Herrnhut : Australia's First Utopian Commune

Abstract

This presents a record of Australia's first utopian commune, established in Victoria in 1852 and lasting until 1889. Its strong, charismatic leader, Johann Krumnow, and the "peculiar" ways of the communards led to their vilification by the press as a wicked cult, full of sexual deviance and other misdemeanors. In truth they established a safe haven for Aborigines, a refuge for homeless people, and one of Australia's first woman's shelters, as well as a system for efficiently managing a large farm and supporting nearly fifty people.