Wellington Valley Mission facts for kids
The Wellington Valley Mission was an early Christian mission in Australia. It was set up by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) near Wellington, New South Wales. The mission aimed to teach Aboriginal people about Christianity and European ways of life. It started in 1830 and closed 12 years later in 1842.
Starting the Mission
The Church Missionary Society officially opened the mission in 1832. Two missionaries, Rev. William Watson and Rev. Johann Simon Christian Handt, led the effort. They were given a large area of land, about 10,000 acres (40 km2), to use for the mission. They also received £500 each year to help run it.
Early Challenges
The mission faced many problems from the very beginning. One big issue was a severe drought. This made it very hard to grow food for everyone. On March 2, 1833, Rev. Watson wrote in his diary about the difficulties. He mentioned that the ground was too dry and hard to plow. He also noted that their garden and other plants were drying up, and there was hardly any food for their animals.
Problems Within the Mission
The mission also had trouble because of disagreements among the people running it. In 1837, Rev. Handt left the mission because his wife was unwell. James Günther took his place, but he also had arguments with Rev. Watson.
Another person, William Porter, joined the mission to help with farming. Rev. Watson tried to take charge of Aboriginal children he met. He wanted them to live at the mission. Eventually, Rev. Watson left Wellington Valley. He took some children with him and started a new mission called Apsley.
Mission Closure
The Wellington Valley Mission closed in 1842. It had been open for ten years. The mission faced many difficulties and did not achieve much of its original goals.
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