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Ballina History

The Salvos in Ballina have been around since 1891, providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to the local community.

Ballina's Salvationist beginnings

On 5 December 1891, Captain Emma Peake was appointed as the first commanding officer of The Salvation Army in Ballina. In a time when all other churches refused to ordain women as ministers, it must have been a shoc...

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Holy Ground

In the early days, open-air meetings were a regular event on the corner of Cherry and River Streets (where the Australian Hotel now stands.) A local Salvation Army history book states that when the new street surface was...
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Our home in Ballina

The earliest Salvation Army hall in Ballina, on Cherry St, burnt to the ground in a fire on 29 July, 1927. In 1928 a building fundraising campaign began with a new hall and officer’s quarters, built on Tamar St, w...
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Making music

The Salvation Army has a strong history of musical excellence in Ballina. The earliest photo of the Ballina Salvation Army band dates back to about 1912 and the history book records the band being involved in street marc...
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Expansion

The Ballina Salvation Army has expanded to various towns in the district over the years. In 1924 it is recorded that a troop of Life Saving Guards have been formed at Newrybar through the year … much hard work has...
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In times of need

It’s often said that The Salvation Army has a ministry of “presence” – of  being there in times of need. During times of flooding throughout the decades, The Salvation Army in Ballina has...
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Always about people finding Freedom

From the early days to today, one thing has remained the same: The Salvation Army is about people finding freedom.
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The Salvation Army in Ballina today

The Salvation Army in Ballina remains a vibrant expression of the love of Jesus, with a 100 per cent increase in members in the past two years alone. Its Tamar St headquarters is open every day of the week, offering serv...
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The Salvation Army Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet and work and pay our respect to Elders past, present and future.

We value and include people of all cultures, languages, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and intersex status. We are committed to providing programs that are fully inclusive. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of people of all ages, particularly children.

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The Salvation Army is an international movement. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name with love and without discrimination.

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13 SALVOS (13 72 58)

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