Churches of Tasmania

On 25 April 1820, the Wesleyan Missionary, Benjamin Carvosso arrived at Hobart on route to Sydney from London. Carvosso preached the first Methodist sermon in Van Dieman’s Land on 28 April 1820 from the steps of the Hobart Town Court House. Carvosso’s wife Deborah, stood alongside him and led the singing of the first Methodist hymn in the colony. After his visit, a second missionary, Ralph Mansfield, spent a fortnight in Hobart, preaching almost every day before sailing for Sydney on 8 September 1820. On 29 October 1820, a meeting to form a Methodist Society was sponsored by two laymen, Benjamin Nokes and George Waddy. The beginning of regular Methodist services is dated from this occasion. On 12 February 1821 the first meeting in the Argyle Street chapel was held. This building was a rented carpenter’s shop owned by Charles Donn. The chapel was situated on land bounded on the north-east by Argyle Street and on the south-east by the Hobart Rivulet. The site, now occupied by the A...

Devonport was established in 1890 with the merging of two towns on the opposite banks of the Mersey River; Formby on the west bank and Torquay on the east bank. The area was first settled in the 1840s. The Gateway Church, also known as the “Don Centre”, is located on Don Road south west of the city centre. The church was previously located on George Street and has been active in Devonport for about 50 years albeit operating under different names. Gateway Church is a member of the Australian Christian Churches (ACC); the World Assemblies of God Fellowship in Australia. Gateway Church provides substantial support for the community through various associated charitable entities. Gateway Church's previous premises at George Street. Image credit: Halliwell Property Links of interest: https://www.gatewaychurch.net.au https://www.facebook.com/gatewaychurchdevonport/

Stanley is a historic town on the far northwest coast approximately 80 kilometres west of Burnie. The Van Diemen's Land Company once had its headquarters in the area which was originally known as Circular Head. It was later named after Lord Stanley, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, who went on to serve three terms as British Prime Minister. Stanley’s Presbyterian church is one of the oldest churches on the North West coast. It is also unique in that it was the first prefabricated iron church imported to Tasmania. From 1853 Presbyterian services were regularly held in the Stanley police office. The first minister was Reverend James Garrett who periodically came from Launceston in a small boat. In late 1853 a meeting of subscribers decided to build a Church of Scotland at Stanley and “resolved to build an iron church if funds permitted”. At the following meeting in February 1854 instructions were given “in writing to Mr Gibson, who was about to visit England, to buy an iron...

Devonport was created from the merging of two towns in 1890 on opposite banks of the Mersey River; Formby on the west bank and Torquay on the east bank. The area was first settled in the 1840s. The Devonport Kingdom Hall is located on Tugrah Road close to the Bass Highway. Little information is available about the Devonport Kingdom Hall. The Jehovah's Witness diverges from the mainstream doctrines of Christianity in that it is a non-trinitarian tradition. Jehovah's Witnesses believe their denomination is a restoration of first-century Christianity. It is a ‘closed’ church and its practices have led its critics to regard it as a sect. The historical persecution of members of the Jehovah’s Witness in many countries, including Australia, has further contributed to the denomination maintaining a low profile in the media. For this reason the history of the Jehovah Witness in Tasmania presents a challenge to research. The following information is derived from the Jehovah Witness’s ...

Moltema is a small rural settlement approximately 3 kilometres west of Elizabeth Town at the junction of the Brooklyn and Railton Roads. It was formerly named Whitefoord Hills but this was changed to Moltema in 1915. The name Moltema is an aboriginal word meaning “to run”. The Moltema Anglican Church Hall opened Saturday 16 November 1929. It was built with the dual purpose of a community hall and Anglican church. The Burnie Advocate announced the opening of the building in a brief report. “At Moltema,… has just been completed a very fine church hall for the services of the Church of England,.and for social gatherings in the district. The need of such a building has long been felt and a very energetic committee with Miss C. Sharman as secretary and Mr C. Little as treasurer left no stone unturned in raising the funds to erect the hall. The plans were donated by an architect, of Hobart, and the contract was let to Mr. B.J. Cameron, of Deloraine, who carried out the work with all speed an...

New Town is a northern suburb of Hobart. It is also one of Hobart’s oldest suburbs and consequently the area contains many historic churches. New Town became a municipality in 1907 but was absorbed into Greater Hobart in the 1920s when its municipal status was relinquished. In the late 1850s, New Town’s first Wesleyan Methodist chapel was built at a site on Pirie Street. [ see No. 873 ] It was used for only seven years before it was replaced by the landmark church at the intersection of Cross Street and the Main Road. The foundation stone fo the new church was ceremonially laid on Thursday 21 December 1865. The Hobart Mercury reported: “The foundation stone of the New Wesleyan Church at New Town was laid yesterday afternoon by Mr Alderman Barrett. The weather was anything but favourable, although at the time appointed for the ceremony, (4 o'clock), the rain ceased, and the remainder of the afternoon was fine. The attendance (as expected) was limited, but among those present we obs...

Devonport was created from the merging of two towns in 1890 on opposite banks of the Mersey River; Formby on the west bank and Torquay on the east bank. The area was first settled in the 1840s. While an Anglican church was established at Torquay (East Devonport) in the 1860s, Formby (West Devonport) lagged behind and only acquired a ‘permanent church’ in 1906, although Anglican services were held regularly from the mid 1880s: “Several denominations have held divine service in Formby for some time past, the church of England alone being unrepresented till now. Yesterday, (Sunday), the Rev. Mr. Hogg officiated to an overflowing congregation at the school-room in Formby. These supplementary services are to be regularly continued, as they evidently meet a great religious want”. (The Examiner 1885) By 1886 plans were underway for the construction of a temporary Anglican church: "A growing necessity is felt for the erection of a permanent Church of England, especially as the temporary ...

Waratah is a former mining town located approximately 80 kilometres south of Burnie. For a brief time Waratah was the site of the largest tin mine in the world. The town had its beginnings in 1871 when James "Philosopher" Smith discovered tin at Mount Bischoff. The population of Waratah reached 2500 at its peak but is now under 300.  Anglican services at Waratah began in the early 1870s with Reverend Richard Smith of Table Cape (Wynyard) making the treacherous journey to the mining camp on two or three occasions, holding services in a tent. In September 1877 Reverend R. Hayward of Emu Bay chaired a meeting where a decision was made to build a church. The foundation stone for the building was laid ceremonially laid on Monday 8 April 1878 by the Bishop of Tasmania, Charles Bromby:   “The residents of Bischoff have first been gratified by receiving a visit from His Lordship the Bishop of Tasmania, who, accompanied by the Rev. R. Hayward and Mr. Willis, of Table Cape, left Emu ...

Cambridge is a suburb in the greater Hobart area and which in recent years has developed into an industrial estate and a commuter town. In the very early period the Cambridge area was known as Hollow Tree. The Cambridge Kingdom Hall is located on the old Cambridge road approximately 1 kilometre north-east of Mornington. The Hall replaces a Kingdom Hall built at Derinya Street, Mornington, in the 1970s. The old hall is now the premises of the Bugeido Karate School. The Jehovah's Witness diverges from the mainstream doctrines of Christianity in that it is a non-trinitarian tradition. Jehovah's Witnesses believe their denomination is a restoration of first-century Christianity. It is a ‘closed’ church and its practices have led its critics to regard it as a sect. The historical persecution of members of the Jehovah’s Witness in many countries, including Australia, has further contributed to the denomination maintaining a low profile in the media. For this reason the history of th...

Detention is a rural area on the Bass Highway approximately 30 kilometres west of Wynyard. It takes its name from the Detention River, originally called the Tret River. In 1826, when the river was in flood, a party of surveyors from the Van Diemen's Land Company were stranded for several days, thereafter it became the known as the Detention River. The Detention River Christian Community, (previously known as the Rocky Cape Christian Community) is located in the former Detention River Baptist Youth Camp which was acquired in 2017. It is an Anabaptist community, a conservative Christian group with roots going back to 16th century Europe. Its members are expected to give up their possessions for the common good. The Tasmanian community was established in 2005 by the Elmendorf Christian Community of Minnesota. The Detention River Christian Community describes itself as: “A self funded Christian Community that provides spiritual support in the areas of loneliness, marginalisation, famil...

Scotchtown is a rural area on the northwest coast approximately 3 kilometres south of Smithton. The former Gospel Hall, which has been converted into a house, was established by the open Christian Brethren. The Christian Brethren originated in Great Britain in the 1820s. By the mid 19th century the movement had spread to Australia, with the first revival meetings held in Tasmania from 1869. Fellowships were established at Hobart, Launceston, the Huon Valley, Smithton, Sheffield, Wynyard, Burnie and Scottsdale by the end of the 1870s. As a lay movement with no ordained ministry, the Christian Brethren were ideally suited to rural communities. The Brethren placed an emphasis on weekly communion, the baptism of believers by immersion, and evangelism. The Christian Brethren should not be confused with the 'Exclusive Brethren, (now known as the Plymouth Brethren) a restrictive group which broke away in 1848. In Tasmania, most Brethren are ‘open’, unlike the 'exclusive' Brethren ...

Wivenhoe is a suburb of Burnie situated on the east bank of the Emu River. It has developed into an industrialised area being less than 3 kilometres south-east of the city centre. In the 1850s the area was named after the town (and parish) of Wivenhoe in Essex County by Captain Henry Butler. Two Methodist churches were established at Wivenhoe, a weatherboard church hall which opened on Pearl Street in 1923 and a cement brick church on Philip Street built in 1954. Little is known about the earlier church which had only a brief existence. Early Methodist services were held in the Wivenhoe State school and by October 1921 weekly services being held. Progress towards building Wivenhoe’s first Methodist church was well underway by late 1922. In December of that year the Advocate reported: “For some time past the Burnie Methodist circuit has owned an allotment of land in a central position at Wivenhoe. With a view to the erection of a church in the near future a well-attended and enthusias...

New Town is a northern suburb of Hobart. It is also one of Hobart’s oldest suburbs and consequently the area contains many historic churches. New Town became a municipality in 1907 but was absorbed into Greater Hobart in the 1920s when its municipal status was relinquished. The Russian Orthodox Church on Augusta Road is the only parish church of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tasmania. It is also home to the Holy Cross Serbian Orthodox Mission. Construction of the church commenced in 1956 and was completed in 1963. The parish's first priest, the Very Reverend Archpriest Theodore Borishkevich, served from 1949 until his death in 1972. A curious feature of the church is a headstone placed near the entrance of the building. It is in memory of Gregory Belawin, Assistant Paymaster of the Russian Imperial Corvette, Boyarin, who died in May 1870. In 1870 the Boyarin visited at Hobart while on a voyage around the world. During the stay the crew were welcomed and entertained by the citize...