Departure of Pioneer MissionariesPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates the departure of pioneer missionaries in October 1875 from Bethany who left to establish the Hermannsburg Mission in the Northern Territory.
On October 25 (sic), 1875, two young pastors, A.H. Kempe and W. F. Schwartz, who had been in Australia only a few weeks, set out to find a place which would be seen by civilised men. They left Bethany, 25 km north of Adelaide. with a caravan of eight men, 2200 sheep, 37 horses, 20 cattle, 80 goats and some fowls. They wandered in the wilderness like the children of Israel for more than 19 months, covering 1930 km, equal to the distance from Bonn to Istanbul. But they reached the site on June 8, 1877, began their mission and called it Hermannsburg. For a quarter of a century it was to be the only Christian establishment in an area half the size of Europe.
Extract from Papua New Guinea Post-Courier
(Port Moresby), 18 November 1977.
Location
| Address: | 184 Bethany Road, Herberge Christi Lutheran Church, Bethany, 5352 |
|---|---|
| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -34.538337 Long: 138.969901 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Religion |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 22-October-1875 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 22-October-1875 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 19th October, 1975 |
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In Commemoration Of The Departure Of
The Pioneer Missionaries From Bethany
22nd October 1875
To Establish The Hermannsburg Mission
Among The Aborigines In Central Australia
Unveiled 19th October 1975
