Trinity Presbyterian Church

Riversdale Road, Camberwell

Built 1885 George Fincham for Chalmers Presbyterian Church, East Melbourne
Installed present location 1906
Rebuilt 1915 Geo Fincham & Son (tubular-pneumatic action and detached console)
Electrified 1954 & new console 1969 Hill, Norman & Beard (o/n V320, V771)
Tonal alterations c.1975 John S. Parker
Rebuilt 1995-1996 Vernon Cresswell; completed Peter D.G. Jewkes Pty Ltd
2 manuals, 32 speaking stops, 8 couplers, electro-pneumatic and electro-magnetic actions

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Camberwell – exterior view from north-east
(photograph by John Maidment [2020])


Historical and Technical Documentation by John Maidment
© OHTA, 2022

The Trinity parish was founded in 1885 although the present church dates from the early years of the 20th century. Campbell & Kernot were the architects of the building, the memorial stone was laid in September 1905¹ and the church dedicated on 27 April 1906.² The commanding tower and spire were completed in 1926 and a choir vestry added in 1940. The building is of red brick with cement dressings and in the Gothic style; it remains in an intact state both externally and internally. It is of cruciform shape, with the aisles placed under transverse gables and separated from the nave by cast iron columns. The tower and spire are placed in the angle between the left transept and the aisles. There are tripartite lancet windows at the rear of the church and in the two transepts and a rose window behind the sanctuary.

Internally, the pews radiate from the centre of the building and are placed on a raked floor. The choir is placed in the right transept although originally it was sited within the present sanctuary which was remodelled in 1954 in an arts and crafts style reminiscent of the work of the Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer. The stained glass windows include the work of Ferguson & Urie; William Montgomery; Mathieson & Gibson; Brooks, Robinson and Alan Sumner.

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Camberwell – organ case showing the restored façade pipes
[photograph by John Maidment (10 January 2023)]

The organ was built in 1885 by George Fincham for Chalmers Presbyterian Church, East Melbourne, close to St Patrick’s Cathedral and the original site of Scotch College.³ It was moved to Camberwell in 1898 and installed in the present church in 1906. The first rebuild was in 1915, when tubular-pneumatic action and a new console were provided. The key actions were electrified in 1964 and the present stopkey console was provided by Hill, Norman & Beard (Australia) Pty Ltd in 1969. The original Fincham case and decorated façade pipes remain.

The specification of the organ up to 1970 was as follows:

Compass: 56/30
Electro-pneumatic action⁴

The organ was rebuilt in 1995-96 by Vernon Cresswell. The internal components of the organ were rotated through 90 degrees to speak directly into the church and a supplementary slider chest added to the Swell to accommodate additional pipework. The work was completed by Peter D.G. Jewkes Pty Ltd. The façade pipe decoration was restored in 2004 by Marc Nobel and Christine Holmes.

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Camberwell – church interior showing organ at the right
[photograph by John Maidment (10 January 2023)]




Trinity Presbyterian Church, Camberwell – organ case showing the restored façade pipes
[photograph by John Maidment (10 January 2023)]

1 The Herald, 7 October, 1905, p.6

2 The Argus, 28 April 1906, p.17 – this includes and extensive description of the building

3 The Argus, 1 May 1885, p.5 – this includes a description of the organ and the opening concert on 30 April 1885

4 Specification noted by John Maidment 1969

5 Specification noted by John Maidment after 1996 rebuild