Our Organ today was built in 1910 by Hill & Son, London, as job no. 2396, is one of the firm’s best-preserved later instruments and one of the few larger organs from the first two decades of the 20th century to survive in Australia with tubular-pneumatic action intact. The Hill firm exported many fine organs to NSW between 1871 and 1910 and the largest of these is the world-renowned instrument of 1890 in Sydney Town Hall.

The Pitt Street Congregation Hill & Son Organ is one of the most sought-after instruments for musicians using our space. The time has arrived for the Organ to have major restoration so we can continue to enjoy soaring notes, and beautiful melodies into the future. Part of the Organ restoration and repair will also be to address the repair of the walls and ceiling behind the organ.

This work will be covered by a NSW Heritage Grant ($190K) and by donations ($310K).

Please help
All donations of $2 or more to the Pitt Street Cultural Foundation are tax deductible
Donations can be made by cash, cheque or online to:
BSB 634 634 – Account No.: 100047660
Account Name: Pitt Street Cultural Foundation

Please download and complete the Donation Form, and email or hand deliver it to the Church Office:
Pitt Street Cultural Foundation, 264 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
​or email to treasurer@pittstreetuniting.org.au

Chair of the Pitt Street Foundation & Organ Restoration Appeal - Mr Ben Skerman
Organ Builder - Pierce Pipe Organs P/L, Brisbane
Organ Heritage Consultant - Dr Kelvin Hastie OAM
Heritage Architect - Ms Jyoti Somerville
Please contact us via the Church Office if you would like more information or to discuss making a bequest.

Work to be undertaken 2025-2026

  1. Remove pipework of the Great and Pedal divisions that might be susceptible to damage while work on the ceiling is proceeds.
  2. Releasing mould bombs while upper and lower organ chambers are covered to protect pull-down motors for the Swell, Great and Choir soundboards as these have been recovered and are in good condition but covered by mould.
  3. Washing and cleaning all pipework, show pipes, rack boards and of all soundboards, walkways and the upper and the lower organ chamber.
  4. Stripping and cleaning the shallots and tongues of all reeds.
  5. Regulation and fine-tuning of all pipework.
  6. Bellows - re-leather the two largest single-rise reservoirs, associated wind trunks and blow-off valves and service the main wind regulation valves.
  7. Re-leather action components for Great, Swell and Choir stops motors.
  8. Restore motors, valves and bedding 7 show front chests.
  9. Restore and re-leather the combination action primary motors and valves.
  10. Repair and re-leather coupler slider motors and valves.
  11. Repair or adjust the lead tubing at the back of the console.
  12. Carry out any other repairs as required, but maintaining the integrity of the tubular-pneumatic actions and cone-tuned pipework.
  13. Tune organ and adjust all pneumatic action for prompt and satisfactory performance.

The organ builder and consultant

Pierce Pipe Organs P/L has been entrusted with the work. The firm has always been highly regarded for quality restoration work. The present project will be certified by Kelvin Hastie, who supervised the earlier restoration and additions on behalf of the Uniting Church (NSW Synod) Church Music Committee. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal on Australia Day 2009 for his work in pipe organ conservation.

While the Hill & Son Organ is out of action, the Pitt Street Congregation has the use of a Vorgan (an electronic organ) kindly loaned to us by Mr Ross Johnston for the duration of the project.

Pitt Street Church is the mother church of Congregationalism in Australia: its foundation stone was laid in 1842 and the building opened for worship in 1846.  It was designed by English-trained John Bibb. It was enlarged between 1857 and 1867.  This included the internal galleries, resting on fluted iron columns cast by Dawson of Sydney, and the vestry to the rear.

 Past Pitt Street Organs

It is believed that four pipe organs have stood in Pitt Street Church.  The first was built in Sydney in 1845 by W.J. Johnson. The church’s next organ, by Gray & Davison of London, was purchased second-hand in 1858 and survived until 1902 when a much larger instrument by W.G. Rendall was purchased. The Rendall organ was removed because of constant reliability problems: a remnant is the small case above the rear gallery, behind which a set of “gongs” was operated electrically.

In the early 1970s the organ fell into disrepair, owing to uncertainty over the building’s future: the loss of the building was prevented, however, by a ban imposed by the Builders Labourers Federation in 1972.  Some basic re-leathering work to bring the organ back into use was carried out in 1974 by Pitchford & Garside.

In 1985 the firm completed a staged restoration project which was assisted by a NSW Heritage Grant.

Between 1987 and 1996, all based upon Hill models, additional stops, prepared for in 1910 but not supplied, were installed.

In 2003 the actions connected to the top keyboard were re-leathered.

In 2009 the actions connected to the middle and lower keyboards, as well as those of the pedals underwent restoration. This involved the removal and replacement of 334 leather motors and the fine regulation of the action upon completion.