No. 1437 - Gladstone - Southern Presbyterian Church

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Gladstone is a small and remote town situated on the banks of the Ringarooma River in northeast Tasmania. It was first settled in 1870 by tin miners; a large number of whom were Chinese. In 1880 the discovery of gold in the area boosted the town’s population but once this was exhausted tin mining became the mainstay of the local economy. Gladstone is named after British Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone, who had also served as Colonial Secretary.

The former Southern Presbyterian church on Gaffney Street was located in Gladstone’s original Anglican church built in 1910.

The Southern Presbyterian Church is a small denomination that is exclusive to Tasmania. There are now only two congregations; one at East Launceston and the other at Glenorchy. The church was formed in 1986 after it broke away from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, which was founded in Launceston in 1961. Worship in the Southern Presbyterian Church is characterised by preaching, prayer and the unaccompanied singing of Psalms. The Southern Presbyterian Church's beliefs and practises are loosely aligned with the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Australia, the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

The Gladstone church was sold in 2013 and converted into a residence.

The former Southern Presbyterian Church at Gladstone. Photo: realestate.com


Sources and further information:

https://spctasmania.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Presbyterian_Church_(Australia)

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