Ryrie Street Presbyterian Church

This article is about the former Presbyterian church now part of the Geelong Arts Centre. For the other Presbyterian church on Ryrie Street, see St George's Presbyterian Church, Geelong.

Ryrie Street Presbyterian Church
Steeple Church
Ryrie Street Presbyterian Church
Ryrie Street Presbyterian Church
38°08′53″S144°21′22″E / 38.14803°S 144.35621°E / -38.14803; 144.35621
Location	73 Ryrie Street, Geelong, Victoria
Country	Australia
Denomination	Presbyterian
History
Status	Closed
Architecture
Architect	John Young
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Years built	1856-1857
Completed	1857
Closed	1914

Ryrie Street Presbyterian Church, also known as the Steeple Church, was a Presbyterian church located in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The church opened in 1857, and closed in 1914 ^[1] , with the building later being absorbed into the Geelong Arts Centre. ^[2]

History

The United Presbyterians first congregated in 1851 in the masonic hall. An under-construction church that the congregation had begun in McKillop Street was destroyed in a storm, and it was decided to move to the Mechanics Institute in Ryrie Street. The church was constructed between 1856-1857 adjacent to the Mechanics Institute. As the numerous Presbyterian churches in the Geelong city centre began to reunite, the decision was made to sell the church to the Band of Hope Union in 1914. The steeple was pulled down, and shops built along the frontage of Ryrie Street. ^[1] With the congregation subsequently moving to St David's Presbyterian Church, Newtown. ^[3] The church building has since become part of the Geelong Arts Centre. ^[2]

See also

• Geelong Arts Centre

References

1. Wynd, Ian (1961). Churches of Geelong. Geelong: Geelong Historical Society.
2. "Kane appointed to deliver Stage 2 of the GPAC Redevelopment". Kane. Kane. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
3. "Theme Eight: Building Community Life" (PDF). City of Greater Geelong. City of Greater Geelong. Retrieved 28 January 2026.