AUSTRALIA
Jan. 1, 2009: Est. population, 21,262,000; Members, 123,650; Stakes, 33; Wards, 194; Branches, 90; Missions, 7; Districts, 10; Temples, 5;Percent LDS, 0.58, or 1 LDS in 172; Pacific Area.
In the southwest South Pacific, the island-continent of Australia is a democratic federal state in the British commonwealth. Australia's population speaks English, and is 26 percent Anglican, 25 percent Protestant, and 25 percent Roman Catholic.
In 1840, William Barratt, 17, was called from England to serve a mission in Australia. He found circumstances difficult, but baptized Robert Beauchamp who later became an influential mission president in Australia. Then next missionary was Andrew Anderson who had been baptized by Orson Pratt in Scotland. Before he emigrated to Australia, he was given license to preach there. He and his family arrived in 1842. By the end of 1844, he organized a branch of 11 members in the private township of Montefiores, some 220 miles northwest of Sydney.
John Murdock and Charles Wandell arrived from Utah 31 October 1851 in Sydney, and established mission headquarters there. They published tracts, began preaching and found a few converts among a people very distracted by a gold rush. A year later, 47 members were in the mission when Murdock left because of ill health. On 6 April 1853, Wandell left with a company of Saints. A few days later, another 10 missionaries arrived under the direction of Augustus Farnham.
At least nine companies emigrated from Australia to Utah in the 1800s. The most serious ship accident among all the LDS emigrating companies occurred 3 October 1855, when the bark Julia Ann, carrying 28 Saints emigrating to Utah from Australia, broke up on shoals near the Scilly Islands. Five people were drowned in the mishap.
When word of the Utah War arrived in Australia in late December 1857, all missionaries returned to Utah. From then until 1875 only a few American missionaries were sent to Australia. Moreover, with greater successes in New Zealand, efforts of the Australasian Mission were focused there and in 1880 mission headquarters were moved to Auckland. After 1875 efforts in Australia were renewed and on 1 January 1898, the Australasian Mission was divided, forming the Australian and New Zealand Missions. At the time, membership in Australia was about 200.
Missionaries arrived in Perth, Western Australia, in 1888. The first LDS meetinghouse in the country was completed in Brisbane in 1904. Emigrating members continually depleted numbers and upset the Australian government, who in 1917 limited the number of missionaries who could enter Australia and in1918 forbade "emigration propaganda."
Meetinghouses were dedicated in Melbourne in 1922, Adelaide in 1923, Sydney in 1924, and Perth and Hobart in 1925. World War II brought the evacuation of missionaries and slowed the work. Furthermore, shipping difficulties began immediately after the war and hindered the return of missionaries.
The South Australian Mission was created in 1955, with headquarters in Melbourne, and David O. McKay authorized the construction of new meetinghouses that same year.
Australia's first stake was organized in Sydney 27 March 1960. Additional missions were created in 1958 (Adelaide), 1973 (Brisbane), and 1975 (Perth), 1993 (Sydney North) and 1998 (Melbourne West). The Sydney Australia Temple, dedicated 1984, was Australia's first temple. Additional temples have been dedicated in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.
Members assisted as volunteers with the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.
On 28 March 2003, Elder Kenneth Johnson presented 100,000 Australian Dollars to the Farmhand Foundation for drought relief.
In 2003, membership reached 106,930. In 2005, membership reached 111,098.
Sources: United States Department of State, The World Factbook, cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook.; Andrew Jenson, Encyclopedic History of the Church, 1941; Australasian Mission, Manuscript history, Church Archives; Church Public Affairs, press release, 28 Mar. 2003; Marjorie Newton, Southern Cross Saints, 1991; John Douglas Hawkes, A History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Australia to 1900, thesis, 1965. "Saints Shine in Perth, Western Australia's 'City of Lights,'" Ensign, October 1988; Australian Mission, Manuscript history and historical reports, Church Archives; and Christopher K. Bigelow, "Australia: Coming Out of Obscurity," Ensign, December 1998.
Stakes — 33
(Listed alphabetically as of Oct. 1, 2009.)
No. / Name / Organized / First President
Pacific Area
2129 Adelaide Australia Firle 26 Nov 1995 Philip F. Howes
414 *Adelaide Australia Marion 6 Jan 1982
*Adelaide Australia Payneham 23 Apr 1978
*Adelaide Australia
Adelaide 23 Feb 1966 Dudley Russell Tredrea
907 Adelaide Australia Modbury 23 Apr 1978 Douglas E. Hann
306 *Brisbane Australia
Brisbane 23 Oct 1960 William E. Waters
2776 Brisbane Australia Centenary 15 Sep 2007 James Francis O'Reilly
2605 Brisbane Australia Logan 22 Sep 2002 Robert Gordon
1684 Brisbane Australia North 7 Feb 1988 Douglas Walter Hill
2022 Canberra Australia 19 Feb 1995 Peter John Moir
2141 Devonport Australia 10 Dec 1995 John Robert Hargreaves
892 *Eight Mile Plains Australia 10Dec 1995
Brisbane Australia South 19 Feb 1978 John D. Jeffrey
2140 Gold Coast Australia 10 Dec 1995 Robert Gordon
860 Hobart Tasmania Australia 14 Sep 1977 John Douglas Jury
1279 *Ipswich Australia 6 May 1986
Brisbane Australia West 21 Jun 1981 John D. Jeffrey
Launceton Tasmania
2498 Liverpool Australia 25 Oct 1998 Maa Junior Maa
1988 *Macarthur Australia Stake 25 Oct 1998
Sydney Australia Campbelltown 28 Aug 1994 Ma'a Ma'a Jr.
551 *Melbourne Australia Braeside 5 Apr 1994
*Melbourne Australia Dandenong 18 Mar 1986
*Melbourne Australia Moorabbin
Melbourne South 22 Aug 1971 Bruce James Opie
1175 *Melbourne Australia Deer Park 18 Mar 1986
*Melbourne Australia
Fairfield West 7 Sep 1980 Edward Anderson
307 *Melbourne Australia Heidelberg 2 Jul 1995
*Melbourne Australia Fairfield
Melbourne 30 Oct 1960 Boyd C. Bott
1617 *Melbourne Australia Maroondah 2 Jul 1995
Melbourne Australia Waverly 7 Dec 1986 Ian Frank Davenport
2070 Melbourne Australia Pakenham 2 Jul 1995 J. Murray Lobley
2478 *Melbourne Australia Wyndham 16 Oct 2002
Melbourne Australia West 21 Jun 1998 Russell Bruce John Bielenberg
2264a Nambour Australia 17 Nov 1996 Michael Douglas Keily
1106 *Newcastle Australia 15 Jul 1986
Sydney Australia Newcastle 15 Feb 1980 Peter R. Barr
2450 Penrith Australia 19 Apr 1998 Jeffrey D. Cummings
447 *Perth Australia Dianella 6 Jul 1980
*Perth Australia
Perth 28 Nov 1967 Donald W. Cummings
2292 Perth Australia Rockingham 15 Dec 1996 Adrian Shane Palm
1159 Perth Australia Southern River 6 Jul 1980 Roy B. Webb
2033 Perth Australia Warwick 12 Mar 1995 Peter Fletcher Meurs
293 *Sydney Australia Greenwich
Sydney 27 Mar 1960 Dell C. Hunt
1105 Sydney Australia Hebersham 15 Feb 1980 Peter J. Moir
2303 Sydney Australia Hyde Park 2 Feb 1997 Patrick R. Ormond Jr.
435 *Sydney Australia Mortdale 2 Jun 1992
*Mortdale Australia 31 Mar 1992
*Sydney Australia Mortdale 15 Feb 1980
*Sydney Australia South
Sydney South 14 May 1967 John Daniel Parker
495 *Sydney Australia Parramatta 2 Jun 1992
*Parramatta Australia 31 Mar 1992
*Sydney Australia Parramatta 15 Feb 1980
*Parramatta Australia
Parramatta (Australia) 2 Nov 1969 Stanley Owen Gray
Missions — 7
(As of Oct. 1, 2007; shown with historical number.)
(82) AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE MISSION
P.O. Box 97
Marden, South Australia
Australia
(106) AUSTRALIA BRISBANE MISSION
P.O. Box 348
5070 Hamilton, Brisbane
QLD 4007, Australia
(43c) AUSTRALIA MELBOURNE EAST MISSION
628 Canterbury Road
Vermont, VIC 3133
Australia
(319) AUSTRALIA MELBOURNE WEST
PO Box 354
Niddrie, VIC 3042
Australia
(117) AUSTRALIA PERTH MISSION
P.O. Box 185
Tuart Hill, WA 6939
Australia
(278) AUSTRALIA SYDNEY NORTH MISSION
756 Pennant Hills Road
Carlingford NSW 2118
Australia
(10) AUSTRALIA SYDNEY SOUTH MISSION
2 Breakwell Street
Mortdale, NSW 2223
Australia
