Trailblazing Since 1845

In the Barossa, the story of education has always been interwoven with a story of faith. From the earliest Lutheran settlers to today’s modern learners, generations of young people have been nurtured, challenged, and inspired through Lutheran schools shaped by courage, community, and hope.

For Faith Lutheran College, the journey began in 1845, when a schoolhouse was built even before a church. Known as Langmeil Schule, the primary school stood as the foundation of learning and faith. Its first principal, Mr Kavel, was the brother of Pastor August Kavel, who guided many early settlers to the Valley. For those pioneering families, education was about shaping character, deepening faith, and unlocking the God-given potential within every child.

Although the path was not always smooth. During World War 2, Lutheran schools in the region were forced to close. Yet resilience prevailed, and in 1938, Langmeil Schule reopened as Tanunda Lutheran School with just 37 students. Under the leadership of visionaries such as Emma Geyer, the first female graduate of Immanuel College, the primary school flourished, gaining a reputation for its dedication to the care and education of young people.

For decades, the dream of a Lutheran secondary school grew stronger. Even in the face of hardship during the 1980s, floods, a wine glut, and the vine-pull scheme, a determined community pressed forward. Their faith bore fruit in 1985 with the opening of Faith Lutheran Secondary School, beginning with just 27 students. Early classes were held in transportable classrooms in the carpark of St John's Lutheran Church until a permanent home was established on Magnolia Road. Collaboration with Tanunda Lutheran School was evident from the beginning, with even simple acts of sharing, such as sand from Faith’s building site for Tanunda Lutheran School’s Bush Block, symbolising a spirit of unity.

That spirit of unity came full circle in 2018 when Tanunda Lutheran School and Faith Lutheran College formally joined as one, creating the Barossa’s first ELC to Year 12 College.

Today, Faith Lutheran College continues to be a place where every student is known and valued, where relationships are built on trust and belonging, and where generations continue to write their own remarkable stories.

From the trailblazers of 1845 to the learners of today, one thread runs unbroken: faith, hope, and courage. It is a legacy that continues to inspire the Barossa and a vision that carries confidently into the future.