Hermannsburg precinct – Old Church

The precinct

Hermannsburg Historic Precinct is a nationally listed heritage site that is owned by the Western Arrarnta people and managed collaboratively with them by Finke River Mission (FRM) under the direction of the Hermannsburg Historical Society. The Precinct includes the physical remains of the Finke River Mission Station, otherwise known as Hermannsburg Mission, that was the longest running mission in Australia.

Aranda Aboriginal pupils with Pastor C. Strehlow
Aranda Aboriginal pupils with Pastor C. Strehlow, c.1900. Source State Library of South Australia B42447

Mission history

The Hermannsburg Mission was established in 1877 following an arduous 20 month journey from South Australia. It was managed by Lutheran missionaries and the Lutheran Church from 1877-1982 and is the last surviving mission developed by missionaries from the Hermannsburg Missionary Society in Germany under the influence of the German Lutheran community in South Australia

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Children lining up for food Source Finke River Mission
Children lining up for food Source Finke River Mission

Arrarnta and Finke River Mission Services

Established in 1877, the mission was the initial point of contact between Western Arrarnta and European cultures. The mission provided a sanctuary and source of medical assistance for Arranta people during the contact period.

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Hermannsburg precinct – Old Church

National Heritage listing

The National Heritage List is Australia’s list of natural, historic and Indigenous places of outstanding significance to the nation.

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Kata Anga Team rooms

Tea rooms

The Kata Anga Tea Rooms is a place where you can enjoy morning tea, lunch, or afternoon tea, and soak up the atmosphere of this historic site in Strehlow's House, a heritage building that is over 110 years old.

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Aboriginal people outside thatched huts 1923
Aboriginal people outside thatched huts 1923. Source Lutheran Archives

Stories

There are  many stories to be told about Hermannsburg and some of them are recounted here from a mixture of written sources and oral histories. 

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Colourful pots of Hermannsburg

Discover our creative community

Albert Namtjira and sons working on their paintings April 1952
Albert Namtjira and sons working on their paintings April 1952 (source State Library of South Australia)