The Friary, in Brookfield, was operated by the Anglican Society of St Francis. Located on the former site of St Christopher’s Lodge, it was the first Australian friary of the Society of St Francis. The Friary provided residential care for young people on probation and for people with mental health issues. It was established in 1966 and licensed on 1 April 1980. The licence was cancelled prior to closure of the institution on 28 August 1981.
According to a timeline in the collection of Kenmore & District Historical Society, compiled by Jane Scragg, the Friary was a ‘halfway house’, providing temporary shelter for men after their discharge from prison. It would seem that some young men under the age of 18 were accommodated at the Friary.
After the Friary closed in 1981, the property lay idle for a time, until it became the Brookfield Centre for Christian Spirituality, in the late 1980s.
From
1966
To
1981
1966 - 28 August 1981
The Friary was situated at 139 Brookfield Road, Brookfield, Queensland (Building Still standing)