Subscriptions were collected from town and district Anglicans about 1857 to build a house for a minister, and eventually a church. Christ Church was built on the corner of George and Macauley Streets.[2] Several services were held in the church before it was consecrated. On 22 October 1861, a week after the consecration, it was destroyed in a storm. The next church service was held in the Masonic Hall.[3]
The foundation stone of St Paul's was laid in 1866. The church was designed by Melbourne architects Smith & Watson and built in 1866 by John Taylor. It was opened by the local rector Rev. Samuel Harper in November 1866, but was not formally consecrated by the Bishop of Goulburn until May1873. The church was used until 1977 when a new church was opened on the site of the old Anglican Rectory at the junction of Poictiers, Wellington and Harrison Streets.[1][3]
The church was used until 1977, when a new church was built on the site of the old Anglican rectory. It underwent major restoration in the early 1990s due to the impact of general decay and vandalism.[3]
The Victorian Academic Gothic style church and sunday school buildings underwent extensive conservation work in the early 1990s under the auspices of Heritage Council of New South Wales. Vandals had contributed to the overall decay which had taken over the buildings. The slate roof of the church has been replaced, brickwork reinstated, doors and stained glass windows restored or replaced. The interior has also underwent major refurbishment.[3]
It is now operated by the Edward River Council as the Multi-Arts Centre, an arts centre and community hall.[3][4]
Taylor, James. "Looking back with Jack: James Taylor's Reminiscennces of Early Deniliquin". In Deniliquin Library Staff (ed.). Deniliquin History. Vol. 1.
Deniliquin's 150 Year Celebrations Committee 1992 (1992). Our Heritage Deniliquin'cs 150 Year Celebrations Committee 1842 >1992.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Peter Freeman of Peter Freeman & Partners Pty Ltd (1991). Deniliquin Main Street Project: Field Inventories.