They were built as a means of dealing with the challenges of a small population of mixed religion and a shortage of clergy.

The construction of a union church at Purga at such a late stage in the development of Queensland is unusual.

The church was built and maintained by voluntary contributions from members of several denominations in the district and clergy from different religions led combined services.

It has many design features that are typical of simple rural churches including a steeply pitched roof and a pulpit.

After changed circumstances rendered its tenure less secure, the Friends of Purga Association moved the church to its present location in 1995 because they feared its loss.

A second building, the Purga Federation Community Cultural Centre (opened in 2001) is located at the rear eastern corner.

Concrete stumps have been used to replace the original timber and elevate the building to a height of approximately one metre.

Access at the front of the building is via a porch and a set of double, ledge and brace timber doors.

[1] The interior of the church comprises a single room that is unlined and unpainted with the exception of the window frames, which are finished in coloured varnish.

The timber floor is bare, except for a long narrow carpet extending the length of the room along the center.

The top half consists of a single panel extending the full width of the central part of the pulpit.

This panel is decorated with fretwork depicting an elliptical radiant sun motif surrounded by a floral pattern.

On top of this is a book rest inclined at approximately twenty degrees and finished in blue felt fabric.

At the front western corner of the block, there is a memorial garden dedicated to Helen Kay Aquilina.

[1] Purga United Church was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 6 September 2005 having satisfied the following criteria.

They were built as a means of dealing with the challenges of a small population of mixed religion and a shortage of clergy.

The construction of a union church at Purga at such a late stage in the development of Queensland is unusual.

The church was built and maintained by voluntary contributions from members of several denominations in the district and clergy from different religions led combined services.

It has many design features that are typical of simple rural churches including a steeply pitched roof and a pulpit.

After changed circumstances rendered its tenure less secure, the Friends of Purga Association moved the church to its present location in 1995 because they feared its loss.