St Paul's Anglican Church - Former

The photograph and the following notes were taken from history boards in the Katunga Reserve.

St Paul's Anglican Church, Katunga - The first church was a weatherboard building, erected by volunteers and located at the south west corner of Numurkah Road and Spences Road.

In March 1889 it was decided the building could be re-sited to the Methodist block in Katunga. The building was used then for Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican services from 1897 to 1911.

From 1948, when the Anglicans sold the building, until 1952 the Anglicans used the Katunga Public Hall for services. Then transferred to the Methodist church which had been relocated from Picola West.

In 1958 the A J C Preserving Company donated a block of land for an Anglican Church. In 1963 an army hut was acquired and put on the site. Plans to erect a new church did not eventuate and the army hut was extended and modified instead. The remodeled building was dedicated on 10/11/1968 by the Right Rev Theodore McCall, 4th Bishop of Wangaratta.

 The church celebrated 100 years of worship on 26/10/1966, attended by the Right Rev Robert Beal, 7th Bishop of Wangaratta.

With a dwindling congregation and the building infested by termites, it was decided in 1989 that the church should be closed. The building was subsequently pulled down and burnt, and the land sold. This was the last church building in Katunga.

Methodist Church - Their first church building was erected about 1883. Over the years they also shared premises with the Anglicans and Presbyterians. Their last building was a church relocated from Picola West and sited in Lease Street, in 1952. It was sold some years later.

Presbyterian Congregation - first held services in 1913 but these ceased during the first World War and resumed on 9/4/1950. No other details are known. It does not appear to have owned any buildings.

More historical information/photographs of the three former Katunga churches/congregations are invited. Photographs uploaded 27/5/2018.