The foundation stone for this church was laid in 1854. The church was built by Green BrothersColour photograph of the Avoca Uniting Church and Hall. avoca, avoca uniting church and hall, avoca methodist church

Guests at the West Riding Hall, Henry Petrie Community Centre, Montmorency on the occasion of a buffet dinner as part of the Shire of Eltham centenary celebrations. Left: Mr Higgins, Methodist Minister, Eltham and Mrs Higgins and Brian & Irene Robertson, both Captains in the Salvation Army. Reverend William ‘Bill’ Leslie Higgins (b. 15/1/1925, Renmark, Victoria, d. 18/10/1998) and Mrs Ella May Higgins (née Leersen b. 3/11/1921, Avoca, Victoria, d. 24/5/2003). William was ordained to the Methodist Church of Australia on September 1, 1959. Bill and Ella were involved with many communities throughout Bill’s full-time service until 1989. These parishes included Underbool, Wycheproof, Drysdale, Wonthaggi, South Yarra, Eltham, Nathalia, Murchison and Seymour. Bill and Ella touched many thousands lives during their ministry. Bill passed away in 1998 while assisting with a Sunday evening service near Drysdale, and Ella continued to dedicate her time to others until her death in 2003. Information received via Brian and Irene Robertson's son, Mark (15 Dec 2023), noted that in 1969 they lived in Prahran and by 1971 they would have been appointed to Briar Hill (now Greensborough). Brian Robertson's parents and at least one set of his grandparents were also Salvation Army officers (primarily from Victoria), whilst Irene was originally from Perth and she had 2 other sisters that became Salvation Army Officers as well. Irene also had 3rd sister and younger brother who were linked to the Salvos (as was Brian’s brother). After several years in church work, Brian and Irene transferred over to the Social Services branch of the Salvos and worked with homeless men, broken families, drug & alcohol dependent clients (similar to what Brendan Nottle does in Burke St), family stores and eventually seniors (nursing homes). Brian, known as Robbie passed away in 2013, and Irene is currently living in a retirement unit. [Dedc 2023]This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, "Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital imagesepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, shire of eltham, shire of eltham centenary, henry petrie community centre, centenary celebrations, buffet dinner, higgins, rev. william (bill) higgins, ella may higgins (nee leersen), salvation army, brian robertson, irene robertson

Born 26/2/1924. Ordained 1956. Turiff Home Missionary 1948, Birchip (HM) 1948–49, Mt Isa (Methodist Inland Mission) 1949–51, Drysdale 1952–55, Goroke 1956–57, Sea Lake 1961–65, Avoca 196–67, Strathmore 1967–72, Ballarat West 1973–76, Joined the UCA 1977. Without settlement 1976 while transferred to Rochdale (UK), Boronia, Malvern (6 years), Peterborough (UK). Retired to Geelong in 1989, and died late 1997. Wife: Ruth (4 daughters).Head and shoulders B&W photo."The Rev. Ken Eddy"eddy, kendall w.

B. 1860 Victoria; d. 1948 Burwood Victoria. Methodist minister, ordained 1886. Served at Dromana 1886; Poowong 1887; Wodonga 1888; Preston 1889; Donald 1890; Casterton & Coleraine 1893; Wangaratta 1895; Euroa 1898; Pyramid Hill 1901; Forth 1904; Latrobe 1908; Avoca 1911; Beeac 1914; Kilmore 1917; Frankston 1920; Mordialloc 1923; Superintendent Gardiner 1926. (No further records.).Photo of a young man with long sideburns and moustache, wearing a clerical collar and suit."Rev. Charles Angwin"angwin, charles