Our History
Lutheran Schooling is Australia Wide:
Lutheran schools and early years centres are located in every state and territory of Australia except the ACT. All these schools and early years centres are owned by the Lutheran church and are incorporated into a system with support structures at national and regional levels.
The Lutheran church also has its own tertiary institution, Australian Lutheran College, which provides special training for Lutheran teachers in order to promote a distinctive ethos in its schools and early years centres.

The seeds of the first formal Government schools in South Australia had their early beginnings around 1838. The Lutheran school in Hahndorf began in 1839.
In many ways that school, St Michael’s Lutheran School, reflects the early history of Lutheran learning communities in SA. It was commenced to support the community of migrants from Germany that had fled religious persecution and settled in areas such as Klemzig, the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa Valley. These were schools birthed to support the children of their community and their parents who expected high standards of learning. That absolute commitment to community and learning remains today.

However, the Lutheran schools were not just for ‘their own’. On the banks of the River Torrens at a place known as Pirltawardli (previously often referred to as PiltaWodli), the Dresden Missionaries as they are sometimes referred to, established a school in 1838 for Kaurna children who were living in that area. This school is arguably the oldest school in SA. Today it is recognised that those German missionaries were quite radical for the times. They learnt, spoke, taught-in and recorded the Kaurna language – and spoke highly of the knowledge and skills of the children. Again, in many ways the values established on the banks of the Torrens have shaped the 185 years of teaching and learning tradition since.

These Lutheran schools were being established and building their reputation from the very beginnings of the state of SA. Since then, Lutheran schooling has spread with learning communities being established across Australia. Lutheran Education SA, NT & WA (LESNW) represents some 40 Co-educational Schools, Early Learning Centres, Kindergartens and Child Care Centres. See ‘Our Learning Communities’ for more information.
Our History

Hahndorf, SA

Lobethal, SA

Tanunda, SA

Nuriootpa, SA

Lyndoch, SA

Highgate, SA

Novar Gardens, SA

Eudunda, SA

Loxton, SA

Highgate, SA

Angaston, SA

Mt Gambier, SA

Maitland, SA

Novar Gardens, SA

Blair Athol, SA

Alice Springs, NT

Nightcliff, NT

Murray Bridge, SA

Salisbury, SA

Morphett Vale, SA

Gawler, SA

Murray Bridge, SA

Waikerie, SA

Para Vista, SA

Mt Barker, SA

Mt Gambier,SA

After Leanyer, NT

Morphett Vale, SA

Ceduna, SA

Gawler, SA

Tanunda, SA

Aberfoyle Park, SA

Alice Springs, NT

Wynn Vale, SA

Mount Barker, SA

McLaren Vale, SA

Mawson Lakes, SA

Warnbro, WA

Para Vista, SA

Blackwood, SA

Victor Harbor, SA

Howard Springs, NT

Lyndoch, SA

Port Lincoln, SA

Birdwood, SA