No. 1516 - Hobart - Melville Street - Hillsong (2024)

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Hillsong Church, commonly known as “Hillsong”, is a global charismatic pentecostal church founded in Australia. The original church was established in 1983 by Brian Houston as the Hills Christian Life Centre. Up until 2018 Hillsong was a member of the Australian Christian Churches (the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God).

In 2020 Hillsong Church purchased the heritage-listed former Avalon Theatre located on Melville Street. The building underwent renovations commencing in 2022 and the church was officially opened on 9 Sunday June 2024.

The building has a long and interesting history. Although best known as the Avalon Theatre it was in fact built as a Temperance Hall which opened 1 May 1890 and was the home of The Tasmanian Temperance Alliance. The Temperance Hall was used for religious gatherings and live entertainment and public meetings. As influence of the Temperance movement in Australia diminished afterThe Great War, the venue was used for dances, skating and as a cinema projecting silent films. The hall was eventually sold in 1922. In the years that followed the venue operated as the Bijou Theatre hosting pantomimes, boxing, travelling theatre productions and live music. In 1932 the theatre was remodelled and reopened as Hobart’s first talkie picture house; the Avalon Theatre. The Avalon was taken over by Village Cinemas in July 1969 and closed in November 1976. After this it became the premises of an electrical appliance store for over 30 years. In 2013 building was used as a weekend indoor market. The market permanently closed in September 2017.

Hillsong on Melville Street: Photo: Hillsong


The era of the Avalon Theatre (c.1961) Photograph: Libraries Tasmania, Item number AB713/1/7442


Glass slide - Temperance Hall, Hobart / J W Beattie Tasmanian Series 621a (Libraries Tasmania)


Sources:

https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/65076
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalon_Theatre,_Hobart
https://www.facebook.com/hillsonghobart/
https://hillsong.com/australia/hobart/

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