Travelling kit bag, name badge, key and coat-hanger

Pastor Heinrich (Henry) Johannes Noack was born on the 13^th of February, 1910, at Natimuk in Victoria, and was baptised by his father the next Sunday. He followed his father’s footsteps into the ministry, graduating from Concordia College in Adelaide, and then training at Concordia Seminary. He was ordained in January 1934. 

Pastor Noack began his ministry in Walpeup, Victoria, before taking a call to Ballarat in 1947. Here he gave devotions over the radio and travelled between seven different congregations; he would also hold services in German for migrants who were struggling with the new language, or preferred to hear it in their native tongue. This ‘travel and teach’ method lead Pastor Noack to the railway. There were two lines, the East West Line – Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie (1050 Miles), and the Central Line – Marree to Alice Springs (560 Miles); both of which he travelled on regularly. Pastor Noack would spend his time both on and off of the train spreading the word of God, while on the train he would have casual conversations with people of many nationalities. When presented with the option each would gladly take an informative booklet on the Lutheran church and beliefs as he kept multiple versions in a variety of languages specifically for the occasion.