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Adelaide Australia Temple

Adelaide Australia Temple
Map
Number89
Dedication15 June 2000, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Site6.94 acres (2.81 ha)
Floor area10,700 sq ft (990 m2)
Height71 ft (22 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
←
Fukuoka Japan Temple
Adelaide Australia Temple 		→
Melbourne Australia Temple
Additional information
Announced17 March 1999, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Groundbreaking29 May 1999, by Vaughn J. Featherstone
Open house3–10 June 2000
Current presidentMichael William McIlwaine
Designed bySimon Drew
LocationMarden, South Australia, Australia
Geographic coordinates34°53′32.90280″S 138°38′6.007199″E / 34.8924730000°S 138.63500199972°E / -34.8924730000; 138.63500199972
Exterior finishSnow-white granite of Campolonghi, Italy
Temple designClassic modern, single-spire design
Baptistries1
Ordinance rooms2 (two-stage progressive)
Sealing rooms2
(edit)

The Adelaide Australia Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in the suburb of Marden in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the church's 89th operating temple and was the second built in Australia, after the Sydney Australia Temple. The temple has a single spire with a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni on top, and the exterior is snow-white granite from Campolonghi, Italy. Its design was overseen by architect Simon Drew and follows the same floor plan as the Melbourne Australia Temple. The intent to build the temple was announced on March 17, 1999, by the church's First Presidency. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 29, 1999, with Vaughn J. Featherstone, a general authority who was then president of the church's Australia/New Zealand Area. A public open house held after construction was completed had over 49,000 visitors. The temple was dedicated on June 15, 2000, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley. The temple has two ordinance rooms, two sealing rooms, and a baptistry.

History

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The temple was announced by the First Presidency on March 17, 1999.[2][3] On May 29, 1999, the church announced that the temple would be built on a 6.94-acre (2.81 ha) property located at 53–59 Lower Portrush Road in Marden, a suburb of Adelaide,[2][4] and be a single-story structure of approximately 10,700 square feet.[5]

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 29, 1999, with Vaughn J. Featherstone presiding.[2][6] Despite heavy rains, more than 500 people gathered for the groundbreaking, including the Mayor of Adelaide and other local dignitaries.[6][7] After the program was finished, when they gathered at the temple site to break the ground, the rain stopped.[6]

Following construction was completed, a public open house was held from June 3 to June 10, 2000,[2][8] with approximately 49,300 people touring the temple.[2]

The Adelaide Australia Temple was dedicated on June 15, 2000, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley. About 2,280 church members attended one of four dedicatory sessions.[2]

Church members previously had to travel between fifteen and twenty hours one-way to visit the church's closest temple in Sydney. Membership growth in Australia prompted church leaders to announce new temples across Australia in the late 1990s. In addition to Adelaide, temples were constructed in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. An additional temple for Brisbane south was announced in 2024.[citation needed]

In 2020, like all the church's others, the Adelaide Australia Temple was closed for a time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]

Design and architecture

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The Adelaide Australia Temple has a modern, single-spire design.[10] It was designed by Simon Drew, and construction was overseen by the firm Balderstone-Hornibrook.[11] The temple has similarities to the Melbourne Australia temple, including exterior detailing, square footage, as well as sharing the same number of sealing and instruction rooms. The temples were dedicated a day apart.[2] The interior is approximately 10,700 square feet[2] and has two endowment rooms, two sealing rooms, and a baptistry.[11]

The temple is on a 6.94-acre (2.81 ha) site located at 53–59 Lower Portrush Road in Marden, a suburb northeast of central Adelaide.[2][12] The landscaped grounds include gardens and trees, with plazas for gathering on four sides of the building.[10]

The temple is a single-story building constructed primarily from snow-white granite imported from Campolonghi, Italy.[11] A central architectural feature is its spire, with a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni on its top.[13]

Temple presidents

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The church's temples are directed by a temple president and matron, each typically serving for a term of three years. The president and matron oversee the administration of temple operations and provide guidance and training for both temple patrons and staff.[14][15] Serving from 2000 to 2003, Robert J. Wilmott was the first president, with Barbara B. Wilmott serving as matron.[16][17] As of 2023, Michael W. McIlwaine is the president, with Caroline I. McIlwaine serving as matron.[18]

Admittance

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After construction was completed, the church held public open house from June 3 to June 10, 2000 (excluding Sunday).[2] The temple was dedicated by church president Gordon B. Hinckley on June 15, 2000, in four sessions.[2]

Like all the church's temples, it is not used for Sunday worship services. To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Once dedicated, only church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Several dozen temples, built from identical plans.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Adelaide Australia Temple | Church News Almanac". Church News. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Six more temples announced; total now 108", Church News, 27 March 1999, archived from the original on 29 June 2019, retrieved 18 July 2019
  4. ^ "Adelaide Australia Temple". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Adelaide Australia Temple". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Rain, clouds in Adelaide do not dampen spirits during groundbreaking". Church News. 5 June 1999. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  7. ^ Howes, Phillip (5 June 1999), "Rain, clouds in Adelaide do not dampen spirits during groundbreaking", Church News
  8. ^ "Adelaide Australia: 'Rejoicing on both sides of the veil'", Church News, 24 June 2000
  9. ^ Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus", The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Adelaide Australia Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org". Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Adelaide Australia Temple: Facts and figures". Church News. 24 June 2000. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Adelaide Australia Temple". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Angel Moroni Statues on Temples". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  14. ^ "New Temple Presidents Begin Service in Australia". news-au.churchofjesuschrist.org. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  15. ^ "New Temple Presidency for Adelaide Temple". news-au.churchofjesuschrist.org. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  16. ^ "New temple presidents". Church News. 20 May 2000. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  17. ^ "New temple presidents". Church News. 6 September 2003. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  18. ^ "8 new temple presidents have been called to serve — from Timpanogos to Toronto". Church News. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Mormon Temples: Dedicated Houses of the Lord". pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 1 July 2025.

Additional reading

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