St Margaret’s Church of England was officially opened on December 12, 1861. It is the oldest intact church building in Eltham. At the time it was known as Christ Church until its consecration in 1871, when it was completely free of debt (£1,700 for the church and parsonage) despite the district’s poverty. This was largely due to the free labour and materials, including locally made bricks donated by local artisans and others. The church is historically significant because it is the oldest church in the former Shire of Eltham and has associations with the philanthropist and founder of Brighton, Henry Dendy (who donated the land on which the church is built), the architect Nathaniel Billing and the prominent local builder, George Stebbing. The church is architecturally and aesthetically significant because it is constructed in the Gothic Revival style with several stained-glass windows of various dates and is also a very early use of polychromatic brickwork in Victoria. Billing was one of the first Melbourne architects to employ polychromatic brickwork and an important early architect. The rear wall was intended to be temporary. A major feature of the design is the large buttresses with long, steeply graded upper faces. The overall design is well proportioned with the surface brick patterns relieving an otherwise austere design. The church is spiritually and socially significant because it has been an important place of worship for the people of Eltham for almost 150 years. The land on which the buildings stand was donated by Henry Dendy. Dendy arrived in Melbourne in 1841 after purchasing in England eight square miles at Brighton under the system of "special surveys". After this land passed out of his hands, Dendy moved about Victoria, visited England, then returned to settle in Eltham where he purchased a flour mill. Dendy chaired the meeting held in 1860 “for the purpose of devising such means as may be expedient for the establishment of a Church of England in the township of Eltham”. He became chairman and treasurer of the church committee. Unlike the establishment of many early churches in Victoria where a vicar was appointed to a parish and later a permanent church was constructed, the population at Eltham initiated action to build a church. The nearest church at that time was at Heidelberg and the Eltham settlement was part of the parish of St Johns Heidelberg. Isolation and the tedious, time consuming journey between Heidelberg and Eltham resulted in the Eltham community taking its own action. The original vicarage (Dendy House) at the rear of the church is also an important part of the cultural significance of this place because it is connected to the church and the development of the Eltham area. Together, the church and the vicarage are aesthetically significant because they form a significant streetscape feature. The mud-brick community hall designed by Robert Marshall was added in 1978. In 2014 the original temporary rear wall was removed as part of a modern extension designed by Architects Atelier Wagner and constructed by Conrad Construction and Management. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. National Trust of Australia (Victoria) State significance Victorian Heritage Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p67 St Margaret’s Anglican Church in Pitt Street, Eltham, which officially opened on December 12, 1861, is the oldest intact church building in Eltham.1 With the nearby courthouse and police station, it was one of the first permanent community buildings in the district. The church and vicarage are on the Register of the Heritage Council of Victoria and the National Trust of Australia – Victoria. The church is important as an early example of polychrome brickwork by the notable architect Nathaniel Billings. It is also notable for its historic associations with the early settlement of the Shire of Eltham and its connection with Henry Dendy, Brighton’s founder.2 Henry Dendy, who lived in Eltham much longer than at Brighton, chaired the original meeting which planned the church, and he donated the half-acre (0.2ha) site. Dendy had arrived in Melbourne in 1841 after buying eight square miles (20.7sq km) at Brighton while in England. After this land passed out of his hands, he eventually settled in Eltham where he bought a flour mill, west from the corner of Main Road and Pitt Street (then called Brewery Lane). The vicarage was named Dendy House after him. The Eltham settlers were unusual in initiating the establishment of a church. Usually in Victoria a vicar was appointed to a parish and then a permanent church was constructed. But then, the nearest church was at Heidelberg, which was a tedious and time-consuming journey. St Margaret’s builder was a local, George Stebbing, who also constructed the former Methodist, later Uniting, Church at John Street and the Shillinglaw Cottage near Eltham’s Central Park. It is believed the first Anglican Bishop of Melbourne, Bishop Perry, dedicated the church. After the ceremony he joined in the festivities at the nearby pub and a bill was sent to the parish for teas taken there by the bishop with other participants. The first vicar was the Reverend Robert Mackie from 1864 to1866. St Margaret’s Church was originally called Christ Church until its consecration in 1871, when it was completely free of debt (£1700 pounds for the church and parsonage) despite the district’s poverty. This was largely due to the free labour and materials, including local bricks, donated by local artisans and others. St Margaret’s Church is in the Gothic Revival tradition with a buttressed nave, paired lancet windows, porch and bell-cote. It was the first polychromatic brick church in Australia, using softly contrasting coloured brickwork.3 Billing was one of the first architects to introduce polychrome brickwork into Melbourne. His original drawings for St Margaret’s survive in a folio of his architectural work. However the church’s brickwork is more subdued than in his drawings. About half the windows – those in clear glass with gold borders – are original. The stained glass windows were made much later, but the one behind the altar is thought to be the oldest in the Diamond Valley. It was to be temporary until the congregation could afford to extend the church. In the early 1960s the original cedar pews were replaced by blonde timber pews and the originals were sold to restaurants and to private individuals. Eminent local sculptor Matcham Skipper created a crucifix for the church. A major addition was made in 1978, when the weatherboard hall was replaced by a mud-brick hall. Made of local material, it was designed by local architect and a former shire president Robert Marshall. The mud-brick hall reflects the style of building in Eltham of the late 1970s and for which Eltham is well-known. Perhaps because its earthy tones blend with the surrounding environment, the hall sits well with the church building. St Margaret’s membership has included economist and ABC chairman, Richard Downing; political commentator, diplomat and academic, William Macmahon Ball; Eltham civic leader, Charles Wingrove; artist, Peter Glass; and Eltham’s first postmaster, Frederick Falkiner.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, eltham, st margaret's anglican church, st margaret's church, st margarets church hall, christ church

Five items about this church. 1.Detailed inscription of foundation stone. 2.Photograph, date unknown. 3.Pamphlet of Inaugural Service Diamond Jubilee Celebration 1912 to 1972. 4.Information on the window installed by Mrs Agnes M Beck. 5.A photocopy of a typed document titled ‘The Methodist Heritage of the Murrumbeena Uniting Church’.daws c.k. rev, cain j.h. rev, johns w. rev, blakemore john rev, foundationstones, white h.g builder, murrumbeena, methodist church, st giles presbyterian, festivals and celebrations, architect browning and bladen, delascombe rohan sir, murrumbeena road, delacombe lady, fox mrs, fox emc mhr, scanlon a mr mla, arden f.a. mrs, moran mrs, moran b mr, moyors, councillors, town clerks, beck agnes m mrs, windows, monuments and memorials, doble allan, brown bob rev, presbyterian church, inglis robert mr, mcdonald hall, parish magazine ‘encounter’, reid jack, arden f.a, kindergartens, religious groups, fusion, demmler pty ltd, mcdonald hall, pollock lex. rev, plaques, bruce mrs, monkhouse mrs, holbern mrs, ladies league, sunderland h. rev, armstrong w.j., secomb w.e. rev, dandenong road, belgrave road, harwood c., tally ho auxiliary, women’s auxiliary, murrumbeena men’s methodist movement, methodist men’s society, hartley f. rev, manzoney w.s. rev, sholton h.t rev, eldridge l.b rev, wilcock s.c rev, bye r. rev, slattery k. rev, archbold b. rev, sunderland h. rev, blanksby a. rev, mcdonald n. rev, porrih d. rev, lukies j. rev, reid g. rev, orton a. rev, young men’s club, methodist babies home, assisted migrant scheme, harris l.b., reid pris, reid will, davey eric, field jack, st giles centenary, encounter no.2. 1990, encounter no.3. 1991, mcdonald edua, don anne

JOHN CORBEN LAVENDER (Jock) Jock was born in Ivanhoe, but spent most of his youth in Northcote where his father was a bank manager, and where he attended primary school, high school and the Methodist church in High Street which became a central point in his life. He took his first job in the dispatch office at McPhersons nut and bolt factory in North Richmond in 1935. After a short time at McPhersons he moved to the Trustees Executors and Agency Company in 1936. While working at the Trustees Jock developed the conviction that his vocation lay with the church. This necessitated studying Matriculation at night school for two years as well as working and studying to become a Local Preacher. The minister at Northcote at the time was the Rev.F.T.Cleverdon who helped him prepare to apply as a candidate for Ordination. Before going to university and Queen’s for his arts degree and theological training, Mr Cleverdon, who was now the minister at Neil Street, Ballarat, offered Jock the opportunity to minister to the small congregation at Brown Hill, Ballarat, which was in his Circuit, and to live with the Cleverdons. He spent a year in Ballarat under the tutelage of Rev.F.T Cleverdon in 1939. Jock was accepted by the 1940 Victorian Methodist Conference as a Candidate for the Ministry and started his studies for his theological training and an arts degree at Melbourne University that year. Because of a shortage of ministers, due to the war, Jock was taken out of Queen’s in 1943 to take charge of two fairly small churches in Caulfield - Hawthorn Road and Bambra Road. Jock was ordained in 1945 & married two days later to Elsie Chipperfield, with whom he had worked at the Trustees Executors and Agency. He had joined the RAAF as a chaplain and was sent to Borneo. Returning to Australia in early 1946, he was then appointed to Orbost for a year, Bracknell in Tasmania in 1948, followed by Reid in Canberra, 1951. The next move was to Portland in 1954. Unfortunately not long after this, Elsie was diagnosed with breast cancer. This necessitated a move back to Melbourne - to Mitcham in 1957. Elsie died in December 1957. This period was a very hard time as Jock had four young daughters but his mother helped out by living in for most of the week until Jock was married to Peg in 1959 and their son was born in 1961. In 1964 Jock was moved to Launceston, his first city church. These years were challenging for Jock as he felt compelled to speak out around social issues, such as the Vietnam War & Aboriginal rights, although many did not agree with his view. In 1969 Jock was moved to Horsham to take up the role of Separated Chairman of the North-Western District responsible for Circuits, ministers and families for policy issues and pastoral concerns over an area from the South Australian border, up to the Murray and over it to Wentworth and Dareton, up river to Swan Hill and south to Ballarat and Daylesford. It was a demanding job but richly rewarding in the relationships made with ministers and their families. In 1971 Jock was elected Secretary of the Methodist Conference and in 1972 was voted President of the Conference. He felt it an honour and a vote of confidence by clergy and lay people The final move was to Geelong in 1976 where Jock was the minister at Wesley until 1983.Jock found Geelong a very satisfying parish in which to finish his active ministry. It was while he was Minister of Wesley Church, Geelong, that the Uniting Church came into being and Jock became the first Chairman of the Barwon Presbytery. There were now two ministers at Wesley – Jock and Alex Peerman, whose joint congregation of St. Giles (Pres) and City Congregational now joined with Wesley to become the City Parish. Jock was very surprised to be elected as the third Moderator of the Uniting Church in Victoria, to take office in 1979/1980 1983 saw retirement to Portarlington several months’ locum in both Canada & Kununurra. When the property at Portarlington became too large to maintain, they moved in 1994 into the current house in Belmont & returned to the Wesley Church here. Deceased c.2015. Rev. John (Jock) Lavender is pictured standing at a microphone, wearing clerical clothingRev. J C Lavenderrev. john (jock) lavender; methodist minister; uniting church minister;

JOHN CORBEN LAVENDER (Jock) Jock was born in Ivanhoe, but spent most of his youth in Northcote where his father was a bank manager, and where he attended primary school, high school and the Methodist church in High Street which became a central point in his life. He took his first job in the dispatch office at McPhersons nut and bolt factory in North Richmond in 1935. After a short time at McPhersons he moved to the Trustees Executors and Agency Company in 1936. While working at the Trustees Jock developed the conviction that his vocation lay with the church. This necessitated studying Matriculation at night school for two years as well as working and studying to become a Local Preacher. The minister at Northcote at the time was the Rev.F.T.Cleverdon who helped him prepare to apply as a candidate for Ordination. Before going to university and Queen’s for his arts degree and theological training, Mr Cleverdon, who was now the minister at Neil Street, Ballarat, offered Jock the opportunity to minister to the small congregation at Brown Hill, Ballarat, which was in his Circuit, and to live with the Cleverdons. He spent a year in Ballarat under the tutelage of Rev.F.T Cleverdon in 1939. Jock was accepted by the 1940 Victorian Methodist Conference as a Candidate for the Ministry and started his studies for his theological training and an arts degree at Melbourne University that year. Because of a shortage of ministers, due to the war, Jock was taken out of Queen’s in 1943 to take charge of two fairly small churches in Caulfield - Hawthorn Road and Bambra Road. Jock was ordained in 1945 & married two days later to Elsie Chipperfield, with whom he had worked at the Trustees Executors and Agency. He had joined the RAAF as a chaplain and was sent to Borneo. Returning to Australia in early 1946, he was then appointed to Orbost for a year, Bracknell in Tasmania in 1948, followed by Reid in Canberra, 1951. The next move was to Portland in 1954. Unfortunately not long after this, Elsie was diagnosed with breast cancer. This necessitated a move back to Melbourne - to Mitcham in 1957. Elsie died in December 1957. This period was a very hard time as Jock had four young daughters but his mother helped out by living in for most of the week until Jock was married to Peg in 1959 and their son was born in 1961. In 1964 Jock was moved to Launceston, his first city church. These years were challenging for Jock as he felt compelled to speak out around social issues, such as the Vietnam War & Aboriginal rights, although many did not agree with his view. In 1969 Jock was moved to Horsham to take up the role of Separated Chairman of the North-Western District responsible for Circuits, ministers and families for policy issues and pastoral concerns over an area from the South Australian border, up to the Murray and over it to Wentworth and Dareton, up river to Swan Hill and south to Ballarat and Daylesford. It was a demanding job but richly rewarding in the relationships made with ministers and their families. In 1971 Jock was elected Secretary of the Methodist Conference and in 1972 was voted President of the Conference. He felt it an honour and a vote of confidence by clergy and lay people The final move was to Geelong in 1976 where Jock was the minister at Wesley until 1983.Jock found Geelong a very satisfying parish in which to finish his active ministry. It was while he was Minister of Wesley Church, Geelong, that the Uniting Church came into being and Jock became the first Chairman of the Barwon Presbytery. There were now two ministers at Wesley – Jock and Alex Peerman, whose joint congregation of St. Giles (Pres) and City Congregational now joined with Wesley to become the City Parish. Jock was very surprised to be elected as the third Moderator of the Uniting Church in Victoria, to take office in 1979/1980 1983 saw retirement to Portarlington several months’ locum in both Canada & Kununurra. When the property at Portarlington became too large to maintain, they moved in 1994 into the current house in Belmont & returned to the Wesley Church Geelong.Head and shoulders portrait of the Rev. John (Jock) Lavender, wearing suit and tie.Jock Lavenderrev. john (jock) lavender; methodist minister; uniting church minister;

JOHN CORBEN LAVENDER (Jock) Jock was born in Ivanhoe, but spent most of his youth in Northcote where his father was a bank manager, and where he attended primary school, high school and the Methodist church in High Street which became a central point in his life. He took his first job in the dispatch office at McPhersons nut and bolt factory in North Richmond in 1935. After a short time at McPhersons he moved to the Trustees Executors and Agency Company in 1936. While working at the Trustees Jock developed the conviction that his vocation lay with the church. This necessitated studying Matriculation at night school for two years as well as working and studying to become a Local Preacher. The minister at Northcote at the time was the Rev.F.T.Cleverdon who helped him prepare to apply as a candidate for Ordination. Before going to university and Queen’s for his arts degree and theological training, Mr Cleverdon, who was now the minister at Neil Street, Ballarat, offered Jock the opportunity to minister to the small congregation at Brown Hill, Ballarat, which was in his Circuit, and to live with the Cleverdons. He spent a year in Ballarat under the tutelage of Rev.F.T Cleverdon in 1939. Jock was accepted by the 1940 Victorian Methodist Conference as a Candidate for the Ministry and started his studies for his theological training and an arts degree at Melbourne University that year. Because of a shortage of ministers, due to the war, Jock was taken out of Queen’s in 1943 to take charge of two fairly small churches in Caulfield - Hawthorn Road and Bambra Road. Jock was ordained in 1945 & married two days later to Elsie Chipperfield, with whom he had worked at the Trustees Executors and Agency. He had joined the RAAF as a chaplain and was sent to Borneo. Returning to Australia in early 1946, he was then appointed to Orbost for a year, Bracknell in Tasmania in 1948, followed by Reid in Canberra, 1951. The next move was to Portland in 1954. Unfortunately not long after this, Elsie was diagnosed with breast cancer. This necessitated a move back to Melbourne - to Mitcham in 1957. Elsie died in December 1957. This period was a very hard time as Jock had four young daughters but his mother helped out by living in for most of the week until Jock was married to Peg in 1959 and their son was born in 1961. In 1964 Jock was moved to Launceston, his first city church. These years were challenging for Jock as he felt compelled to speak out around social issues, such as the Vietnam War & Aboriginal rights, although many did not agree with his view. In 1969 Jock was moved to Horsham to take up the role of Separated Chairman of the North-Western District responsible for Circuits, ministers and families for policy issues and pastoral concerns over an area from the South Australian border, up to the Murray and over it to Wentworth and Dareton, up river to Swan Hill and south to Ballarat and Daylesford. It was a demanding job but richly rewarding in the relationships made with ministers and their families. In 1971 Jock was elected Secretary of the Methodist Conference and in 1972 was voted President of the Conference. He felt it an honour and a vote of confidence by clergy and lay people The final move was to Geelong in 1976 where Jock was the minister at Wesley until 1983.Jock found Geelong a very satisfying parish in which to finish his active ministry. It was while he was Minister of Wesley Church, Geelong, that the Uniting Church came into being and Jock became the first Chairman of the Barwon Presbytery. There were now two ministers at Wesley – Jock and Alex Peerman, whose joint congregation of St. Giles (Pres) and City Congregational now joined with Wesley to become the City Parish. Jock was very surprised to be elected as the third Moderator of the Uniting Church in Victoria, to take office in 1979/1980 1983 saw retirement to Portarlington several months’ locum in both Canada & Kununurra. When the property at Portarlington became too large to maintain, they moved in 1994 into the current house in Belmont & returned to the Wesley Church Geelong.Upper body photo of Rev. John (Jock) Lavender (Geelong) speaking at a lectern.Church & Nation 23/5/79, p. 5; Rev. Lavenderrev. john (jock) lavender; methodist minister; uniting church minister;

List of former and current churches in the City of Brimbank. This includes churches in the former City of Sunshine and City of Keilor.This report records current and former churches in the City of Brimbank as of 15th March 2026.Name Islamic Dawah Centre Of Australia Albion Methodist Church Albion Pentecostal Church Good Shepherd Christian Church Grace Generation Church Imagine Church Khalid Bin Waleed Mosque Slovakian Baptist Church St. Theresa's Catholic Church Sunshine Baptist Church Victory Grace Church of Australia Yen Ming Tang Buddhist Meditation Centre Albion Methodist Church Braybrook Methodist Church Braybrook Wesleyan Church Ardeer Ukrainian Catholic Church Chùa Bảo Vương Cyprus Turkish Islamic Community Etinchrist Kingdom Ministries Mother of God Catholic Church Queen of Heaven Church Braybook Presbyterian Church Braybrook Church of England Braybrook Methodist Church Braybrook Salvation Army Church Cao Dai Temple of Melbourne Christ the King Gateway to Glory Church God Is with Us Christian Church INC Liên Trì Tự - Lien Tri Temple Peneil Church Australia Quang Minh Buddhist Temple Samoan Assembly of God St. Andrew’s & St. Peter’s Anglican Church Chùa Ấn Quang Avalokitesvara Yuan Tong Monastery Beautiful Life Church Bosnian Islamic Centre Chùa Lộc Uyển Deer Park Methodist Church Deer Park Preca Centre St Peter Chanel Catholic Church St. John Anglican Church The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Western Community Alliance Church Avalokitesvara Yuan Tong Monastery ReSoul Church Sion Baptist Chruch Chua Phap Van Buddhist Temple Living Hope Christian Church St Paul's Catholic Church Keilor Christ Church Keilor Uniting Church in Australia St Stephen Bethlehem - Church of the Living God House of Prayer St Mary of the Assumption Parish The City of Refuge, Melbourne Brimbank Anglican Church Vantage Point Church West Campus Arise Church Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement St Augustine's Catholic Church Resurrection Catholic Parish Church Al Nur Mosque Assembly of Belivers Church Hillsong Church - West Campus Iglesia Ni Cristo - Locale of Melbourne Maidstone Church of Christ Maidstone Church of England Maidstone Methodist Church Maidstone Mosque Maidstone Presbyterian Church Maidstone Salvation Army Church Maidstone Wesleyan Chapel New Apostolic Church Our Ladys Westside Assembly of God Worldwide Missionary Movement Melbourne Ethiopian Orthdox Church Maribyrnong Methodist Church Maribyrnong Methodist Church St Margaret's Catholic Church Hillsong Church Melbourne Greater West Campus Wesleyan Methodist Church Bridge Church West Campus Chùa Hoàng Pháp Chùa Thiện Đức Chua Tu Quang Temple Friendens Kirche Lutheran Church of St. Albans GROW Church Holy Eucharist Jehovah Witnesses Kings Park Filipino Congregation of Jehovah Witnesses Mata Chintapurni Mandir Hindu Temple St Albans Neuma Church Melbourne West Panjan Centre Peace Lutheran Church Russian Orthodox Church (Abroad) Sacred Heart Catholic Church Saint Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church And Community St. Albans St Albans Uniting Church St. Alban the Martyr Church of England St. Albans Croatian Seventh-Day Adventist Church St. Albans Preca Centre St. Albans Slavic Church St. Albans Vietnamese Alliance Church St. George Serbian Orthodox Church St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church - Melbourne St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church St. Albans St. Paul Catholic Church Temple Transform Church United Penticostal Church Western New Community Baptist Church Avalokitesvara Yuan Tong Monastery Chua Hue Quang Temple Church of Christ / Elias Church of St the Prophet (Greek-Melkite) Church of England Cloud Christian Church Community Church Holy Apostles Anglican Church Hope Of Life Community Church Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses Mara Christian Church of Victoria Inc. Our Lady of the Immaculate Catholic Church Pentecostal Church Plymonth Brethren Church Plymonth Brethren Church Roman Catholic Church Seventh Day Aventist Church St. Marks Church Sunshine Sunshine Methodist Church Sunshine North Sunshine Presbyterian Church Sunshine Roman Catholic Church Sunshine Uniting Church Sunshine Vietnamese Baptist Church Sunshine Wesleyan Methodist Church Tamil Christian Fellowship Melbourne The Salvation Army The Salvation Army Westcare Vietnamese Evangelical Church Voice Of Christ Full Gospel Church Inc. Sunshine Zetseat Ethiopian Evangelical Church Australian Christian Churches Victoria Chua Phap Hoa Buddhist Temple Enjoy Church Faith & Power Ministry Revival Church Iglesia Cristiana Melbourne Murugan Hindu Temple North Sunshine Gospel Hall Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) St Bernadette's Parish St. Marys Church of England Sunshine North Presbyterian Church Sunshine North Uniting Church Tabor Romanian Pentecostal Church Western Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church Ardeer Preca Centre Croatian Catholic Centre, Sunshine Elevation Church, Melbourne West Our Lady of Sorrows' Catholic Church St Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Church St Paul's Church Catholic Church The Potters House Christian Church (Footscray) Emmaus Catholic Church Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral Church - Nativity of The Holy Mother of God (St.Mary) St. Mary's (Holy Mother of God) Macedonian Orthodox Church Sydenham - Caroline Springs Uniting Church Sydenham Baptist Church Sydenham Presbyterian Church The Salvation Army Brimbank City Corps Town Well Uniting Church Sydenham Brimbank Presbyterian Church St. Luke's Anglican Church The Potters House Christian Church Avustralya Nur Vakfi church, churches