Friedrich was born at Tauer near Cottbus on 11 September 1847 at 5am. This date is from the Tauer church records, although the Hoffnungsthal records have 7 September 1848.

He suffered from a physical disability after his arm became paralysed while he was still in Lusatia. He was a Wend and he came to Australia with his parents in 1850 on the ship “San Francisco”. He lived with his parents at Williamstown, where his parents Johann and Anna (formerly Hondow) Noack first settled and his father was involved is wood cutting.

Peters Hill, 1856-1884

In 1856, the family moved to Peters Hill in the District of Gilbert. Here he was instructed in the teachings of the Bible and was confirmed at Friedrichswalde on 7 November 1861 by Pastor H.A.E. Meyer. The text on his certificate in John 5:24.

On 21 Feb 1873 at the age of 24 and in the Lutheran Church at Peters Hill, he married Christiane Domaschenz, aged 18. The celebrant was Pastor I.M.R. Ey and the witnesses were F.Duldig and Ch. Twartz, both farmers at Peters Hill.

His wife Christiane was born on 27 July 1854 at Werben in Lusatia and was baptized on 30 July 1854. Her five sponsors were Christiane Potsch or Poj, Christian Kamenka, Anna Brischa and Martin Gardi from Werben and Christiane Domaschenz from Kalkwitz.

Her father was Matthes Domaschenz, a Buedner or small land-holder in Werben. He had been previously married to a member of the Gommola family but she died. Matthes’ second wife, whom he married at Werben on 11 February 1854, was Christiane nee Giardi, a daughter of Matthes Giardi from Werben. When Christiane died, Matthes married Anna Borrack and both are buried in the cemetery at Kenmare, east of Rainbow.

Christiane came with her parents to Australia on the ship “Caesar and Helene” on 21 September 1857, where she had spent her third birthday on board.

Both Friedrich and Christiane respected the Bible and taught it to their children. Friedrich was also well informed in relation to Church History and Christiane liked to tell many stories which contained uplifting moral lessons. She also did much knitting.

Friedrich applied for naturalization on 6 July 1878 and declared the oath of allegiance on 7 August 1878. He is recorded as “a native of Pietz nr Cotpus in Germany” which should read “a native of Peitz near Cottbus in Germany”.

While at Peters Hill, Friedrich and his brother-in-law Friedrich Modra, made a trip to the Horsham area and decided to settle there.

McKenzie Creek, 1885-1892

Friedrich Noack was an energetic 37 year old farmer with three young children all under the age of two when he left the Peters Hill farm and moved eastwards to Victoria. A valuable description of this pioneering journey has been given by Louise Christiane (Annie) Noack, who was a mere 21 months old when their Trek took place. She recalled what her parents had later told her about their Great Trek East.

After a sale at Peters Hill, Friedrich with his family left Peters Hill in February 1885. They travelled in two wagons, one being an English wagon with shafts and the other a German wagon. They travelled through Tarlee, Hamley Bridge and Templars to Concordia, where they joined Friedrich Modra and his five wagons. These seven horse-drawn wagons, with Friedrich as Captain, went through Gawler and Paradise to Adelaide. There, Chjristiane (nee Domaschenz) Noack with her children Heinrich and Louise Christiane (Annie) and some members of the Modra and Reimers families boarded the boat “Flinders” and sailed to Kingston S.E.

Those with the wagons then proceeded east through Hahndorf, Mt Barker, Wellington, where they crossed the River Murray on the ferry, Meningie on Lake Alexandrina, along the 90 Mile Beach to Kingston S.E.

The two parties joined together at Kingston and the combined group continued on through Lucindale and Naracoorte and then into Victoria. They travelled on the southern side of Mount Arapiles, they camped at Sherwood’s dam and then moved on through Natimuk, where Fred years later would live as the Natimuk Lutheran Pastor. They crossed the Wimmera River at Quantong and Friedrich bought some watermelons at a Chinese garden located near the bridge. They then went through Vectis and Horsham to McKenzie Creek, just south of Horsham.

The rate books of the Shire of Wimmera indicate that their land was in the parish of Bungalally in the electoral district of Horsham and the numbers of the two allotments were 220 and 224. The owner of the land is given as the Crown and its size as 267 pasture acres. Improvements were fencing and dwelling. The land lies between McKenzie Creek and Norton Creek and between the two blocks lies Plush Hannams Road.

Friedrich found this property to contain heavy, dark soil which did not drain very well in the wet weather. An inspection of the land soon reveals low lying areas with poor drainage and areas in which water accumulates. Their house was built in the wet north-east corner of the property. A telecom shed has now been built where their house once stood.

Church services were not yet held at Horsham so they attended services conducted by Pastor Schoknecht at Vectis, located east of Natimuk. Their children went to school at
McKenzie Creek. The family persevered at McKenzie Creek until 1892, when they departed this property and moved to their new farm at Hopevale, halfway between Rainbow and Hopetoun.

Hopevale, 1892

On 16 July 1892, Friedrich Noack, with his teen-age sons Fred and Martin, arrived at Hopevale as pioneering settlers in this area, together with the Family of Johann Heinrich Roll. The Noacks erected a pug-and-pine home and cleared some land on allotment 152 (or Nandemarriman block 28) for farming. This farm was later put in the name of J.F. Noack and it was located to the north of allotment 145 (or Nandemarriman block 37), which was occupied by J. H. Roll.

Martin Noack was recorded as the owner of allotment 142 (Nandemarriman block 34), located to the west of J.H. Roll.

The Noacks added more rooms to the front of their home and they planted fruit trees and vegetables in their garden behind their home. Friedrich’s family resided there for the 1890s and 1900s. The children later recalled enjoying the country life and the spirit of adventure.

Water was often scarce, so a below-ground water tank was constructed at the north-east corner of the house to catch the rain water. A deep well was dug in the paddock south of the home and sometimes, water was carted from Lake Albacutya. During one of these trips, Martin brought home a small gum tree which he planted on the hill behind the house. This tree stood as a tall landmark for many years, until it was recently removed.

Following a good season, Fred left the farm to study theology in Springfield in North America. Martin took up manufacturing agricultural implements at Freeling in partnership with J.F. Linke.

Friedrich and Christiane then went to Pella with their daughter Marie Mackenzie, who had married Hugo in 1906 at her parent’s home at Hopevale.

In 1909, their daughter Annie married Rudi Gersch at the Baptisit church in Rainbow and held the reception at their home at 90 Taverner Street in Rainbow. A photo was taken which shows the wedding party and guests at this reception.

Rudi Gersch worked at the Linke-Noack foundry at Freeling in South Australia. In 1914, he purchased land at Vectis, located east of Natimuk for an orchard.

Vectis, 1916

In 1916, Rudi and Annie and their four children shifted to Vectis. Friedrich and Christiane Noack lived with their daughter Annie and Rudi in a “granny flat” added to their house. Friedrich has an orchard adjacent to Rudi’s and the work was attended to by mutual arrangements.

Friedrich and Christiane had a happy retirement. Their son Pastor Fred (Fritz) Noack lived eight miles away at Natimuk and his family was able to make regular visits. They celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary at Vectis in 1923.

Christiane suffered much in her final years from rheumatism and she was confined to her bed for fifteen months before her death. This took place on 19 June 1931 as a result of heart failure. She was buried at Vectis East on 21 June 1931, the service being conducted by Pastor O. E. Thiele. The text at the house was Isaiah 25:8 and at the graveside, it was Philippians 1:23.

Friedrich died on 21 November 1932 at Vectis of old age and the poor condition of his heart. He had suffered greatly during the previous six months. He was buried on 22 November at Vectis East and this service was also conducted by Pastor O.E. Thiele. The text used was John 3:16.

by John Noack