Kiama Lecture Hall 175th Anniversary Celebrations
On Sunday 14 June 2026, the Kiama Jamberoo Uniting Church celebrated 175 years of Methodism in the region.
On Sunday 14 June 2026, the Kiama Jamberoo Uniting Church celebrated 175 years of Methodism in the region. The Kiama Lecture Hall, opened in 1851, is Kiama's oldest church and public building, and, at the time, it was considered to be the first permanent church in the Illawarra.
About 10 years ago, the building had fallen into disrepair. Thanks to an amazing fundraising effort, and with the assistance of the NSW State Government, the building was carefully restored; and today it is it is a beautiful, light-filled space used for a range of activities by many different community groups.
The celebrations began with a joy-filled service of worship led by the Moderator of the Synod of NSW&ACT, Rev Faaimata Havea Hiliau. This was followed by a gathering to unveil a new commemorative plaque outside the historic 1851 Lecture Hall featuring an engraving of Eugene von Guérard's 1859 sketch of Kiama. And, of course, there was a cake to be cut! Guests included the local Members of Federal and State Parliament, Kiama Councillors, past Ministers of the Congregation and ecumenical friends. Also present was the President of the Kiama Historical Society who has helped with a great deal of the research.
The Congregation have also installed new explanatory signs near the plaques on the walls of the Lecture Hall to tell a more human story of the people they commemorate. They remember John Crooks (Sunday School teacher), Methodist soldiers from World War One (Walter and Frank Farquharson, and Wentworth East, as well as a Soldiers’ Honour Roll) and Rev Thomas Angwin (the minister in 1864/5). The plaques were originally hung in the 1862 church building which was destroyed by a storm in the 1960s. A tapa from Tupou College in Tonga was added in 2014.
After the ceremony, to mirror the original opening of the Hall, we had hoped to enjoy a picnic lunch. However, the rain intervened, and we enjoyed lunch together inside the main church building.
Further information has been collated in a booklet
