Ebenezer Church: Australia's Oldest Church and School

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Posted 2012-10-14 by Vanessa M ⇒ follow

Ebenezer Church was established in 1809 and is the oldest existing church in Australia. It still holds a Sunday service at 8.30am every week and is also used for weddings, baptisms and funerals. The church lies right beside the Hawkesbury River on Coromandel Road in Ebenezer, which is not far from Wilberforce and just to the north-west of Sydney. Visitors are free to explore the church and its grounds whenever they wish.

I recommend anyone who is interested in history pay a visit to this place. There is so much to see and a lot of it has national significance. The area is also quite beautiful. It is a combination of elements that is perfectly embodied in the circular garden that lies in the middle of the driveway as a memorial to Elder Ronald Johnston, who was the grandson of Andrew Johnston, an architect who designed the church building and was the first Presbyterian Elder to be ordained in Australia (in 1824). The garden is a colourful assortment of flowers, combining both history and aesthetics.

Behind the garden sits the church, which doesn't look like a typical church. There is no cross, to begin with. But the building has not always been just a church anyway. From 1810 to 1886 the Ebenezer Church also served as a school. It was first called Port Headland Presbyterian Denominational School and later the Port Headland Provisional School. In fact, it is the oldest existing school building in Australia. The Schoolmaster's House lies nearby. Here you can see memorabilia and information on the site's history, as well as get some Devonshire tea or coffee. It is open from 10.00am to 3.00pm every day except Good Friday and a few days around Christmas time. You will find toilets just behind it.

I found the cemetery to be the most interesting part. It was the first Presbyterian cemetery in Australia and is in fact one of the most historically significant cemeteries in Australia. The graves here go as far back as 1813, but there are also others from pretty recently. As you walk through them, it is quickly apparent that there are some recurring names, like Johnston and Grono. The website of Ebenezer Church explains that eight families came to Australia on the Coromandel in and asked to be settled together. Governor King granted them land in this area (then called Port Headland) and seven other families joined them.

Behind all the buildings and graves, furthest from the road, is a very pretty, grassy area that overlooks the Hawkesbury River. Here you will find the bread oven, possibly the oldest structure on the site. It was likely where the bread was baked for students at the school, some of whom stayed here because of the distance they would have otherwise had to travel each day. Photographic evidence has also suggested the bread oven may have initially been the chimney of a timber slab building, which could have been the home of the Cavanoughs (pioneers in the area and one of the second set of families) and later a kitchen for the teacher.

There is definitely a lot to see on a visit to Ebenezer Church, including some attractions that are not strictly on church grounds. Make sure you cross the road and take a look at the tree where Elder James conducted his first service for the area. It's the one fenced off and set against a background of farming land - you can't miss it. You may also want to follow the short road to the left of the church area, where you will find tables and information on the local quarry, which supplied the stone for the church buildings. It's also a good place to keep in mind if you're looking to have lunch in the area and the church is too busy. Despite being so out-of-the-way, it seems to be quite popular