Gerard (Aboriginal Council)
Encyclopedia
The Gerard Community Council is a small, aboriginally
controlled local government area located in The Riverland, South Australia
. The community is dependent on the River Murray, with some horticulture
and grazing
in the district. Traditional crafts are also produced in the community, with part of the community economy derived from the sale of these to tourists.
. Gerard replaced the mission at Swan Reach
and its inhabitants were moved to the Gerard mission. There was initially great hope for the mission, particularly after a very favourable assessment by CG Grasby, the District Horticultural Adviser, with a full report produced and guidelines for irrigation
and plantings provided, and a start made with 300 grape vines.
Pre-fabricated huts were obtained from an old Army
camp and other fittings from a Woodcutters’ Camp at Loveday. The Gerard Mission school was opened in 1946, after the school at Swan Reach had closed the previous December.
As well as transferring Aboriginal people from Swan Reach, some were brought to Gerard from Ooldea, in South Australia
’s far west. The hopes of self-sufficiency were never achieved, despite considerable clearing and planting of citrus
and stone fruit trees, and herds of sheep and cows.
By 1946 the Aboriginal
residents were given the chance to have some say in organising their community and formed their own council for welfare and social activities, under the overall management of a government superintendent. In 1974 the reserve was handed to the 'Aboriginal Lands Trust', and operated under its own full council.
In the late 1980s the Gerard community revived traditional crafts using the work of Edward Eyre and others as reference.
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....
controlled local government area located in The Riverland, South Australia
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...
. The community is dependent on the River Murray, with some horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
in the district. Traditional crafts are also produced in the community, with part of the community economy derived from the sale of these to tourists.
History
The area was established when the 'United Aborigines Mission' initiated the mission at Gerard in 1945 on over 5000 acres (20 km²) of land purchased downriver from LoxtonLoxton, South Australia
Loxton is a town on the south bank of the River Murray in the Riverland region of South Australia. At the 2006 census, Loxton had a population of 3,431....
. Gerard replaced the mission at Swan Reach
Swan Reach, South Australia
Swan Reach is a river port in South Australia located 127 km north east of Adelaide on the Murray River between Blanchetown and Mannum in South Australia. It is on the left bank of the river. The Swan Reach Ferry is a cable ferry crossing operated by the state government as part of the...
and its inhabitants were moved to the Gerard mission. There was initially great hope for the mission, particularly after a very favourable assessment by CG Grasby, the District Horticultural Adviser, with a full report produced and guidelines for irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
and plantings provided, and a start made with 300 grape vines.
Pre-fabricated huts were obtained from an old Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
camp and other fittings from a Woodcutters’ Camp at Loveday. The Gerard Mission school was opened in 1946, after the school at Swan Reach had closed the previous December.
As well as transferring Aboriginal people from Swan Reach, some were brought to Gerard from Ooldea, in South Australia
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...
’s far west. The hopes of self-sufficiency were never achieved, despite considerable clearing and planting of citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
and stone fruit trees, and herds of sheep and cows.
By 1946 the Aboriginal
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....
residents were given the chance to have some say in organising their community and formed their own council for welfare and social activities, under the overall management of a government superintendent. In 1974 the reserve was handed to the 'Aboriginal Lands Trust', and operated under its own full council.
In the late 1980s the Gerard community revived traditional crafts using the work of Edward Eyre and others as reference.