Gerhardt Johannsen

Johannsen was born in Denmark on 14 November 1876 and, in 1899, he left to emigrate to Australia: working his passage as a crew member.

Central Australia was in the midst of a severe drought and, Johannsen was experiencing poor health and had contracted polio myelitis, so after seeking treatment in Adelaide (where he had to say for 7 months) the family gave up their lease and moved to Alice Springs in 1928.

[1][2] Johannsen's trip to Adelaide was enabled by Sam Irvine, a mail contractor, who made up a canopy bed for him on his truck and looked after him until they were met at the Oodnadatta railhead by Australian Inland Mission sisters who assisted him on the train.

[1] In Alice Springs Johannsen built a family house on Todd Street; what is now the site of the National Australia Bank (this was commandeered by the army for nursing sisters' quarters during World War II).

[5] Johannsen died suddenly on 4 April 1951 when he collapsed from a heart attack at the Pioneer Theatre[6] whilst with his wife Marie.