ZEBRA 1839

This 3 mast ship left Altona on April 12th 1838,
under the command of Captain Dirk Meinertz Hahn,
and arrived at Holdfast Bay (Adelaide)
on Friday December 28th, 1838,
and at Port Adelaide (known as Port Misery)
on Wednesday January 2nd 1839.

The ZEBRA was to accompany the PRINCE GEORGE
to Adelaide, bringing Lutheran refugees
from Silesia, Prussia
plus household goods and 40,924 bricks.


THE ZEBRA, artist unknown
Original painting in State Library of South Australia (SLSA: B17899/3)

They had to wait three weeks before the ZEBRA was ready to sail. This voyage took 129 religiously motivated settlers from the village of Kay (Zullichau District, Brandenburg). Unfortunately six adults and five children died during the rough and stormy voyage.

ZEBRA arrived Port Adelaide January 2nd, 1839 - PASSENGER LIST

Captain Hahn was so impressed with his passengers. He apparently felt some duty to see them safely setttled in their land before he sailed away, and personally supervised the purchase of their land. On January 24th 1839 Captain Hahn and his party journeyed into the Adelaide Hills to see land near Mt Barker offered by Mr Dutton, a wealthy landholder.

After a hearty lunch under the gum trees, they continued on until the country opened up into a beautiful green meadow with the Onkaparinga River flowing nearby. The Captain was very pleased and personally helped in the drawing up of the land contracts.

The town of Hahndorf was named
after Captain Hahn of the ZEBRA.