Churches of Tasmania

  The former Collins Street Independent Chapel is one of several Hobart churches associated with businessman and philanthropist, Henry Hopkins (1787–1870). The chapel, which was located at 56 Collins Street, is now hidden behind a facade of a new building constructed in the early 20th century.   Henry Hopkins and his wife Sarah settled in Van Diemen’s Land in 1822. As a result of their efforts Reverend Frederick Miller arrived in Hobart in 1830 to become the first settled Independent minister in Australia. Financial support provided by Hopkins facilitated the building of Congregational churches across southern Tasmania, including the Independent chapel on Collins Street. By the 1850s the chapel was considered too small for the growing congregation and was replaced by a new Congregational church built on Davey Street. The story of the Collins Street chapel began on 11 March 1836 when a number of individuals, who had been members of congregational churches in England, met at Hopkins’ hom

Tullah is a small town on the Murchison Highway approximately 110 kilometres south of Burnie. It was established in 1900 as a remote mining settlement called Mount Farrell. In the 1970s Tullah was used by the Hydro Electric Commission to house workers engaged in the various parts of the Pieman River Power Scheme. At this time Tullah’s population peaked at 2500. The town is divided into two sections; the older northern mining settlement and the newer southern part developed by the Commission. Four churches were built at Tullah representing the Methodist, Catholic and Anglican denominations. These have all closed and in recent years were replaced by the Tullah Community Church. St Andrew’s Anglican church opened in December 1912 but was only consecrated in the following year. A report in the Mercury records the first service taking place on Sunday 15 December: “The first Sunday service has been held in the new Church of England. The building, which is 37ft. long, is not quite completed

Myalla is a rural settlement south of Sisters Creek and the Bass Highway. The district was known as Myalla from about 1905 when roads were planned for the area. The railway from Burnie reached Myalla in 1913. At its peak, Myalla had three churches: an Anglican Mission Hall (1919), a Gospel Hall (1919) and a Baptist church (1923). Of these, only the Gospel Hall has survived closure. The Myalla Gospel Hall was officially opened on Wednesday 29 January 1919. A report in the Advocate provides a few details about the occasion: “A large assemblage from all parts of the district, and visitors from Sheffield, Ridgley, Burnie, and Forest, attended the opening services at the new hall which the Brethren have recently erected at Myalla. The hall was crowded at each of the services. Mr. Geo. Atkinson, of Burnie, opened the afternoon service…Mr. Atkinson then led the meeting in prayer, and afterwards spoke at some length on the need for such a building at Myalla, and expressed his pleasure at the

Forest is a small settlement off the Bass Highway about 12 kilometres south of Stanley in Tasmania’s far North West. The early settlers referred to the area as "the forest" and when an official name was needed it became simply "Forest". The Forest Christian Centre is situated at the intersection of Mengha Road and Backline Road. The church falls under the umbrella of the Association of Christian Community Churches in Victoria and Tasmania. The association describes itself as “a movement of like-minded local churches, predominantly of a Christian Brethren heritage, that have united under a common vision and mission, set of beliefs and core values”. The church was originally established as the Forest Union Church which opened in 1894. (This will be the subject of an upcoming article). The Union Church was to become the home of the Christian Brethren shortly after the turn of the 20th century. The original church adjoins the new hall which was constructed in the 1970s

Prominently situated on the crest of what was once called ‘Potter’s Hill’, Holy Trinity Church is one of Hobart’s most iconic colonial churches. October 2021 will mark 180 years since the laying of Holy Trinity’s foundation stone. Upon the centenary of Holy Trinity’s opening celebrated in 1948, it was noted that the church and its parish had recorded 13 645 baptisms, 4694 marriages and 9653 funerals. No small number of descendants of these Tasmanians have a connection to this church on the hill. ‘Trinity parish’ dates back to 1833 with the appointment of Reverend Philip Palmer as the Rural Dean of Hobart.  The old gaol chapel, later known as ‘Old Trinity’ was the parish’s first church. From 1845 to 1847 a Wesleyan chapel on High Street (now Tasma Street) was used as a place of worship before the completion and opening of Holy Trinity in January 1848. Holy Trinity was designed in the Gothic Revival style by James Blackburn. The church was built along a north-south axis and was construct

The former chapel at Wybalenna is a most poignant symbol of one of the most shameful periods in the history of modern Australia. Purportedly the settlement at Wybalenna was established for the purpose of ‘civilising' and ‘Christianising’ aboriginal survivors of Tasmania’s colonial wars. More accurately it was an enterprise disguised with a “veneer of civilisation” which deliberately set out to extinguish an ancient culture. The following information is drawn from a ‘fact sheet’ written by an unnamed author for “Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania”, a Division of the Tasmanian Government’s Department of Primary Industries, Parks,Water and Environment: “Wybalenna is one of the most significant Aboriginal historical places in Tasmania. It is located on the west coast of Flinders Island, the largest island in the eastern part of Bass Strait. In response to the escalating conflict between Aboriginal people and colonists during the 1820s, the colonial authorities discussed options to remove t

The settlement at Old Beach grew around a ferry service which ran from Austin's Ferry on the western shore of the Derwent River to a landing point on the eastern shore known as Compton Ferry. In 1824, the first settler to receive a grant in the area was John Ogle Gage. At the close of the 19th century Old Beach was described by correspondent for the Mercury: “Lying between Brighton Junction railway station and Risdon Ferry is the district of Old Beach, in which farming is the staple industry… habitation is scattered, and the public buildings are the Anglican and Methodist churches and the State school….”. While the establishment of St George’s Anglican church (1881) is well documented, the older Wesleyan Methodist church has left little trace in the historical record. The church opened in March 1853 and for about 20 years it was the only place of worship located in an area stretching from Pontville to Bellerive. By the 1870s the Anglican’s were using the church once a month by “the

Smithton is the commercial and industrial centre of the Circular Head district in the far northwest of the island. The early settlement was known as Duck River but this was changed to Smithton in 1895. Smithton is named after an Irishman, Peter Smith, who had been a constable, and later the licensee of ‘The Plough Inn,’ at Stanley. The Salvation Army first appeared at Smithton shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Over a period of about 70 years the Salvation Army built three halls at two sites; both on Nelson Street. The first hall, which was built in 1908, is the subject of this article. In September 1908 the Launceston Examiner reported: “About 2, years ago the Salvation, Army sent officers to Smithton with a view to starting their cause here. They soon gained followers, and last Sunday had the satisfaction of opening their new barracks, which was done by Staff-Captain Glitheroe and Officer Hammond. Three service were held, and at the conclusion of the evening service picture