Westgarthtown, Heritage farming settlement in Thomastown and Lalor, Australia.
Westgarthtown is a preserved settlement with bluestone buildings, including a Lutheran church, cemetery, and four historic farmhouses built between 1850 and 1873. The structures stand close together, showing how German immigrants organized their community in Victoria.
German and Wendish immigrants founded the settlement in March 1850 after a six-month voyage from Hamburg on the ship Pribislaw. This founding group established the roots of a lasting German-speaking community in the region.
The church and school served as gathering places for the community over many decades, keeping German customs and religious practices alive. Visitors can still sense how important these buildings were to the families who lived and worshipped here.
The farmhouse museum opens on certain days and offers guided tours through the Victorian-era settlement. Visitors should allow time to walk between buildings and explore each location at a comfortable pace.
The settlement holds Victoria's oldest German immigrant building and the second oldest Lutheran church structure in Australia. These two structures stand as reminders of the earliest arrivals and their lasting mark on the region.
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