Stawell, VIC - St Matthew's Uniting

History and Architecture:

A site for the first church was secured for the first Church in what became and still is Church Street, and Henry Henderson No. 2 submitted designs to the committee for the Church. The dimensions of the building were 28-feet x 44-feet, with galvanised iron sides and a shingle roof, and it was capped off with a belfrey.

The current church was originally built as St Matthew's Presbyterian church and was opened on 11 April 1869. The church was built at a cost of £2,000.00 and an anonymous donor donated £1,352.00 for the spire and tower.

The building comprises 40,000 bricks which cost 35 shillings per 1,000 at the time. A tender from Moriarty and Hassell for building the tower £262 for stonework and £150 carpenter's work and fittings) was accepted, and a tender from a Mr Williams' of £200 was also accepted for plastering the tower. Mr Williams' tender at £225 was accepted for building the spire. The cost of the copper ball and cross on top of the spire had also to be included.