A historic church in Mount Gambier, South Australia may soon be revived as a place of worship, as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA) lodges a formal proposal to transform the former Rosaville Methodist Church on Herbert Street into a fully functioning parish.
The heritage-listed building, originally constructed in 1869 by the Primitive Methodists, has stood largely unused for years and was most recently approved for conversion into an Airbnb before falling into disrepair and being vandalised.
Now, the Archdiocese hopes to restore the site to its original religious purpose.
According to a planning proposal seen by The Greek Herald, the Archdiocese plans to use the building as a small parish church to serve the local Greek Orthodox community, which has grown steadily since the post-war migration period to approximately 30 families.
Currently, services are held irregularly in the nearby Hellenic Hall, and Christ Church Anglican Church on Bay Road has hosted Orthodox baptisms, weddings, and funerals since the 1960s.
The former church building includes a 50-square-metre chapel space, which will host regular services, and a 30-square-metre utility room, intended for use after services for casual gatherings, committee meetings, and Bible study. A small mezzanine level will be used by the priest for writing and storage.
The application also outlines upgrades to the toilet facilities to meet accessibility standards, the installation of a new kitchen bench in the utility room for light food preparation, and the construction of a wheelchair-accessible ramp at the entrance. Notably, the Archdiocese is seeking permission to retain the original front doors due to their heritage significance, despite them not fully meeting accessibility codes.
As there is no space for on-site parking, attendees will be encouraged to use nearby street parking.
The Archdiocese has acknowledged the building requires urgent repairs following years of neglect and vandalism. Planned works include rewiring and plumbing repairs, mechanical ventilation, restoration of limestone walls, improved subfloor ventilation, the fixing of warped floorboards, and repairs to windows, gutters, and the western wall of the meeting room.
An engineer’s report identified several serious structural concerns, some of which, the Archdiocese warns, are nearing the point of irreparable damage if not addressed soon.
“Whilst the work described above seems like general maintenance, we need to point out that some defects are near the point where any further deterioration will result in destruction of that element,” the proposal notes.
During their tenure, the Archdiocese has committed to completing all necessary repairs based on urgency, funding availability, and access to qualified trades.
Public feedback on the proposal is open until 15 July 2025, with the Mount Gambier community encouraged to have their say.
“There is no doubt about the necessity for the Orthodox Archdiocese to establish a parish in Mount Gambier,” the proposal concludes. “There is no doubt about the suitability of this former Methodist Chapel becoming the home of that parish.”
