20/09/2026
Did you know St George’s Anglican Church at Woodforde, Magill, was the first consecrated Anglican church in South Australia?
Before a church can be consecrated, it must first be paid for. While St George’s Anglican Church is not the oldest Anglican church in South Australia, it is a remarkable testament to the determination of the early pioneers of the parish that the church was consecrated in just one year.
The church was built in 1848 on land provided by Captain John Duff. The foundation stone was laid on 18 January 1847 by the wife of Frederick Bayne Esquire of Stradbroke. Just over a year later, on 30 January 1848, the church was consecrated by His Lordship Bishop Augustus Short, the first Anglican Bishop of Adelaide.
This photograph, taken around 1872, provides a wonderful glimpse of the church in its early years. Notice the water-worn stones used to construct the walls, sourced from nearby Fourth Creek. The roof beams and timbers were made from Blue Gum.
The historic churchyard beside St George’s is also significant, serving as the final resting place of numerous prominent early colonists and notable South Australian figures.
The beautiful lychgate at St George’s was donated by descendants of Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold, founder of Penfolds Winery.
A remarkable piece of South Australian history.
