PRINCESS LOUISE
The Princess Louise, a ship of 356 tons, sailed from Hamburg, Germany,in 26 March 1849 and travelled via Rio de Janerio, Brazil, and Cape Town, South Africa, to Port Adelaide, South Australia, arriving on 07 August 1849.
On board were a number of families migrating from Germany to Australiain search of political freedom, including:
Mücke (later anglised to: Muecke)
Bassedow
von Richter
Buring
Lindrum
Schomburgh
Harders
Many of these families originally settled in the Barossa Valley, situated about 80 kilometres north of Adelaide, the Capital City of South Australia. This area was so named because of its similarity to the areaof the same name in Germany. The German settlers were to make the Barrossa Valley the principle grape growing and wine producing area in Australia and it still hold much of the Germman history and culture in the State.
Johann Heinrich Harders and Christine Kruger They purchased 40 acres at Buchsfelde near Gawler which area proved too small. Subsequently inthe 1870's they trekked by covered wagons to Dimboola, Victoria and selected 1124 acres which they developed and built a home.) Otto Schilling remembers his great grandfather, Johann Heinrich Harders was a cabinet maker by trade and one of his cabinets was in the Schilling homeat Katyil.Extract from "Eary Dimboola" some of the pioneers from the Weekly Times October 1929:
"Heinrich Harders worked for 8 years at his trade of brush making in Germany and after serving 3 years inthe Army, landed in Australia in 1849, worked on the Burra Burra copper mines, South Australia and Fryers' Creek diggings in Victoria where he was amongst the fortunate miners. Returning to South Australia, he married and farmed but eventually,being driven out by rabbits, he took up 320 acres near Dimboola in 1874, increasing the acreage to 640 growing wheat and establishing his sons on the land nearby. Johann Heinrich Harders born 1st June 1826 in BERLIN, Germany, died 30th April 1915 in Dimboola, arrived in Adelaideon "Princess Louise" with his parents, married CHRISTIANE (Caroline) KRUGER 28th January 1853 Adelaide, who died 19th February 1883 in Dimboola Victoria."