The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was built in 1935-1936. It is the first purpose-built Russian Orthodox church in Australia and one of the early parishes of the Russian diaspora after the events of 1917.

At that time, many Russian white émigrés were leaving the Soviet Union and sought to move to Australia. In response, the Queensland government relaxed its immigration restrictions. As a result of the influx of émigrés in the early 1920s, the first Orthodox parish was established in Brisbane.

In 1925-1926, the parish acquired a house on the site of the current cathedral and transformed it into a church. In 1926, Father Alexander Shabashev became the official rector of the parish. In 1930, the parish was registered as the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church.

With the appointment of Father Valentin Antoniev in 1933, fundraising began for the construction of a new church, which was to be a monument to the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II.

Engineer and parishioner Grigory Mechonoshin developed the construction plan. In mid-1935, tenders were announced, and the contract was awarded to builder B. Robinson. Parishioner Golovznin assisted in the technical construction of the dome. Construction began in 1935, and in October 1936, the church was consecrated by Greek Orthodox Archbishop Timothy, as there was yet no Russian Orthodox bishop in Australia.

The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas plays an important role in preserving Russian culture and religion in Brisbane. Services are conducted in liturgical and Church Slavonic languages, with an English service held every two months. The church houses a significant library of Russian works, and much of the Russian cultural identity in Brisbane is tied to the traditions of Russian Orthodoxy and the Nicholas Cathedral.