Churches of Tasmania

Ranelagh is a township situated on the Huon River approximately 2 kilometres north of Huonville. Formerly known as Ranelagh Junction it had previously shared the name ‘Victoria’ with neighbouring Huonville. Four religious denominations have been represented at Ranelagh including Methodist, Catholic, Salvation Army and the Anglican. The Anglican presence at Ranelagh dates back to 1839. By 1850 a simple ‘bark church’ was in use. In all, three churches were built in the second half of the 19th century and the sequence of their establishment can be summarised as follows: 1853 - The first permanent church, a brick building, was constructed in 1853. It was consecrated in the following year. The building could seat about 100 people but little more is known about it. 1879 - A second church was built. This was a timber structure which was consecrated in 1880. 1896 - A third church (the present building) was built after a fire destroyed the earlier church. While little is known about the second ...

Kingston is a large town located approximately 12 kilometres south of Hobart. The area was first settled in 1804 and was known as Brown’s River, after Scottish botanist Robert Brown, who had visited the area. The settlement later became known as Kingston which was eventually officially adopted in 1882. The Uniting Church at Kingston is located on a 3 acre site at Boronia Hill, which previously served as a Presbyterian youth campsite, Rowallan Park. The camp operated from the 1950s through to the 1970s. The site included a basic wooden church hall and simple dormitory facilities. It was named after Lord Rowallan (Thomas Corbett), who served as the Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth from 1945 to 1959. During the post-World War II era, it was highly popular for churches to name camp sites and bush properties after prominent scouting figures to highlight outdoor education, resilience, and youth fellowship When the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational churches merged in 1977 to ...

St John’s Presbyterian church was the third Presbyterian church built at Hobart. The first church, which opened in 1824, still exists and is located behind the Scots Memorial Uniting Church (then called St Andrew’s) on Bathurst Street. [ See No. 1524 ] By the time St Andrew’s opened in 1837 it was already evident that the building would not be large enough to accomodate the Presbyterian community. The fact that three Presbyterian churches were built within the space of 20 years is testimony to Hobart’s Scottish community, who, while not the largest group numerically, exerted a vastly disproportionate level of influence over the colony's economy, architecture, media, and civic institutions. The arrival of Scottish free settlers established a strong Presbyterian foothold in the colony. In 1822, the Reverend Archibald Macarthur arrived in Hobart as the first ordained Presbyterian minister. Macarthur was replaced by Rev. Dr John Lillie, (1837–1854) who is widely regarded as the most i...