Zion Salt Creek Baptist Chapel

In April 1865 the foundation stone was laid for the Zion Baptist Chapel. A sale was held at the start of the day which was highly successful, and the foundation stone was laid by Mr James Smith of Adelaide. It was hoped that the new chapel would begin with little debt, and the success of the sale on the day suggests that. Special services were held during the day.

The opening of the Zion Baptist Chapel at Salt Creek took place on October 29, 1865. The chapel is a neat, well-finished building, capable of containing about 140 people. It is built on rising ground, overlooking a good extent of country, where are to be seen waving corn-fields, which a few years ago was nothing but a sheepwalk. The entire cost of the building is 392 pounds 9 shillings and 2 pence.

In November 1865 the opening of the Zion Baptist Chapel began with a service on the Sunday followed by tea meetings on Monday in the old and new chapels, with Rev T C Baker as pastor... There were some excellent addresses delivered by the Rev. G. Stonehouse, Mr E. S. Wigg of Adelaide, the Rev J Hannay, and Mr Hagg, of Angaston. During the evening, the choir sang several anthems. Mr J. W. Daniel of Mount Pleasant, presiding at the harmonium ...

Tuesday saw the Sunday school children attend at 3pm and present several items followed by a 'high tea'provided by the ladies of the congregation. A lecture "Burnard Gilpin, and his times" was delivered for an hour and a half, and followed by another service.

The financial report was read, from which it appears that the total cost of the chapel at present is about 395 pounds, 300 pounds of which have been paid off, leaving 95 pounds as debt on the building...

The Zion Baptist Chapel regularly held lectures, and a Mutual Improvement Society and an Elocution Class were held in 1868. 

Mrs Mary Ann Baker conduscted the school, with her son and daughter. Thomas jnr. her son, died in 1870 and daughter Maria, conducted the school from 1861 to 1882. The Rev T C Baker died 1871.

The cemetery is visible on the corner of Koops Creek Road and Cookes Hill Road, although not easily seen from the roadway. It is directly on the corner just over the rise of the hill on the southern side. The school ruins may be seen from the road further south, but the church is no longer, having been demolished in 1936.