Ebenezer Uniting Church NSW Established in 1809, Ebenezer church is Australia's oldest surviving. It is the first non-conformist then Presbyterian Church in Australia and was a pioneer in education in the colony, beginning a school in 1810. The church is the oldest extant school building in Australia. The Coromandel covenantors arrived in Sydney in 1802 and began as pioneer farmers on the Hawkesbury at Portland Head in 1803. After five years of worship in the open air and in the homes of Dr Arndell and Owen Cavanough they, with seven other families, covenanted on the 22 nd September 1808. They formed the ‘Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge and the Instruction of Youth’ and agreed to build a church and school and to call a minister to facilitate their faith.