Beltana in the Flinders Ranges. This is the Presbyterian manse built around 1895. In 1919 it became the Mitchell Nursing Home for the Australian Inland Mission. A new wing the Amy Fairfax wing added in 1927..
The Smith of Dunesk Presbyterian Mission and church operated from 1894 to 1932. A committed Presbyterian Mrs Henrietta Smith (a daughter of the Earl of Buchan) of Dunesk Scotland, who never visited Australia, gave bequests that led to the Smith of Dunesk Mission station at Beltana and later assisted in the establishment of Jean Flynn ‘s Australian Inland Mission- also a Presbyterian association. Mrs Smith bought 480 acres in SA in 1839 and donated it in 1853 to the Free Church of Scotland. Sir Thomas Elder administered the income from the land and some went to Point McLeay Aboriginal Mission but most rents just accumulated until 1893 when £3,000 went to the Presbyterian Church of SA. The Presbyterian minister at Port Augusta proposed a mission station and church at Beltana and he, Rev. Mitchell, opened the Smith of Dunesk mission in 1895 and he remained there until 1899. In 1905 the Beltana mission station appointed an inland nurse who was stationed at Oodnadatta. Rev. Jean Flynn was appointed to Beltana in 1911 and in 1912 he convinced the church to establish the Australian Inland Mission - AIM. In 1928 Flynn established the first flying doctor service from the AIM base in Cloncurry QLD. Although the church and old manse in Beltana closed in 1932 they have been restored in recent years.
Beltana in the Flinders Ranges. This is the Presbyterian manse built around 1895. In 1919 it became the Mitchell Nursing Home for the Australian Inland Mission. A new wing the Amy Fairfax wing added in 1927..
The Smith of Dunesk Presbyterian Mission and church operated from 1894 to 1932. A committed Presbyterian Mrs Henrietta Smith (a daughter of the Earl of Buchan) of Dunesk Scotland, who never visited Australia, gave bequests that led to the Smith of Dunesk Mission station at Beltana and later assisted in the establishment of Jean Flynn ‘s Australian Inland Mission- also a Presbyterian association. Mrs Smith bought 480 acres in SA in 1839 and donated it in 1853 to the Free Church of Scotland. Sir Thomas Elder administered the income from the land and some went to Point McLeay Aboriginal Mission but most rents just accumulated until 1893 when £3,000 went to the Presbyterian Church of SA. The Presbyterian minister at Port Augusta proposed a mission station and church at Beltana and he, Rev. Mitchell, opened the Smith of Dunesk mission in 1895 and he remained there until 1899. In 1905 the Beltana mission station appointed an inland nurse who was stationed at Oodnadatta. Rev. Jean Flynn was appointed to Beltana in 1911 and in 1912 he convinced the church to establish the Australian Inland Mission - AIM. In 1928 Flynn established the first flying doctor service from the AIM base in Cloncurry QLD. Although the church and old manse in Beltana closed in 1932 they have been restored in recent years.