St Andrew's Uniting Church

The St Andrew's Uniting Church, Apollo Bay is part of the Presbytery of Western Victoria and the Uniting Church Synod of Vic & Tas. Land for a Presbyterian church building was donated by Mr John Finlayson in 1905, with a further lot next door purchased in 1907. The church building came from the Reformatory, which was built on farmland, which had been owned by Colonel Heath. Mr McKenzie built the stone block foundations, with the stained-glass window donated by the Thomson family in memory of their father, who started the first bakery in Apollo Bay. Following WW II it was difficult to find ministers for the districts churches,  which encouraged combined activities with the Methodists. In the early 1950s the interest in union grew, with a formal agreement between the two churches agreed on 12/12/1956, with a formal amalgamation service held on 14/5/1857. A joint ownership trust of the Presbyterian property in Nelson Street was concluded in 1959, with the Presbyterian property being sold to the trust. In 1958 the Moore Street Methodist Church, and its hall, the former Skenes Creek Methodist Church, were moved to become the Sunday School and hall at Nelson Street. Both halls were destroyed by fire in December, 2008.  A  new Community Hall was erected to replace the earler halls. More historical information/photographs of the church/congregation are invited, Photographs uploaded 29/9/2021.