Congregational Mortuary Chapel

Nestled between Congress and Wellesley Street in South Hobart, the South Hobart Congregational Cemetery once occupied a significant space in the community’s religious and cultural landscape. In modern times, the Huon Highway now runs to the west of Congress Street, altering the geography of this historic site.

At the junction where Davey Street transitions into Huon Road stood a mortuary chapel, serving as a solemn place for commemorations and religious rites. Adjacent to this chapel and situated between it and the cemetery was Mission House, an important theological institution dedicated to the Congregational denomination. The foundation stone of this institution was laid in 1861, marking its commitment to the education of young men in accordance with the principles of the Independent denomination. However, by 1910, Mission House was demolished, signaling a shift in the use and development of the area.

The land that once formed the South Hobart Congregational Cemetery was prepared for sale by auction in 1906, marking the end of its role as a sacred burial ground. By the twentieth century, residential development had taken hold, with houses and gardens occupying the site, transforming it into a domestic landscape that bore little trace of its former purpose.

The Chapel is positioned prominently on the right in the foreground for the photograph.