Place Names of South Australia - G
Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
- Gammon Ranges
- Gandy Gully
- Garrie Swamp
- Garfield
- Garra Lands
- Garwood Estate
- Gaskmore Park
- Gason, Mount
- Gawler Plains
- Ge(r)harty, Mount
- Gawler
- Gawler Blocks
- Gawler Ranges
- Gawler, Port
- Gawler River
- Gebhardt Lagoon
- Gelland
- Geltwood Beach
- Gemmells
Gammon Ranges
Nomenclature
In the North Flinders Ranges. The origin of the name is unknown. 'Gammon' can mean 'hoax' or 'humbug', perhaps in relation to the scrub country which is difficult to traverse or, is in relation to a gammon of bacon - Gammon Hill has a banded appearance not unlike a rasher of bacon. J.W. and H.C. Gleeson held pastoral lease no. 592 adjacent to the hill from July 1858.
General Notes
The Register of 20 August 1925 at page 12f mentions a Mr Andrew Garran, MA, who resided in Adelaide in the early days - his original surname was "Gammon". See GR Vol II, page 550 where he is described as "Editor of the Register".
A poem entitled "Legend of the Gammon Ranges" is in the Weekly Herald,
26 October 1894, page 4d.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGandy Gully
Nomenclature
Edward Gandy, a stockman employed by the Featherstone estate in the 1870s.
General Notes
It is described in the Advertiser,
14 September 1912, page 7d.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGarrie Swamp
Nomenclature
George Garrie who, with H. Ward, was a lessee of the land in 1851 (lease no. 164). Mr Garrie had held the land under occupation licence from 20 January 1848.
General Notes
The discovery of human remains in the swamp is reported in the Observer, 28 July 1877, page 7b:
-
Mr. Alex McKenzie, a boundary rider for Mr. William Robertson, of Moy Hall, while engaged in driving stray sheep from the Moy Hall to the Messemurray Run, saw some bones in Garey's Swamp, which is distant about five miles from Naraccorte... The remains have evidently lain in the swamp for some years ... The action of fire on them is apparent...
G
Place NamesGarfield
Nomenclature
The subdividers may have had in mind James A. Garfield, a former President of the USA who was assassinated on 2 July 1881 and died on 19 September 1881. It was proposed that a horse tramway from Adelaide via Hilton would be extended through the subdivision to a depot within the suburb. It has been suggested that the name may derive from James A. Garfield, a former US president who was assassinated in 1881. (A portrait of the President with the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes was displayed in the advertisements).
General Notes
A meeting of the tramway company is reported in the Register,
14 October 1882, page 5e; also see
30 May 1883, page 6b. Also see Adelaide - Transport - Tramways.
The tramway was not established - see
1 May 1884, page 5b:-
A meeting of residents of Hilton and neighbourhood was called by the directors of the Adelaide, Hilton and Garfield Tramway Company Limited to test the feeling of the residents and property owners as to the advisability of laying the rails in the centre or on the side of the roads traversed; also a proposed extension of the line to the sea beach....
Land in "Garfield Estate" is mentioned in the Register,
29 September 1885, page 5c.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGarra Lands
Nomenclature
South-east of Peake. Alan Baker held the 'Garra Run' with his head station 10 km SSE of the present-day town of Parrakie; see pastoral lease no. 2097. Garra is Aboriginal for 'clay ground'.
General Notes
The station homestead and surrounding country is described in the Register,
22 August 1893, page 6c; also see
Advertiser,
7 July 1932, page 10g and Place Names - Coonalpyn:-
Garra is situated 32 miles north-east of Coonalpyn and about four miles south of the middle boundary of the Hundred of Cotton. The homestead is situated on a fairly grassed flat, nicely timbered with pines and bull oaks... The improvements consist of a roughly built stone house of eight rooms and a few outbuildings, including a woolshed...
Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place Names
The Register of 14 May 1923 at page 8e mentions this subdivision as being located near Jeffrey Street and Grange Road.
Garwood EstateGammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place Names
Information on a church in the "village" is in the Observer, Gaskmore Park
20 May 1854, page 4f:-
A public meeting of the inhabitants of the townships of Newton, Shipley (sic), Campbelltown, Athelston (sic), Paradise Bridge and Gaskmore Park was held on 12 May 1854 to devise the means of erecting a church. It was stated that at present there was no means of public service, except that lately commenced by the Rev E.K. Miller...
A letter from Mr Edward Clark of Gaskmore Park appears on
5 August 1854, page 9c."The Gaskmore Park Township" is advertised in the Observer,
30 September 1854, page 1b and to be sold "in blocks and allotments".An "Eight Hours Day" picnic is reported in the Chronicle,
7 September 1878, page 9e.
Also see South Australia - Industrial Relations - Eight Hour DayGammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGason, Mount
Nomenclature
On the Birdsville track out of Marree. Trooper Samuel Gason was appointed to the Police Force on 2 February 1865 and first employed in the Lake Hope area with the task of trying to keep the peace between the Aborigines and the pastoralists. He resigned in 1876 and late in 1877 took over as licensee of the Beltana Hotel.
General Notes
A Police Trooper Gason is mentioned in the Register,
5 February 1866, page 3d.An account of Trooper Daniel [sic] Gason's search for missing men and cattle north of Lake Hope is in the Register, 18 November 1871, page 6d.
Trooper Samuel Gason was appointed to the Police Force on 2 February 1865 and first employed in the Lake Hope area with the task of trying to keep the peace between the Aborigines and the pastoralists. He resigned in 1876 and late in 1877 took over as licensee of the Beltana Hotel.
See Register,
15 November 1873, page 5a for biographical information on his time as a police trooper and
3 November 1904, page 6d for an account of his demise and burial at Gibson's Camp in 1897:-
There is a tombstone within sight of Gibson's Camp which bears the inscription: "In memory of Samuel Gason who died April 11, 1897, aged 52. Erected by friends and admirers." Mr. Gason was an esteemed member of the police force and the experience he gained in the interior enabled him to write an interesting book on the Aborigines of South Australia. These isolated burial places are of common occurrence and the headstones show up distinctly a long way off and supply a striking illustration of the lines:
-
No spot on earth but has supplied a grave,
And human skulls the spacious oceans pave.
A sketch of "Gason's Tree" is in the Pictorial Australian, February 1884.
His obituary is in the Observer, 17 April 1897, page 30e;
also see Register, 26 April 1924, page 7d.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGawler Blocks
Its school opened in 1908 and had its name changed to "Evanston Gardens" in 1968.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGawler Plains
The laying of a foundation stone of a Primitive Methodist Church at "Sturton", is reported in the Register,
14 November 1856, page 2f.Education Department records show its school opened in 1860 and closed in 1878.
However, the Register of 26 January 1850, page 3c reports a new school opened:-
A new school room on these plains was opened on 21 January 1850 by an address from the Rev George Pinkstone... All the respectable settlers of the district attended on this interesting occasion. The friend were invited to take tea at Mr. J. Smith's at whose sole expense the building has been erected. Mr. and Mrs McKinnon are engaged as teachers.
Also see
Observer,
11 November 1882, page 30.A proposal to irrigate the plains is discussed in the Register,
20 and 27 September 1893, pages 4h and 6h,
Observer,
30 September 1893, page 32a,
21 and 28 October 1893, pages 5c and 4b,
23 December 1893, page 29c,
1 December 1894, page 30b,
17 October 1896, page 44d,
5 and 26 December 1896, pages 27c and 10c,
Advertiser,
28 October 1893, page 7f.Also see Register,
22 December 1893, page 3c,
3 October 1896, page 10b,
Weekly Herald,
12 July 1895, page 3d,
Chronicle,
10 and 17 October 1896, pages 19b and 18d,
Register,
5 November 1896, page 10d,
4, 12 and 31 December 1896, pages 5a, 10c and 5d,
28 April 1898, page 4g,
4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 13 July 1898, pages 6b, 5g, 5f, 4i, 6h and 3i,
20 August 1898, page 5a.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Irrigation."Artesian Water on the Gawler Plains" is in the Advertiser,
13 March 1902, page 7b.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGawler Ranges
Information on the area from a local correspondent of the Observer appears on
29 September 1860, page 7c,
13 October 1860, page 4c (supp.):-
The squatters for some time past have been looking in different directions in search of runs adapted to their requirements and as the Gawler Ranges seemed to offer some advantages, several runs have been taken out. Parties who visited these ranges from time to time reported an abundance of grassy country well adapted for sheep, could water be procured in the hot seasons of the year. A few months ago Mr. Miller took out 2,000 sheep but unfortunately having unsucessfully sunk for water had to decamp to Streaky Bay...
The country is described in the Register,
4 April 1878, page 6c; also see
1 and 6 May 1878, pages 6f and 4e,
4 June 1884, page 6a."Arno Bay to the Gawler Ranges" is in the Observer,
28 December 1889, page 41d.Some pastoral stations are discussed in the Chronicle,
1 June 1895, page 9d,
"The Gawler Ranges - Past, Present and Possible Future" is in the Register,
26 September 1895, page 6b; also see
15 October 1895, page 6a,
20 November 1895, page 6h,
4 June 1896, page 3g,
10 and 12 November 1896, pages 6g and 5a-7d,
19 March 1897, page 6e,
19 and 21 April 1898, pages 6f and 7a (includes a history of various pastoral leases),
2 May 1898, page 3i,
21 January 1901, page 6h."The Man Who Beat the Gawler Ranges", Archibald Bevis (Beviss?), is in the Register,
17 December 1902, page 6e, Observer,
27 December 1902, page 35a."Through the Gawler Ranges" is in the Advertiser,
26 September 1906, page 8e,
2, 20 and 26 October 1906, pages 8f, 8d and 5i,
20 November 1906, page 9a,
Register,
24 November 1908, page 8g.
Photographs are in the Chronicle,
27 October 1906, page 30.A search for the green night parrot is reported in the Register,
16 October 1911, page 6f; also see
22 November 1911:-
Captain and Mrs S.A. White returned from a search for the night parrot in October 1911. He explored the Flinders Ranges but was disappointed he could not go into the Gawler Ranges because the country was extremely dry. Old settlers had informed him that the green parrot still existed there.
An ornithological expedition is described in the Register,
23, 28 and 30 May 1913, pages 9c, 15f and 11a,
3 June 1913, page 14c.
Also see South Australia - Flora and Fauna - Birds.An obituary of A. Beviss is in the Register,
26 October 1926, page 9f."A Motor About Out West" is in the Register,
24 December 1926, page 11e.
Also see South Australia - Transport - Motor Cars and Cycles.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGawler River
Its discovery is reported in the Register,
1 December 1838, page 3c and
that of a "splendid tract at the mouth of the River Gawler" on
2 March 1839, page 8a,
Register,
7 January 1892, page 8b:-
We rejoice to inform our readers that another fresh water river, within a distance of forty-five miles from Adelaide has been discovered by Mr. T. Bewes Strangways and Mr. S. Blunden... The stream contains at least three times the body of water of the Torrens and runs through a country of surpassing beauty and fertility...
The opening of the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel is reported in the Register,
19 October 1854, page 3b.
its jubilee is reported in the Register,
8 October 1904, page 11a.For information on its school see Place Names - Carclew.
School examinations are reported in the Observer,
4 August 1860, page 8e.
The vineyards are described in the Register,
3 February 1873, page 5f,
Observer,
8 February 1873, page 10d.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Viticulture.The golden wedding of Mr & Mrs Dawkins is reported in the Register,
17 July 1885, page 5b."Samuel L. Dawkins - A Grand Old Pioneer" is in the Observer,
9 September 1911, page 12d.
Information on A.M. Dawkins is in the Register,
30 August 1911, page 8c,
6 September 1911, page 9a,
on S.L. Dawkins on
20 April 1916, page 4h,
18 April 1922, page 4h,
4 August 1924, page 6f (obit.),
17 October 1927, page 8h."Public Ponds in the Gawler River" is in the Register,
12 October 1886, page 5c.A history of the settlement and development of the Gawler River district is in the Observer,
2 September 1911, page 13.Fruit orchards are described in the Register,
13 March 1896, page 3e and
the district's settlement and development on
29 August 1911, page 8c.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Fruit and Vegetables."Settlement and Development" is in the Register,
29 and 30 August 1911, pages 8c and 8c,
4 September 1911, page 10d.An obituary of James Bray is in the Observer,
8 July 1916, page 19d,
of Frederick W. Roediger in the Register,
9 October 1925, page 8h.Photographs of a swimming hole are in the Chronicle,
11 February 1932, page 31,
of a cricket team on
22 March 1934, page 37.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGawler, Port
The port is described in the South Australian,
1 January 1847, page 6a
Observer,
22 March 1856, page 6h,
16 January 1864, page 3e,
Register,
10 October 1903, page 8b.The Port Gawler East school opened in 1855 on land donated by Henry Hornhardt, the founder of Lewiston; the name was changed to Lewiston in 1876. For further information see Life Around the Light, page 136 - this report has a photograph of the Lewiston School.
For information on local schools see Register,
20 January 1855, page 2f,
Chronicle,
5 February 1859, page 8c,
Register,
18 September 1862, page 3f,
24 October 1862, page 3c,
4 May 1866, page 3g:-
On 18 January 1855 a meeting was held at Holly Park, the residence of James McCord, for the purpose of determining upon the erection of a school house in the district. Mr. Carson offered to grant an acre of ground and the following were appointed as trustees - Messrs. J.McCord, J. Carson, W. Horner, S. Cassidy and D. McAvoy...
The laying of the foundation stone of a Roman Catholic church is reported in the Register,
11 September 1861, page 2f.The opening of the District Bridge School is reported in the Chronicle,
22 October 1864, page 3a.The opening of a new chapel is reported in the Register,
14 August 1857, page 2h.A ploughing match is reported in the Farm & Garden,
9 August 1860, page 28,
Chronicle,
26 July 1862, page 1f (supp.),
Observer,
16 August 1873, page 9f,
Chronicle,
7 August 1869, page 9f (plus Show); Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Ploughing Matches.
a show of stock is described in the Register,
18 October 1873, page 6c; also see
1 September 1877, page 6a.Cotton growing is reported upon in the Register, 16 May 1862, page 2f:
-
In October 1861 Mr. Christopher Temby received some cotton seeds from Dr John Browne, who had received them from California. He planted them between rows of vines in his garden and in six or eight weeks four plants made their appearance... The pods began to burst in the following March and continued opening from time to time...
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Cotton.
A report on a rifle company is in the Express,
3 August 1864, page 3b.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Rifle Shooting.A dinner given to Mr Warren on the occasion of the opening of his steam flour mill is reported in the Register, 20 and 29 January 1866, pages 2f and 3c.
An interesting letter about a road to Port Gawler is in the Register,
9 August 1866, page 3b; also see
23 August 1866 and 15 September 1866, pages 3h and 3d.A steamer trip to Glenelg is reported in the Register,
2 April 1869, page 2e.
Also see South Australia - Maritime Affairs and South Australia - Leisure and Allied Matters .A "new place of worship" is described in the Register,
2 June 1869, page 2g."The Trade of Port Gawler" is in the Register,
4 October 1871, page 5a.The need for police protection is discussed in the Register,
12 March 1873, page 3f.
Also see South Australia - Police.A proposed tramway is discussed in the Register,
21 March 1876, page 6c,
Observer,
16 September 1876, page 10a,
7 October 1876, page 3e.Swimming matches are described in the Register,
15 February 1879, page 5d,
Observer,
19 March 1881, page 499d,
10 March 1883, page 19b.
Express,
22 March 1881, page 2d.A hockey match against Two Wells is reported in the Express,
20 July 1880, page 2c.
A hockey match against Two Wells is reported in the Observer,
24 September 1881, page 19a, Also see South Australia - Sport - Hockey
a shinty match on
8 July 1882, page 20a.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Shinty.Explosive magazines are discussed in the Observer,
16 December 1893, page 31a.An obituary of William McCord is in the Observer,
1 November 1902, page 34d and
biographical details of W.H. Wasley in the Register,
29 December 1914, page 4g.A photograph of a war memorial is in the Observer,
19 November 1921, page 24.
Also see South Australia - World War I - Memorials to the Fallen."A New Lime Industry" is in the Observer,
8 April 1922, page 7a.Also see South Australia Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Miscellany.
Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGe(r)harty, Mount
Nomenclature
North of Cowell. J.W. Geharty (?), a mounted policeman, who served in the settled districts of Eyre Peninsula in the early days. The name is believed to be a corruption. James William Gerharty, born in Ireland in 1816 arrived in the Pestonjee Bomanjee in 1838.
General Notes
See Parliamentary Paper 25/1858.
His obituary is in the Register,
19 January 1898, page 5b,
Observer , 22 January 1898, page 12a:-
Mr. Geharty came to South Australia in the employ of Mr. Winter, a surveyor, and was engaged in the earliest survey of Port Lincoln and remained in that district for many years, doing duty as a police officer there and at Venus Bay. After his retirement from the force he continued to live on the west coast until a few years ago when he removed to Adelaide. In his prime he was a conspicuous person. His tall, handsome figure, his long, curling iron-grey hair, his active masterful manner, his wit and repartee, his good nature and wonderful knowledge of bush life, combined to make him not only a valuable police trooper amongst the natives, who at the time were numerous, wild and treacherous, but also an excellent companion in bush travels. His smart and genial character and his general kindness will ever be his passport to kindly remembrance.
Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGebhardt Lagoon
Nomenclature
North of Cadell. Gustav Gebhardt, who held six pastoral leases north of the River Murray from 1876. He was born at Hanover, Germany in 1833 and arrived in the Ohio in 1858. He died on 16 March 1900 and is buried at Brighton. The name escaped the notice of the Nomenclature Committee in 1916 when it was given the task of recommending German names to be deleted from the map of South Australia.
General Notes
An obituary of G.A. Gebhardt is in the Register,
17 March 1900, page 7b,
Observer,
31 March 1900, page 22a.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGelland
Nomenclature
A subdivision of part section 387, Hundred of Yatala by the State Bank of SA in 1920 and named after a board member, H.D. Gell; now included in West Croydon.
General Notes
"White Ant Invasion" is in The Mail, 1 October 1921, page 2g:
-
The soldiers who have their homes at Gelland are discovering to their sorrow what a damaging pest white ants are. Where is Gelland? Well, if it were not for the depredations of these mischievous ?miners? few people would know anything about it. It is a little soldiers? village, comprising 70 houses, situated in the district of Kilkenny... An inspection by Mr. Bates, honorary architect of the Returned Soldiers? Association revealed much shoddy construction work - ?Respecting white ants the floors I have seen are in a shocking state and so thin that it is dangerous to walk in places for fear of going through. Some responsible person must have known that at one time cowsheds and pigsties were crumbling to pieces on the block where the ants are in evidence...?
An inspection of soldiers' homes by the Governor is reported in the Advertiser,
5 and 6 April 1922, pages 8c and 10c.Information on a proposed school is in the Advertiser,
5 May 1926, page 10c and
the laying of its foundation stone on
17 July 1926, page 15b,
Register,
28 May 1927, page 10e.Gammon Ranges - Gemmells
G
Place NamesGeltwood Beach
Nomenclature
The first account of the disaster surrounding the loss of the Geltwood states that 'the wreck lies on a reef about 10 miles south of Rivoli Bay'. Later, the position was given as 'fourteen miles from Millicent and four miles from Coonunda Station'; 'the wreck seems caught in a reef as the hull can be seen rising up and down'; whilst another witness stated: 'The wreck... had quite disappeared, the spars being just visible.'
General Notes
"The Wreck of the Geltwood" is in the Chronicle,
15 July 1876, pages 6b-18a; also see
21 October 1876, page 6e,
Express,
14, 15 and 21 July 1876, pages 2d, 3a and 2c,
13 October 1876, page 2c.
A sketch is in the Australasian Sketcher,
5 August 1876, page 69:-
The Geltwood, beyond doubt, was wrecked on the night o f 14 June 1876 when such a storm as rarely or never has occurred in South Australia, swept through the country, uprooting thousands of trees... All the way from the Coorong to miles beyond the border are these effects of the hurricane visible. At Robe roofs were torn off houses, sheets of iron, planks, buckets and even tables were carried through the air... It was in this awful tempest that the ill-fated Geltwood, a vessel on her first voyage, found herself upon the shore and, after signaling in vain for aid, was driven upon the rocks in the wildest and most exposed portion of our coast...
Information on the wreck is in the Register,
9 May 1921, page 4g,
Chronicle,
2 June 1932, page 18.-
The first account of the disaster surrounding the loss of the Geltwood states that 'the wreck lies on a reef
about 10 miles south of Rivoli Bay'. Later, the position was given as 'fourteen miles from
Millicent and four miles from Coonunda Station'; 'the wreck seems caught in a reef as the hull
can be seen rising up and down'; whilst another witness stated:
-
'The wreck... had quite disappeared, the spars being just visible.' A subsequent report states:
The scene of the wreck is bleak and forbidding. There is a considerable current in-shore and
the waves break upon the beach with great fury, even in fine weather. The beach is sandy,
but where the vessel lies there is believed to be a bed of sunken rocks, over which the rollers
come in such manner as to forbid any hope that a boat, if launched, could live in them.
-
The wreck of the Geltwood is distant about fourteen miles from Mount Gambier and about
ten miles south of Rivoli Bay. After climbing over the steep sand hummocks running along the
n the smooth sandy beach, a terrible scene of wreck and confusion presents itself (spars,
planking, casks, etc scattered on the beach)... Little can be seen of the ship... no part of the hull
is visible, but about 1,000 yards from the shore... can be seen a portion of what appears to be
the bowsprit... Heavy breakers roll on to the beach... even in calm weather...
-
In July 1876 Corporal Field, accompanied by Troopers Shiels and Morris and Constable Mack
arrested Louis Spehr and Frederick Barrien, well-to-do farmers, on a charge of stealing portion
of the cargo of the ship Geltwood.... A plant of £700 of goods was discovered... In Spehr's
tan pit a block of tobacco was found and on searching Barrien's they found a lady's woollen
dress, two pairs of boots, four pairs of women's hose, farrier's box, cabin mat and a piece of
rope... [Subsequently] Mr Spehr was fined £100 and the horse used for carrying the goods
[was] confiscated. [He] enjoyed but brief freedom as P.T. Shiels rearrested him... under the
Customs Act. (Border Watch, 12 July 1876.)
Much regret was expressed when Mr T. C. Ellis, of Benaira (sic), was arrested on a charge of complicity in the theft of goods from the Geltwood. The case was heard at Mount Gambier where he was found "not guilty" to which verdict the crowd in the court gave three hearty cheers (Border Watch, 5 October 1876, 2 December 1876, 9 May 1877.)
G
Place NamesGemmells
Nomenclature
A railway station 11 km north of Strathalbyn. Thomas Gemmell, who took up an occupation licence of the area in 1842 following his arrival in the India in 1840. He died in 1897, aged 76.
General Notes
A letter from J. Gemmell is in the SA Record,
19 December 1840, page 395.Thomas Gemmell's obituary is in the Register,
14 June 1897, page 4h,
of Elizabeth Gemmell in the Observer, 22 December 1906, page 38d. - Gawler Plains
