After the close of World War I, parishioners of St. Ambrose Church in Bournemouth, England, grateful for the assistance England had received from the dominions in defending the British Empire, decided make a peace thanks-giving gift of £1,200 to the town in the Empire with a good church and wartime service record. The money was to be used to construct an Anglican church. Gilgandra was selected by the Bournemouth church authorities as the recipient of the peace and thanks-giving gift in December 1919 and the construction of St Ambrose Church in Gilgandra commenced in 1920.