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Marella Mission originated with Gwen and Keith Langford-Smith accommodating Aboriginal foster children on their farm property at Kellyville. Marella was conducted as part of The Sky Pilot Fellowship, which formally commenced on May 23rd, 1949 with Keith Langford-Smith as permanent Director and member of Council. The main activity of The Sky Pilot Fellowship was initially evangelical radio broadcasts. Marella was maintained by fund raising activities and donations received through The Sky Pilot Fellowship. Marella's general administration from 1950-1986 was assumed by its Secretary-Treasurer, Norma Warwick. On October 7th, 1954, The Sky Pilot Fellowship, Ltd., was formed, commencing operation as a non-profit making company on April l st 1955. Since this Company was not exempt from Land Tax, on April 19th, 1978, Marella Mission Farm Ltd. took over the assets and liabilities of The Sky Pilot Fellowship Ltd., so that the land at Kellyville could be donated. At this time, the farm at Kellyville ceased operating as a foster home, with the children being places in Church of England group homes nearer the city. Marella continued to function as a sponsoring organisation to the Church of England Homes "Marella Project" with a seat on the Marella Management Committee.
In 1978 the site was taken over by Parramatta Regional Mission, run by the Uniting Church of Australia, who renamed it Koompartoo Mission Farm. The mission cared for homeless teenage boys, and operated there until 1986. Marella Mission Farm was later subdivided. It is bounded by present day York Road, Presidents Avenue, Green Road and Marella Avenue. It contains the Bernie Mullane Sporting Complex and YMCA, Kellyville High School and housing.
Further information is available on Find and Connect http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/nsw/NE01291

The mission was named 'Marella' after a ship - the SS Marella, which was owned by Burns Philip & Co. and sailed between Sydney and Singapore via Darwin. Many missionaries used it to travel to the mission at Roper River. The ship had originally belonged to the German Kaiser and was captured by the Australian navy during World War 1. (Sky Pilot News, June 1970)

Bob Marsden is a descendant of Rev. Samuel Marsden

Samuel Marsden (1765-1838), ordained in 1793, married Elizabeth Fristan before leaving for Australia to take up an appointment as Assistant Chaplain to N.S.W. in March 1794. In 1804 Marsden was appointed Resident Agent and Supervisor of the London Missionary Society's operations in the South Seas. In 1810 he was made Principal Chaplain to N.S.W., a position he held until 1824 when the position of Archdeacon was created. Marsden's agricultural contribution to the nation was reflected in his appointment as leader of the Agricultural Society of N.S.W. Marsden died in Windsor, N.S.W. in 1838.

The Deaconess Institution began training Deaconesses at 'Bethany' in Balmain in 1891. Deaconess House, in Carillon Ave, had been the training institution for Deaconesses in Sydney since 1916. It became Mary Andrews College in 1997 and is currently located in St Andrew's House.