Why did Free Settlers come to South Australia Adelaide in the 1800s?

Answer 1

Initially, a British group led by Edward Gibbon Wakefield were looking to start a colony founded on free settlement instead of convict labour. Unlike other colonies, where settlers were allocated free land according to their own assets, Wakefield suggested that the land be sold. Charles Sturt's discoveries that the Darling River flowed into the Murray, and that the Murray River flowed to the ocean, were significant, for they opened up huge tracts of land along the Murray River, and allowed for the development of paddle-steamer transportation of goods and passengers along Australia's inner waterways, between the colonies. Many of the free settlers who came to South Australia were of German origin (including other Germanic groups such as the Wendish and Prussians). Their primary reason was to escape the religious persecution in their own country. In the 1800s, under King Friedrich Wilhelm III, German/Prussian Lutherans suffered religious persecution. Friedrich Wilhelm was an autocratic king who believed he had the right to create his own state church from the two main Protestant churches - the Lutheran church and the smaller Reformed church - in a united Prussian state church. This would effectively remove the right of Lutherans to worship in a way of their choosing. Penalties for non-adherance to the state religion were severe. Many Lutherans immigrated to Australia to escape the persecution.

Other free settlers came because they discovered they could mine valuable metals. The Cornish and the Scottish came for this reason.

Answer 2

Free German settlers migrated to South Australia in the 1830s to escape the persecution of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia who wanted them to join the state church rather than to carry on their own religion.

Thanks to a wealthy Scottish businessman and chairman of the South Australian Company, George Fife Angas, a deal was struck by Pastor August Kavel to start a new Lutheran settlement in South Australia. The first group of Lutherans arrived on the ship 'Bengalee' in November 1838, followed two days later by the main group on the 'Prince George'. They first settled at the town of Klemzig. Many more ships followed over the next three years.

Immigrants continued to arrive in the 1850s, when the persecution had already ceased, because the farmland in their home country was producing poorly and becoming overcrowded and famine conditions prevailed in the 1840s. Greater opportunities for affordable land ownership were available, especially in South Australia, and also in area of the Riverland in New South Wales.