In response to inquiries to Grand Lodges across several Australian and New Zealand Masonic Territories regarding the “Grand Lodge of Queensland (GLQ),” the following is provided to shed light on the matter.

The Grand Lodge of New Zealand, The Grand Lodge of South Australia and the Northern Territory, The Grand Lodge of Tasmania, The Grand Lodge of Western Australia, The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, The United Grand Lodge of Queensland and The United Grand Lodge of Victoria consider the Grand Lodge of Queensland as irregular for the following reasons:

Irregularity of Constitution
The Grand Lodge of Queensland ceased to exist by virtue of the creation of The United Grand Lodge of Queensland, despite incorrect claims that it simply went into recess. This is not the case.

Absence of Sovereignty over Territory
An important precondition for the regularity of any Grand Lodge is its sovereignty over its territory.  In the case of the Grand Lodge of Queensland, having attempted to form unilaterally and without consent of or treaty with the United Grand Lodge of Queensland, it does not exercise authority over the territory of Queensland or any other Australian or New Zealand Masonic Territory.

It is a core tenet of Freemasonry that regular members of the Grand Lodges (listed above) extend mutual recognition and promote visitations and fellowship between regular members who are “in amity”. It is one of our ancient landmarks that every regular Freemason is amenable to the laws and regulations of the Masonic Jurisdiction in which he resides.

All Grand Lodges in Australia and New Zealand are aware of the spurious organisation titled the “Grand Lodge of Queensland”. These Grand Lodges are recognised governing sovereign bodies of Freemasonry within their own masonic territory in Australia and New Zealand.

Each is in amity with the others listed. Similarly, each are the only entities in each state or territory that are in amity with the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Ireland, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and numerous other regular Grand Lodges around the world.

The Grand Lodge of Queensland (GLQ) is NOT connected with the United Grand Lodge of Queensland in any way. This so-called “GLQ” has been irregularly formed and accordingly any Lodges of that organisation as such are deemed to be irregular or clandestine Lodges.

Currently, a small number of irregular Freemasons have formed or are seeking to form irregular or clandestine lodges in Victoria and Queensland named The Clydesdale Lodge (Victoria), Woolgooga, Theebine and Clifton (Queensland) and an irregular Scottish Lodge named Caboolture (Queensland).  These lodges purport to be part of the “GLQ” (or Scottish Constitution in the case of Caboolture) and have indicated a willingness to create further irregular lodges in other Australian and New Zealand masonic territories.

Any regular Freemason who may become a member of a clandestine Lodge, or who may have any involvement in the formation of such a Lodge (even by way of ‘visiting’), will be regarded to have immediately repudiated their membership of the Regular Grand Lodge to which they belong.

This disqualifies them from belonging to regular Craft Lodges, or from visiting other associated Lodges and orders. Those irregular Freemasons will be regarded as being in “darkness” and will be subject to exclusion.

Should there be any questions with regard to this matter they should be directed to the Grand Secretary in the first instance.

MWBro. Richard Elkington
Grand Master