Ebenezer, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ebenezer New South Wales
Ebenezer church and grounds
Ebenezer Location in New South Wales
Population	1,081 (2021 census)
Postcode(s)	2756
Elevation	43 m (141 ft)
Location	67 km (42 mi) north-west of Sydney CBD 5 km (3 mi) north-east of Wilberforce
LGA(s)	City of Hawkesbury
State electorate(s)	Hawkesbury
Federal Division(s)	Macquarie
Suburbs around Ebenezer: East Kurrajong Sackville Sackville North East Kurrajong Ebenezer South Maroota Wilberforce South Maroota South Maroota

Ebenezer is a small, historic town in New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the City of Hawkesbury area. Ebenezer is about 69 kilometres north-west of Sydney and 5 kilometres from Wilberforce. It is located right on the banks of the Hawkesbury River. Like many old villages from the early 1800s, Ebenezer stretches out along the roads instead of having a central town square.

Discovering Ebenezer's Past

The town of Ebenezer got its name from a place mentioned in the Bible. This name comes from a story in 1 Samuel 7:12, where a stone was set up between Mizpah and Shen and called Ebenezer. The Ebenezer Church is a very important historical building. It is listed on the New South Wales Heritage Register because of its special history.

Australia's Oldest Church Building

The gum tree where early church services were held

The Ebenezer Uniting Church is located by the Hawkesbury River. It was originally a Presbyterian chapel. This church is known as the oldest standing church building in all of Australia!

The area was settled in 1803 by families who came to Australia on a ship called the Coromandel in 1802. These early settlers first held their church services under a large gum tree. This tree still stands today, across the road from the church.

A man named James Mein started holding informal services in his home. From these meetings, the idea to build a church in Ebenezer grew. Local families, many of whom were Scots who had moved from London, helped build the church. They used sandstone cut from the riverbanks. The church was built between 1808 and 1809, but it wasn't fully finished until 1817.

The church has been carefully restored and is still used for Sunday services today. It looks more like a small cottage than a grand church. A stone entrance porch was added in 1929, and a vestry (a room for the minister) was added in 1966. A cedar bookcase in the porch belonged to the first minister, Dr John McGarvie. He lived in Ebenezer from 1826 to 1831.

The churchyard cemetery had its first burial in 1812. In the past, coffins were brought to the church by boat along the river. Boatloads of mourners would join the funeral procession as it was rowed. This cemetery is very important in Australia. It holds the graves of six generations, including some of the first free settlers in the colony.

Ebenezer's Historic Schools

The first school in Ebenezer opened in 1810. Its first headmaster was John Youl. This school operated out of the church building until the 1880s. At that time, a public school was built. However, it burned down shortly after, so the school moved back to the church. The church building served as a school during the week and a chapel on Sundays.

This continued until the current public school opened in 1902. A special house for the schoolmaster was built in 1817. This building is now the oldest existing school building in Australia! Today, the former schoolmaster's residence serves Devonshire teas. It also has a small museum with old photos and furniture. You can find records of the settlers from the Coromandel ship there. Ebenezer Public School, built in 1902, is now a primary school with about 120 students.

Important Landmarks

John Turnbull's House

John Turnbull's House is a fascinating old sandstone home. It has two stories and is located on Old Port Eringhi Road, near the Ebenezer Church and Schoolhouse. You can only see the top of the house from the road because many vines and trees block the view. The front part of the house was built around 1807, and the rest was finished by 1810.

Lewis Jones, a stonemason, built the house. It stands on land given to John Turnbull in 1803. John Turnbull was a strong supporter of the church in Ebenezer. A famous Presbyterian minister, John Dunmore Lang, used this house when he preached in Ebenezer between 1823 and 1824. The house has only been partly restored. It has two huge fireplaces, almost 2 metres tall, at each end of the home.

Population of Ebenezer

In the 2011 census, Ebenezer had a population of 968 people.

Images for kids

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  Sackville ferry going to Ebenezer