The first Seventh-day Adventist missionaries arrived in Autralia in 1885. Six years later, Ellen White-one of the church's founders-arrived in this distant land. Then aged 64, she was unsure of this calling and expected to stay no more than two years.
Ellen White's time in Australia and New Zealand grew to nine years and represents her most mature and pioneering work. Her leadership saw the church growing significantly with new churches planted in many cities and towns, the establishment of what became Avondale College and Sanitarium Health Food Company, and publication of The Desire of Ages.
But these stories-many previously unpublished-also highligh Ellen White's personal ministry close to her adopted home at "Sunnyside", establishing a country home with a large household, supporting new church members and serving people in her local community.
The Author, Marian de Berg has served for more than 29 years as Administrative Assistant at the Ellen G White/Seventh-day Adventist Research Centre at Avondale College of Higher Education in Coorangong, Australia.