North Adelaide Property Sale

The Australian Lutheran College (ALC) has served the church well from its North Adelaide campus for many decades. The campus is fondly remembered by students and teaching staff as a hub of Christian community and personal growth. However, the North Adelaide campus is now largely under-utilised with very limited use of some buildings. The cost of maintaining the site, largely due to the heritage listing of the 1880s building known as Hebart Hall, is approximately $400,000 per annum. Further, ALC’s move to a distributed learning model means the site is no longer necessary for its operations. With the college’s onsite community decreasing and buildings not being used, theft and vandalism have also become regular problems.

The Churchwide Office, located in a sprawling 1930s complex built for other purposes, is inconsistent with modern workplace design and practice. ‘The land and buildings are no longer serving the church well, and they are unlikely to meet its future needs’, Brett Hausler, Executive Officer of the Church, said. ‘While the North Adelaide site has been a blessing to the church over many years, it has been appropriate to review its purpose.’

In January 2024, a short-term property adviser was appointed to facilitate the sale of the LCANZ’s Churchwide Office (CWO) and Australian Lutheran College (ALC) sites in North Adelaide.

Significant work has been undertaken over the past year, including: reviewing the heritage and planning requirements, such as listed buildings and significant trees; clarifying the needs of local council and heritage bodies; obtaining subdivision approval for the existing land to provide flexibility for redevelopment or its sale; and exploring buildings around Adelaide for possible relocation.

The properties were listed for sale in late March, with expressions of interesting closing on 15 May. There was considerable interest in the sale from local and national media outlets, as well as prospective buyers.

It was announced in August that the LCANZ’s entire 1.9-hectare property at North Adelaide is under multiple contracts, with the total purchase price exceeding the various market evaluations.

Settlement conditions have been negotiated, with settlements for differing lots occurring over the next 48 months. Vacant possession will be provided over various sections of the site between July 2025 and July 2026.

Potential locations for the new workplace for ALC and the Churchwide Office are being investigated. It is hoped that the new location will provide opportunities to actively streamline operations, create a collaborative and supportive workplace environment, and foster a living missional culture.