In August 1868, Wesleyan Methodists erected a bark hut of pole construction on Surface Hill to use as a basic chapel.

Concurrent with building the bark hut, the Wesleyan Methodists were planning the construction of a new and more substantial church, under the auspice of the Maryborough circuit.

Eight large foundation stones were laid by prominent members of the congregation, a representative of the local preachers and one of the Sunday school scholars.

An earthenware jar was placed under the first stone that was laid and it contained a copy of that day's Gympie Times, the previous day's Gympie Miner, The Weekly Advocate, The Christian Witness, the circuit plan, a programme of the proposed proceedings of the ceremony, the society ticket for the last quarter (a Methodist membership ticket), a list of the Trustees and officers of the church, a list of the names of the teachers and officers of the Sunday school, the names of the architect, the contractor and an estimate of the cost and fittings of the building.

Each stone-layer was presented with a "polished cedar mallet bearing a chaste silver plate beautifully inscribed."

The final cost of the building, including seating, architect's commission, fittings, gas lights, pipe organ, retaining wall, lightning conductors and opening ceremonies was £3137/16/5.

In 1904, the Reverend Harry Youngman addressed the Chinese members of the congregation in their own language, an event which attracted hundreds of people, non-Chinese and non-Methodists alike.

[1] In 1937, a representation was made to the Queensland Government for the use of relief labour to construct a stone retaining wall along the frontage to Reef and Channon Streets.

The job took over eighteen months to complete and was opened by Frank Cooper, the Queensland Treasurer to coincide with the church's seventieth anniversary.

The street facade (southern elevation) is the most ornate with towers at each corner, lancet and rose windows and other moulded decorations.

The roof is steeply pitched and clad in colourbonded corrugated steel with lightning conductors at each gable end.

[1] The interior of the former church is also cement-rendered with a decorative cornice and mouldings around the windows and at dado and picture rail height.

[1] The former church is entered via two doors which lead into a small, internal porch-like space enclosed with dark stained timber.

An Honour Roll is located within this space, alongside a noticeboard and a set of wall- mounted timber cabinets with leadlight doors.

A hexagonal timer pulpit is located to the left of the communion table area and is decorated with a timber veneered depiction of the Uniting Church symbol.

The building is set on short concrete stumps and clad in weatherboards that are narrow up to sill height and then standard width above that.

The office is housed in a hipped roof annexe at the western end of the building, facing Barter street.

The Benson organ of the former Surface Hill Uniting Church demonstrates rare and uncommon aspects of Queensland cultural heritage.

The stone retaining wall along Reef and Channon Streets is important as an example of work undertaken by relief labour as part of a co-operative scheme between the church and state during the Depression.

[1] The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.

It has special association with Du Rietz, a local Gympie architect who made a significant contribution to the architectural character of the town.