Housed in a building designed by James Barnet and built between 1886 and 1887, the chapel was established in 1902 after conversion from the former sail loft and is the oldest Christian chapel of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)[1] and has stained glass windows and plaques from that era to the present.

[1] The building is the oldest on Garden Island, two-storey, built of stuccoed brick with stone sills, arches and columns.

Garden Island is on the southern shore of Port Jackson, the proper name for the harbour at Sydney, Australia.

During the nineteenth century, the island became the support base for the fleet and various buildings were established including houses for senior staff.

The stone and brick Rigging building was built in 1887, on the shoreside shelf at the northern end of the island, in which the chapel was later established.

It was officially opened on 25 August 1996 by Rear Admiral David Campbell, AM RAN, Flag Officer Naval Support Command, and dedicated by Principal Chaplains Michael Holtz AM RANR and Gareth Clayton RAN and Chaplain J.F.B.

The altar is a simple wooden block of a sandstone plinth, standing on a raised area at the front wall.