Historic former Adelaide church to be converted into mosque as Muslim group expands

A 177-year-old former church in the Adelaide central business district is set to be redeveloped into a mosque as part of a major Muslim group’s nationwide expansion.

The 1848 bluestone building on the corner of Franklin Street and Shannon Place was sold to the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA) in September after being home to a belly dancing studio for the past three decades.

The Sydney-based non-profit Muslim organisation, which owns Australia’s largest mosque in Lakemba, also bought a 1930s church in Strathmore, Melbourne, during the same month, and said at time both sites would be “respectfully redeveloped as mosques”.

LMA President Hajj Hafez Alameddine said earlier this month the acquisitions signalled the beginning of a “truly national footprint” for the organisation, which also has mosques in Cabramatta in western Sydney, and Young in regional NSW.

“Our vision is national and we plan for our expansion to extend to other states, providing religious, youth, health and humanitarian programs similar to those which have been part and parcel of the LMA for more than six decades,” he said.

A spokesman told The Messenger this week the purchase of the Adelaide church, which is not heritage listed, was in its final stages and a carefully considered planning application would be eventually be lodged with council.

“The property has not yet settled, so we’re still working through the details around costs, planning and timing, and no planning application has been lodged at this point,” the spokesman said.

“The interest in the building comes from a clear and growing need for a mosque in the Adelaide CBD for Muslims who live, work and study in the city.

“The local Muslim community has responded positively, with an understanding that the project will move forward carefully and in consultation with council.”

Last year the Albanese Labor government gave the LMA a $1.65 million “social cohesion” grant to deliver programs to young people, as part of a broader $25 million package to “support Australian Palestinian, Muslim and other communities affected by the conflict in the Middle East”.

In 2024 the LMA received $4.6 million in government funding, including grants, making up 36.8% of its total revenue, according to its latest financial statements, and earlier this year had an application to blast a prayer call from the Lakemba Mosque minaret rejected.

Header image: Left, the former church (Toop + Toop). Right, Muslims fill the streets out the Lakemba Mosque to pray (Facebook).

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