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Adelaide Australia Temple

89th temple dedicated

Dedication of the Adelaide Australia Temple

At the groundbreaking of the Sydney Australia Temple on Aug. 13, 1982, Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “There is no reason in the world why we can’t have temples in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.”

A temple for Adelaide was announced March 17, 1999, and temples in each of the cities Elder McConkie mentioned would also receive temples within the coming five years, fulfilling his prophetic words.

After the temple’s construction in Adelaide, the 12,000 Church members in the temple district invited their friends and family to tour the building during its open house, which saw 49,303 visitors. The Adelaide Australia Temple was then dedicated June 15, 2000, by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Robert Wilmott, a fifth-generation Latter-day Saint and the building’s first temple president, told the Church News how grateful he was to serve in the Lord’s house. He said, “I feel I can now honor those who prepared the way for me to be a member of the Church by serving my fellowmen and our Father in Heaven in the temple.”

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “All that is done here will be in recognition of the immortality of the human soul. ... There will be carried forward in this house a great work of redemption in behalf of the dead, many of whom have waited long for these saving ordinances. May this be a day of rejoicing on both sides of the veil, and may all who have the privilege of working here feel the obligation and responsibility of this great vicarious service.”

Read the dedicatory prayer of the Adelaide Australia Temple here.

Timeline of the Adelaide Australia Temple

March
17
1999
Announced

A temple for Adelaide, Australia, was announced March 17, 1999, via letters to priesthood leaders in the temple district from the First Presidency, at the time consisting of Church President Gordon B. Hinckley and his two counselors — Presidents Thomas S. Monson, first counselor, and James E. Faust, second counselor.

May
29
1999
Groundbreaking

Ground was broken for the temple on May 29, 1999. The ceremony was presided over by Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, a General Authority Seventy.

June
03
2000
Open house

The public was invited to tour the completed house of the Lord from June 3-10, 2000. A total of 49,303 visitors toured the temple during its open house.

June
15
2000
Dedicated

President Hinckley dedicated the Adelaide Australia Temple on June 15, 2000. A total of 2,280 Church members attended one of four dedicatory sessions.

A temple for Adelaide was announced via letters to priesthood leaders in the temple district on March 17, 1999. The groundbreaking ceremony for the temple was held May 29, 1999.

Visitors toured the completed house of the Lord from June 3-10. The Adelaide Australia Temple was dedicated by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley on June 15, 2000.

Architecture and Design of the Adelaide Australia Temple

The 10,700-square-foot Adelaide Australia Temple was built on 6.94 acres of land, and snow white granite makes up the temple exterior. Grass fields, trees, shrubbery and sidewalks fill the temple grounds.

The interior of the temple features two instruction rooms and two sealing rooms. Both the Melbourne Australia Temple and the Adelaide temple, which were dedicated a day apart and built during the same time, have the same square footage, number of instruction and sealing rooms, and exterior finishes.

Quick Facts

Announced

17 March 1999

Dedicated

15 June 2000

Location

53-59 Lower Portrush Road

Marden

Adelaide, South Australia 5070

Australia

Appointments

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the second Latter-day Saint temple in Australia.

Fact #2

The groundbreaking ceremony for this temple was held on the same day as the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Louisville Kentucky Temple and the Veracruz Mexico Temple.

Fact #3

The principal from a high school near the temple site, as well as children who attended the school, were invited to break ground for the temple during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Fact #4

President Hinckley dedicated three temples other than the Adelaide Australia Temple on the same trip, including the Fukuoka Japan Temple, the Suva Fiji Temple and the Melbourne Australia Temple, the last of which was dedicated a day after the temple in Adelaide.

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the second Latter-day Saint temple in Australia.

Fact #2

The groundbreaking ceremony for this temple was held on the same day as the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Louisville Kentucky Temple and the Veracruz Mexico Temple.

Fact #3

The principal from a high school near the temple site, as well as children who attended the school, were invited to break ground for the temple during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Fact #4

President Hinckley dedicated three temples other than the Adelaide Australia Temple on the same trip, including the Fukuoka Japan Temple, the Suva Fiji Temple and the Melbourne Australia Temple, the last of which was dedicated a day after the temple in Adelaide.