Eudunda, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Eudunda is a rural town in South Australia
, roughly 103 kilometres northeast of Adelaide
, established in 1870 after settlers began moving into the area in the 1860s. As of the 2006 census
, Eudunda had a population of 640.
Eudunda is in the Regional Council of Goyder
local government area, the South Australian House of Assembly
electoral district of Stuart
and the Australian House of Representatives
Division of Grey
.
Eudunda was the birthplace of world-renowned author Colin Thiele
, whose bronzed statue (by Chris Radford) is in the Centenary Gardens. The gardens also contain stone walls and tiled art featuring a Century of Transport.
.
Located at Section 350, Hundred of Dutton, South Australia, 34°15′43"S 139°07′58"E, Narcoota Springs are at the eastern escarpment of the Mount Lofty Ranges
, 12 kilometers south of Eudunda, in a valley on Narcoota Creek, adjacent to the later named Smith Road.
Narcoota, an indigenous
name for the area, is of obscure meaning. It may be a corruption of ‘Narcoona’ – seeing – in reference to being a lookout over the Murray Plains. European settlers adopted it from the outset, although it was variously spelt at first (examples are Nancoota, Tharcoota, and Nicota).
Narcoota Springs was a bustling stopover and watering place for the earliest explorers and pioneering overlanders
, being a rare source of permanent water at the brink of the waterless Murray Plains. It was at the western end of the Narcoota Track, which from 1838 to 1842 was part of the main (and first) road between the Murray River
and Adelaide
. At the eastern end was The Pound, 9 km north of Blanchetown, which years later became named McBean Pound at Roonka Station. The overland road diverged at the Pound – one track went south toward Mount Barker
and the other west to Narcoota, then on to Gawler Town and Adelaide.
Apart from overlanding parties droving large mobs of livestock from New South Wales, Narcoota Springs had some distinguished visitors in its heyday. They included Governor George Gawler
and explorer Charles Sturt
, as well as Henry Inman, Commander of Police
, who passed through there at least five times.
The first was in 1839 when Inman led a police party to the Weston Flat district to investigate conflict resulting in the death of one over-lander and an unknown number of Aboriginals. Months later he was back again when he took part in the exploration expedition of Governor Gawler from North West Bend to Mount Bryan.
In 1841 Inman was there again after his own over-landing party was attacked near Chowilla, losing 5,000 sheep. He again camped there as part of the 68-man police party led by Commissioner of Police Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran
, sent by Governor George Grey
to protect other over-landers at the Rufus River.
After a settlement was established in late 1841 by Edward John Eyre
at Moorundie (8 km below Blanchetown, South Australia), the overland route then shifted further south, roughly following the present Sturt Highway
between Blanchetown and Truro. The Narcoota Track became disused thereafter.
Later in the 1840s a pastoral property named Narcoota Station was established. Nearby is Mount Rufus, where gold was discovered in 1868, but without much result. With closer settlement in the latter part of the 1800s, many grain farmers moved into the district, such that by 1900 there were busy schools and churches. Over a century later many stone ruins attest to the failure of close settlement, but those pioneering foundations produced the farms and grazing properties which thrive there today.
Geologically, the beds outcropping along Narcoota Creek are so typical in structure and stratigraphy of geological features occurring in several locations throughout the North Mount Lofty Ranges, that the name Narcoota Series has been adopted for the entire group.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, roughly 103 kilometres northeast of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, established in 1870 after settlers began moving into the area in the 1860s. As of the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Eudunda had a population of 640.
Eudunda is in the Regional Council of Goyder
Regional Council of Goyder
The Regional Council of Goyder is a local government area located in the Mid North region of South Australia. The district is reliant on agriculture as a mainstay of its economy, with manufacturing and tourism also becoming prominent.-History:...
local government area, the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
electoral district of Stuart
Electoral district of Stuart
Stuart is an electorate for the South Australian House of Assembly. It covers the northeast part of the state extending from just north of the Barossa Valley all the way to the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales borders, and extending west to include Port Augusta...
and the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
Division of Grey
Division of Grey
The Division of Grey is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir George Grey, who was Governor of South Australia 1841-45 ....
.
History
The earliest European activity in the district was overlanding, centred around Narcoota and the Narcoota Track in the late 1830s. Pastoralism soon followed, with expansive 'runs' being taken up for sheep grazing by men such as Lachlan McBean, Frederick Hansborough Dutton, and William Russell. Several decades then passed before closer settlement began. The founder of Eudunda was John Henry Hannan, who owned the land that was surveyed and divided for sale.The town today
The town landscape has changed a little from the Edwardian era - with the "Gunn Street Extension" pushing the main road from the Top Pub on Gunn Street straight through what used to be railway land toward Bruce Street and the centre of the town. The new road has further enhanced the town gardens, seen on the drive into the main centre.Eudunda was the birthplace of world-renowned author Colin Thiele
Colin Thiele
Colin Milton Thiele, AC was an Australian author and educator. He was renowned for his award-winning children's fiction, most notably the novels Storm Boy, Blue Fin, the Sun on the Stubble series, and February Dragon.- Biography :Thiele was born in Eudunda in South Australia to a Barossa German...
, whose bronzed statue (by Chris Radford) is in the Centenary Gardens. The gardens also contain stone walls and tiled art featuring a Century of Transport.
Narcoota
Narcoota and associated Narcoota Springs, lie in a valley near Neales Flat in the south of the Eudunda locality. The area featured prominently in the pioneering history of South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
Located at Section 350, Hundred of Dutton, South Australia, 34°15′43"S 139°07′58"E, Narcoota Springs are at the eastern escarpment of the Mount Lofty Ranges
Mount Lofty Ranges
The Mount Lofty Ranges are the range of mountains just to the east of Adelaide in South Australia.-Location and description:The Mount Lofty Ranges stretch from the southernmost point of the Fleurieu Peninsula at Cape Jervis northwards for over before petering out north of Peterborough...
, 12 kilometers south of Eudunda, in a valley on Narcoota Creek, adjacent to the later named Smith Road.
Narcoota, an indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
name for the area, is of obscure meaning. It may be a corruption of ‘Narcoona’ – seeing – in reference to being a lookout over the Murray Plains. European settlers adopted it from the outset, although it was variously spelt at first (examples are Nancoota, Tharcoota, and Nicota).
Narcoota Springs was a bustling stopover and watering place for the earliest explorers and pioneering overlanders
Overlanders
"Overlander" or "Overlanders" may refer to:*An Australian name for a Drover who covers very long distances, with large mobs of sheep or cattle to open up new land...
, being a rare source of permanent water at the brink of the waterless Murray Plains. It was at the western end of the Narcoota Track, which from 1838 to 1842 was part of the main (and first) road between the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
and Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. At the eastern end was The Pound, 9 km north of Blanchetown, which years later became named McBean Pound at Roonka Station. The overland road diverged at the Pound – one track went south toward Mount Barker
Mount Barker
Mount Barker may refer to one of two towns in Australia:* Mount Barker, South Australia* Mount Barker, Western AustraliaMount Barker may also refer to one of the following:...
and the other west to Narcoota, then on to Gawler Town and Adelaide.
Apart from overlanding parties droving large mobs of livestock from New South Wales, Narcoota Springs had some distinguished visitors in its heyday. They included Governor George Gawler
George Gawler
-External links: – Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK...
and explorer Charles Sturt
Charles Sturt
Captain Charles Napier Sturt was an English explorer of Australia, and part of the European Exploration of Australia. He led several expeditions into the interior of the continent, starting from both Sydney and later from Adelaide. His expeditions traced several of the westward-flowing rivers,...
, as well as Henry Inman, Commander of Police
Henry Inman (police commander)
Henry Inman , cavalry officer, Pioneer of South Australia, founder and first commander of the South Australia Police, overlander, Anglican clergyman.-Origins:...
, who passed through there at least five times.
The first was in 1839 when Inman led a police party to the Weston Flat district to investigate conflict resulting in the death of one over-lander and an unknown number of Aboriginals. Months later he was back again when he took part in the exploration expedition of Governor Gawler from North West Bend to Mount Bryan.
In 1841 Inman was there again after his own over-landing party was attacked near Chowilla, losing 5,000 sheep. He again camped there as part of the 68-man police party led by Commissioner of Police Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran
Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran
Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran was the first Police Commissioner and first Police Magistrate of South Australia.O'Halloran was born in India, the second of eight sons of Major-General Sir Joseph O'Halloran, and a grandson of Irish surgeon Sylvester O%27Halloran.He entered the Royal Military College,...
, sent by Governor George Grey
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...
to protect other over-landers at the Rufus River.
After a settlement was established in late 1841 by Edward John Eyre
Edward John Eyre
Edward John Eyre was an English land explorer of the Australian continent, colonial administrator, and a controversial Governor of Jamaica....
at Moorundie (8 km below Blanchetown, South Australia), the overland route then shifted further south, roughly following the present Sturt Highway
Sturt Highway
The Sturt Highway is an Australian highway in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. It is part of the Auslink National network and is part of the main highway route between Sydney and Adelaide.-Route:...
between Blanchetown and Truro. The Narcoota Track became disused thereafter.
Later in the 1840s a pastoral property named Narcoota Station was established. Nearby is Mount Rufus, where gold was discovered in 1868, but without much result. With closer settlement in the latter part of the 1800s, many grain farmers moved into the district, such that by 1900 there were busy schools and churches. Over a century later many stone ruins attest to the failure of close settlement, but those pioneering foundations produced the farms and grazing properties which thrive there today.
Geologically, the beds outcropping along Narcoota Creek are so typical in structure and stratigraphy of geological features occurring in several locations throughout the North Mount Lofty Ranges, that the name Narcoota Series has been adopted for the entire group.