrated. The meetings were held in the School of Arts Hall in Memorial Drive. The foundation Worshipful Master was Wor. Bro. E.C.W. MacArthy. The Lodge met on the first Saturday after the full moon.

It is interesting that there was already a Lodge under the UGLE by the name of Queen Alexandra. This is No. 2932, constituted on 21st July, 1902 and is still in existence. On 4th December 1940 a Warrant of Confirmation was issued as the original warrant had been destroyed by fire.

No. 2932 originally met in the Alexandra Palace, Muswell Hill, London. It now meets in the Freemason’s Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London.

Cooroy Building: In 1913 Cooroy Lodge was having some financial problems but by 1914 things had improved and land was purchased and the first Cooroy Temple was built. Subsequently on 24th April 1915 the temple was dedicated by the Grand Master, Most Wor. Bro. Adolf M. Hertzberg. The Bible which is usually kept in the shelf above the Secretary was signed by Adolf Hertzberg on the day of the consecration but he has dated it the 4th April 1915. Adolf Hertzberg signed the Bible on as the 4th April and then signed a copy of the procedure on as the 24th April.

Lodge Loyalty: At 3.30 pm on Saturday 23rd November 1918, in the Coronation Hall, Cooroy, District Grand Lodge of Queensland, Scottish Constitution, was opened in the first, second and third degrees in full form.
Presiding was Rt Wor. Bro. Thomas S. Burstow, Esq, Grand Master of Scottish Freemasonry in Queensland. Among those accompanying him were Jno Telford as Substitute District Grand Master, T.W. Brown as District Senior Grand Warden and E.P. Saunders as District Junior Grand warden.

The Rt Wor. Grand Master intimated to the Brethren present (96 in number) that the meeting had been called for the purpose of inaugurating a Masonic Lodge in the rising town of Cooroy, to be named the Lodge “Loyalty”, to meet at the Coronation Hall, Cooroy.

District Grand Secretary read the dispensation for charter granted by the Rt Wor. Grand Master in favour of the Lodge, and the Lodge “Loyalty” was duly constituted, dedicated and proclaimed, and the Lodge room consecrated.

District Grand Lodge was closed in the third, second and first degrees at 5.20 o’clock p.m..
After an adjournment of 30 minutes, in the presence of an increased number of visiting Brethren, Lodge “Loyalty” was opened by Wor. Bro. E. P. Saunders, P.M. of Lodge “Cooroora” No. 1128, after which the Rt Wor. Master, Bro. H. Robinson, was installed, and the office-bearers of the Lodge invested by the Rt Wor. Grand Master, assisted by District Grand Lodge Office-bearers.

At that point there was no mention of Lodge Loyalty’s Number. The District Grand Master would have had the right to grant dispensation for the Lodge to be formed but there would have been some delay in the correspondence between Queensland and the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Eventually Lodge Loyalty was numbered 1181. Several other Lodges were formed in Scotland after Lodge Loyalty but as there would have been less delay in the post they were given lower numbers. e.g. Lodge Royal Ancient, in Aberdeenshire, was formed on the 6th February 1919 and its number is 1179.

The above information is from the minutes of the District Grand Lodge dated 11th November 1918. Note the date:- 11th November 1918! Part of the minutes read:

“District Grand Lodge was resumed and opened at 7.55 o’clock in the evening in full form and with solemn prayer.

In consequence of the feeling of anxious anticipation in connection with the termination of the war a special messenger was despatched to ascertain the latest news, and on his return, the R.W. Grand Master announced that Germany had signed the armistice. The Doxology and National Anthem were fervently sung by the Brethren, after which the business of the evening was proceeded with.”

Queensland Grand Lodge: In 1920 Lodge Loyalty No. 1181 G.L.S. joined the Queensland Grand Lodge but as there was already a more senior Lodge called “Loyalty” the name was changed to Lodge Sunrise and its new number was 198.

Queen Alexandra Lodge would also have joined the Queensland Grand Lodge in 1920 but I have not been able to find its No. under that Grand Lodge.

Formation of UGLQ: In 1921, when the United Grand Lodge of Queensland was formed Queen Alexandra Lodge became 231 U.G.L.Q. At the same time Lodge Sunrise No. 198 became 270 UGLQ.

Now we come to what appears to be an error in the records. The Cooroy installation cards and Past Master’s Board showed Cooroy No. 58 existing up to 1925. This is not possible. UGLQ was formed in April 1921 and GLQ and QGL ceased to exist. Therefore the installation cards and the Past Master’s Board should have shown Cooroy Lodge becoming Cooroy Lodge No. 212 in 1921. Cooroy United’s warrant in 1925 shows Cooroy Lodge No. 212 UGLQ amalgamating with Sunrise Lodge No. 270 UGLQ.

Amalgamation Cooroy and Sunrise: In 1924 discussions began between Cooroy Lodge and Sunrise Lodge with the aim of amalgamation.

On the 14th March 1925 the two Lodges amalgamated to form Cooroy United Lodge. The consecration ceremony was performed by the then Grand Master, Most Wor. Bro. Robert N.F. Quinn and his Grand Lodge Officers.

Most Wor. Bro. Quinn had been the District Grand Master Depute, Grand Lodge of Scotland under Rt Wor. Bro. Burstow at the time when Lodge Loyalty was consecrated.

As in most areas the Lodges in the Cooroy Eumundi area would have had their hard times and their good. The

Brisbane Courier Mail of 20th September 1928 reported:

“Lodge Installation:- The installation of Bro. L.F. Baldry as W.M. of Lodge Queen Alexandra No. 231 of the U.G.L.Q. for the ensuing term, and the investiture of his officers took place at the Eumundi temple in the presence of a large gathering of the Brethren on September 15th when fraternal visits were made by the Cooroy United and Maroochy (Yandina) branches. Wor. Bro. E.B. Fox of Nambour was the Installing Master, being assisted by Wor. Bro. G. Scott as Director of Ceremonies. The following officers were installed:- etc.”
Another newspaper article on 13th August 1929 reported on the “Second Masonic Ball” held by Cooroy United Lodge on 10th August.

“The second Masonic Ball under the auspices of Lodge Cooroy United No. 212 U.G.L.Q. took place in the Cooroy Masonic Hall last night. The interior of the hall was most artistically decorated in shades of blue and gold and Masonic emblems, being the work of Mr. and Mrs. B.J. Banfield and Wor. Bro. W. Roberts. The supper was in charge of the Lodge stewards , and prepared by the ladies, supervised by Mrs. F. Fisher. The guests were received under the swords of a guard of honour by the W.M. Wor. Bro. W.G. Mackenzie and Mrs. Mackenzie and W.B. Ralph I.P.M. and Mrs. Ralph.”

It goes on to describe the dress of nearly every woman who attended. Guests came from as far away as Tamworth, NSW, Beaudesert and Kingaroy.

Music was by the Cooroy Oddfellow’s Orchestra.

New Cooroy Building: In the early 1990’s it was planned that Queen Alexandra would sell their property at Eumundi and Cooroy United would sell their building for removal and the money Queen Alexandra received for their sale be used to build a new temple at Cooroy where both Lodges would meet. Cooroy United sold their building to the Belli Bamboo Parkland and the sale of the Eumundi property fell through. This left Cooroy United homeless for a while.

When Helidon Lodge handed in its charter Grand Lodge gave permission for the Helidon Temple to be transferred to Cooroy. In April 1996 the building was shifted to Cooroy. A builder was employed to add an extension at the front and add the Kitchen and toilet area at the side. The original building was quite small. The actual Temple was only about half the size it is today. The tessellated pavement was approximately one metre square.

As soon as the builder had completed his part, working bees commenced on the painting, inside and out, fitting furniture, seating, and tree planting. The Noosa Council insisted that at least 100 trees be planted.

By August 1996 the new Temple had been dedicated by the Grand Master, Most Wor. Bro. I.K. Smith, a member of Cooroy United Lodge, and the first meeting was held.

Cooroy Queen Alexandra Lodge: In the early 2000’s Queen Alexandra Lodge sold its building in Eumundi and held its meetings in the Cooroy Temple.

On the 24th October 2009 Cooroy United and Queen Alexandra Lodges amalgamated to form the Cooroy Queen Alexandra Lodge No. 212. The ceremony was carried out by the then Grand Master, Most Wor. Bro. G. Ewin.

Bro. Robert Carmichael
Director of Ceremonies,
Cooroy Queen Alexandra Lodge No. 212.
3rd July 2014

Bibliography: Minutes of Grand Lodge of Queensland 11th December 1911
Minutes of District Grand Lodge of Queensland G.L.S. 11th November 1918
Cooroy United Lodge No. 212 History 1996
www.trove.nla.gov.au
Lane’s Masonic Records 1717-1894. www.hrionline.ac.uk/lane/records
The Masonic Grand Masters of Australia by Kent Henderson
Year book of the Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland