St Andrew's Presbyterian Church and Hall

Item details


Name of item:	St Andrew's Presbyterian Church and Hall
Other name/s:	St. Andrew's, St. Andrews
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Religion
Category:	Church
Location:	Lat: -31.0784478299 Long: 152.8428282860
Primary address:	67 Smith Street, Kempsey, NSW 2440
Parish:	Yarravel
County:	Dudley
Local govt. area:	Kempsey
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Kempsey

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	3		DP	707914

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
67 Smith Street	Kempsey	Kempsey	Yarravel	Dudley	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Label Craft Pty Ltd	Private	29 Mar 99

Statement of significance:


	St Andrew's Church is a small stuccoed brick structure with corrugated iron roof built in the Victorian Gothic style in 1890. The buildings reflect the evolution of the presbyterian Church in Kempsey. The buildings are aesthetically important to the streetscape. (Heritage Office files)
	Date significance updated: 22 Mar 01
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Construction years:	1890-
Physical description:	St Andrew's Church is a small stuccoed brick structure with corrugated iron roof built in the Victorian Gothic style in 1890. The interior displays an elaborately carved scissor truss roof lined with timber and several original stained glass windows. (Heritage Office files)
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Physical condition is good.
	Date condition updated:22 Mar 01


Current use:	Retail
Former use:	Place of worship

History

Historical notes:

On 9 October 1861 a Mr W Smith presented the parcel of land on which the Church now stands and a small timber hall which was used as a schoolhouse was erected shortly afterwards on the land.

In September 1883 the Rev J. Miller Ross held a meeting of Presbyterians on the Macleay and he was told that there was room for two more Presbyterian Charges. It was decided to start with one, and the outcome was the ordination and induction of Mr Matthew Bell on Sunday, 30 March 1884, as the first Minister of the Kempsey Charge.

As a result the schoolhouse was converted into a Church in 1884 A church was also built at Fredrickton and preaching stations also included Gladstone, Belgrave and Green Hills.

Mr Bell was transferred to Urana in 1888. The Rev John Taylor was inducted on 24 June 1888 and at once formed a Session.

On 16 February 1890 a new church in Kempsey, costing 600 pounds and a further 150 pounds for furnishings was opened. It was constructed adjacent to the old church.

In 1983 the Heritage Council was advised that it was proposed to demolition the Church, old schoolhouse (Church Hall) and manse for the development of a shopping centre. Following a site inspection and report of the Church, the Heritage Council at its meeting of 2 November 1983 recommended that an Interim Heritage Order be placed over the property to allow the excision of a suitable curtilage for the Church.

Following representations by the Presbyterian Church, the local member and the developer it was agreed that a compromise was reached involving retention of the Church and Church Hall and a reduced curtilage, but provided for the demolition of the Manse. This compromise left the way open for the Church and Church Hall to be retained and reused.

The Interim Conservation Order was gazetted on 16 November 1984. A Permanent Conservation Order was placed over the Church and Church Hall on 19 July 1985.

The Church and Church Hall was transferred to the State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 (Heritage Office files)

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Religion-Activities associated with particular systems of faith and worship	(none)-

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register	00384	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former	00384	19 Jul 85	105	3660
State Environmental Planning Policy		23 Dec 94
Local Environmental Plan		19 Mar 93

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Rev C. A. White	1951	A History of the Presbyterian Church of Australia

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045533
File number:	S90/04818 & HC 33045

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