Welcome to the Organ Historical Trust of Australia

Founded in 1977 to preserve historic pipe organs, stimulate public interest and encourage scholarly research.

A warm welcome is extended to all those interested in finding out about the pipe organ in Australia and becoming enthused about our country's remarkable organ heritage.  This site contains a great deal about the Organ Historical Trust of Australia (OHTA) - its projects, research, publications, awards, appeals, conservation standards and conferences - as well as providing information about whom to contact for information about the relocation of redundant pipe organs.

An enormous amount of research and fieldwork has enabled us to build an ever-growing online database about pipe organs in Australia, including scholarly histories, technical specifications and photographs.

Steven Kaesler OAM
Chair

Read more

Organs of Australia

Many of our instruments have been documented with histories, specifications and photos.
Details will be found in the "Organs of Australia" section.

//ohta.org.au/wp-content/uploads/OHTA-webicons-02.png

Membership

To be an effective national preservation organisation, OHTA needs your financial support as well as your advice, interest and participation. Read more on how to become a member, which includes a subscription to our journal, OHTA News.

//ohta.org.au/wp-content/uploads/OHTA-webicons-03.png

Conferences

Our conferences are an excellent way to get to know our heritage of historical instruments intimately. Here are links to the photos and documentation of the organs visited during our conferences.

//ohta.org.au/wp-content/uploads/OHTA-webicons-04.png

Current restoration appeals

A large number of successful organ restorations have been carried out throughout Australia over the years, ranging in size from the colossus in the Sydney Town Hall, to small chamber organs with but a handful of stops. Read more about fundraising and the current organ restoration appeals.

//ohta.org.au/wp-content/uploads/OHTA-webicons-05.png

Redundant organs

View the list of redundant pipe organs in Australia for which new homes are currently being sought. The information of these redundant organs, where possible, will be linked to an existing page on the OHTA website.

Recent news

  • St Paul’s Anglican Church Dandenong Road, Caufield

    The following organ has been added to the Victorian organ listings page: St Paul’s Anglican Church, Dandenong Road, Caufield, VIC Built 1928 Hill, Norman & Beard Ltd 2 manuals, 3 ranks extended, electro-pneumatic action. Contact: The Revd Brendan McDonald M: 0423 700 770 E: [email protected]

    Read More
  • St Martin’s Anglican Church Cromwell Road, Hawksburn

    The following organ has been added to the Victorian organ listings page: St Martin’s Anglican Church Cromwell Road, Hawksburn Built 1887 George Fincham Partly rebuilt & console replaced c1952 George Fincham & Sons Pty Ltd Rebuilt and enlarged 1994 Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd 2 manuals, 22 speaking stops, 8 […]

    Read More
  • St Matthew’s Anglican Church High Street, Prahran

    The following organ has been added to the Victorian organ listings page: St Matthew’s Anglican Church High Street, Prahran First organ, built by George Fincham; installed 1872. 1 manual, 6 speaking stops, 1 coupler. Present location unknown. Second organ, built by George Fincham; installed 1878. 2 manuals, 18 speaking stops, […]

    Read More
  • Mount Erica Methodist Church High Street, Prahran

    The following organ has been added to the Victorian organ listings page: Mount Erica Methodist Church High Street, Prahran Built by William Anderson 1880s for an earlier unknown location; installed here 1905 Organ removed 1964 Hill, Norman & Beard (V601) and parts used in a new organ for the Koonung […]

    Read More