Ellen G White Estate leaders visited Australia from 11 to 16 February, touring historical Adventist sites and meeting with church heritage leaders.
The White Estate, headquartered at the General Conference office, in the United States, is responsible for preserving and promoting Mrs White’s writings. White Estate director Dr Merlin Burt and vice-director Dr Tim Poirier used their trip to Australia to explore key locations connected to Ellen White’s time Down Under.
During their visit, Dr Burt and Dr Poirier toured Ellen White’s former residence in Granville, Sydney, and Sunnyside, her historic home in Cooranbong. They commended Adventist Heritage for their restoration efforts, particularly in preserving artefacts from Mrs White’s time in Australia.
Reflecting on the experience, Dr Poirier described the visit as a significant moment in his career. “As someone who has spent years researching Ellen White’s life and studying maps and photographs of these places, finally seeing them in person has been a blessing,” he said. “Even the drive from Sydney felt thrilling, passing through towns I had only read about in her biography. It’s truly a highlight of my service.”
At Avondale University, a lunchtime gathering brought together former directors of the Ellen G White Research Centre, who reflected on their experiences and Mrs White’s ministry. Dr Poirier, who is set to retire later this year after 43 years of service, noted that the gathering included directors from every stage of his career.
He also presented a historical piece on Ellen White’s final letter, which will be featured in an upcoming issue of Adventist World. On Sabbath, Dr Burt preached the sermon at Avondale Memorial Church.
From Australia, Dr Burt and Dr Poirier will travel to Thailand to inaugurate the 24th Ellen G White Research Centre at Asia-Pacific International University.
