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Manning Index of South Australian History
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    Place Names of South Australia - B

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek

    Baker Sandhill

    The Register of 5 July 1922, page 6e says this place was the site of Lock 3 "below Kingston".

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
    B
    Place Names

    Baker Springs

    Nomenclature

    On section 550, Hundred of Gilbert. William Baker, who introduced the first sheep to the district. Born in 1810, he arrived in the Emerald Isle in 1838. Until recent times the Rhynie Hotel was known as 'Baker Springs Hotel'. The Register of 25 March 1904 at page 6c says they were named after Mr John Baker on whose property existed a 'natural flow of water'. An obituary of Mrs William Baker is in the Register, 21 May 1907 and it says that the springs were named after she and her husband.

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
    B
    Place Names

    Baker, Hundred of

    Nomenclature

    In the County of Russell, proclaimed on 19 April 1860 and 11 May 1893. John Baker, MLC, (1851-1872). Born in Somersetshire in 1813, he arrived in the Elizabeth in 1838 from Tasmania, being more attracted to the new colony by its economic advantages rather than its social ideals. He imported 10,000 sheep from Tasmania which culminated in him being a leading pastoralist in Australia.

    In 1846 he protested against the imposition of a royalty on minerals and took an active role in the formation of the Chamber of Commerce in 1850. In 1865 he opposed Goyder's pastoral lease valuations and later was conspicuous by protesting against the removal of Justice Boothby from office. He died at Morialta in May 1872.

    John Baker and Richard Chaffey Baker

    Following John Baker's death in 1872 it was said of him that he had held an eminent position amongst the squatters of Australia; he was elected to the Legislative Council in 1851 where "he was always careful when on the unpalatable side to let his opinions be known." He fought fiercely to carry a clause in the new Constitution Act to provide for terms for life of members of that chamber. An obituary concluded by stating that "it may appear strange that one who has taken so important a part in the politics of the country should only have held office for eleven days, but Mr Baker was not of that stuff of which Ministers are too often made..."

    George F. Loyau, in his works, which tend to glorify the men under scrutiny, opined that he possessed great ability and, accordingly, the reason(s) for his conspicuous absence from the government benches may be found in the newspaper columns of his lifetime. For example, in June of 1861 the Editor of the Chronicle said, inter alia:

    His son, Richard Chaffey Baker (1841-1911), also entered politics and if newspaper reports are to be believed he was cast in a similar mould to that of his father:

    Sources
    Chronicle, 15 June 1861, p. 1e (supp.); Register, 31 August 1863, p. 3f; 17 December 1867, p. 2d; Observer, 25 October 1879, p. 3b; Register, 29 November 1887, p. 7g.

    General Notes

    On 15 June 1861, page 1e (supp.) the Editor of the Chronicle said, inter alia: A correspondent to the Register on 31 August 1863, at page 3f, opined:

    The Express of
    13 September 1864, page 2c has an editorial on him;
    "The Hon. John Baker and the Advertiser" is in the Chronicle,
    11 February 1865, page 4a,
    "The Hon. John Baker and the Press" in the Observer,
    14 January 1871, page 3e.
    His obituary is in the Register,
    20 May 1872, page 5a and
    that of his wife in the Observer,
    16 May 1908, page 40a.

    His son was apparently cast in a similar mould in view of the following comments:

    Further information on R.C. Baker is in the Farmers Weekly Messenger,
    2 March 1877, page 2b,
    22 June 1877, page 2c,
    Register,
    20 December 1893, page 5h,
    Weekly Herald,
    23 March 1901, page 14c,
    4 May 1901, page 5a.

    "Sir Richard Baker - His Life and Work" is in the Observer,
    22 December 1906, page 39a.

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
    B
    Place Names

    Bakewell Town

    Nomenclature

    A town in England of the same name derives from the Old English badecan-wylle - 'The well of Badeca'.

    General Notes

    William Bakewell's obituary appears in the Register,
    26 January 1870, page 5d; also see
    28 January 1870, page 5d.

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
    B
    Place Names

    Balcanoona

    Nomenclature

    Twenty-eight kilometres south of Arkaroola. An Aboriginal word meaning 'old woman'; This refers to the profile of a woman which can be seen in the high cliffs of the creek. The 'Balcanoona Run' was taken up by F. Hamp in the 1870s (lease no. 1378).

    General Notes

    Information on the pastoral station is in the Chronicle,
    18 February 1899, page 22d:

    A photograph of the homestead is in the Chronicle,
    8 September 1928, page 40; also see
    23 and 30 July 1931, pages 32 and 31.

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
    B
    Place Names

    Bald Hills

    Nomenclature

    In 1866 it was described as a pastoral village: 'situated on the Yankalilla River', and Bald Hill itself as 'a remarkable elevation which is a landmark for the surrounding country'.

    Its post office, 8 km south-east of Yankalilla, opened circa 1856 by Caleb Fidler, stood on section 343, Hundred of Encounter Bay, while its school opened in 1860 and closed in 1863. (See Place Names - Back Valley) The name is also applied to a hill in the Hundred of Landseer; the 'Bald Hill Run' (lease no. 2112) was established by W.L. Harding circa 1873, 'Near Tilleys, SE district'.

    General Notes

    A reaping match is reported in the Farm & Garden,
    13 February 1862, page 123.

    The Register of 19 April 1877 at page 5b reports of this place on Yorke Peninsula and the excavation of a reservoir.

    The laying of the foundation stone of a Bible Christian Chapel at Bald Hills near Yankalilla is reported in the Register, 7 October 1858, page 2g:

    School examinations are reported upon in the Observer,
    30 November 1861, page 5f.

    For the opening of a dairy factory see Register,
    18 August 1890, page 7h.
    Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary- Dairying.

    The district near Victor Harbor is described in the Register,
    27 April 1892, page 6c.

    An obituary of James Mayfield is in the Register,
    28 February 1899, page 7d,
    Observer, 4 March 1899, page 42e.

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
    B
    Place Names

    Baldina Creek

    Nomenclature

    On section 150, Hundred of Kooringa, east of Burra. Rodney Cockburn says it embraces an Aboriginal word which refers to the springs feeding the creek. The 'Baldina Run' was established by Henry Ayers in 1851 (lease no. 22).

    General Notes

    It is described in the Register,
    27 March 1856, page 2f-h.

    The Baldina Creek Run (lease no. 33) is described by its lessee, Alfred Barker, in Parliamentary Paper 57/1865-66, page 16.

    An obituary of "Mr Humphrey" is in the Register,
    28 February 1862, page 3f.
    See Place Names - Humphrey Springs.

    "Sheepwashing at Baldina" is in the Observer,
    17 and 31 October 1868, pages 3f and 9d,
    Chronicle,
    7 November 1868, page 4g:

    Crop failure is discussed in the Register,
    15 February 1881, page 1d (supp.),
    20 January 1882, page 5d.
    Also see South Australia - Northern Lands Development and Allied Matters - Comments on Goyder's Line.

    The Baldina School was opened in 1885 and closed in 1930; see
    Observer,
    4 March 1882, page 33e.

    Irrigation from the Baldina Creek is described in the Register,
    17 February 1886, page 7h; also see
    Advertiser, 6 March 1886, page 6e.

    Baker Sandhill - Baldina Creek
    B