The Adelaide Australia Temple was the second temple built in Australia, dedicated in June 2000. It fulfilled a promise made two decades earlier and remains a meaningful stop for anyone tracing the growth of the Church across Australia and the Pacific.
Where It's Located
The temple is located at 53-59 Lower Portrush Road, Marden, South Australia. It sits just a few miles northeast of Adelaide's city center, next to a college campus on a major suburban route, with gathering plazas surrounding all four sides of the building.
A Bit of History
The story of this temple traces back to August 13, 1982, at the groundbreaking of the Sydney Australia Temple. Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared that there was no reason Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth couldn't have temples of their own "as soon as warranted by the numbers and the faithfulness of the Australian Saints." His words came true just over twenty years later, starting with Adelaide.
Before this temple existed, members in the Adelaide area faced a round trip of 15 to 20 hours each way to reach the Sydney Australia Temple. The Adelaide temple was announced on March 17, 1999, and ground was broken just over two months later, on May 29, 1999. The groundbreaking service, held at the nearby Firle Chapel, began under heavy rain — but as the congregation moved to the temple site to break ground, the rain stopped and the sky cleared. Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, who presided, said the members' commitment to temple attendance meant they "surely merit a temple in their midst."
The project generated significant local interest, with radio and newspaper coverage inviting the public to the open house, which drew 49,303 visitors over eight days. The temple was dedicated on June 15, 2000, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, as part of an 11-day trip through Asia and the Pacific during which he dedicated four temples in eight days: Fukuoka Japan, Adelaide Australia, Melbourne Australia, and Suva Fiji.
Design and Architecture
The temple sits on 6.94 acres (2.8 hectares), with an exterior finished in snow-white granite. A single attached spire, topped with a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni, tops the building, which is surrounded by trees and gardens. The structure includes two instruction rooms (two-stage progressive), two sealing rooms, and one baptistry, spread across roughly 10,700 square feet (994 square meters).
Final Thoughts
The Adelaide Australia Temple carries real historical weight as part of a wave of Australian temples that fulfilled a decades-old promise. While it's currently closed for maintenance, it remains a worthwhile piece of history for anyone interested in the Church's story in Australia and the Pacific — and one to keep an eye on for reopening if you're planning future travel.
Scott & Riah
Brough Made
https://broughmade.com
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