Place Names of South Australia - G
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
- Granite Island
- Grant Hill
- Granville, County of
- Grassy Flat
- Graymore
- Green Hills
- Green Patch
- Greenly Island
- Greenock
- Greenacres
- Greens Plains
- Greenwith
- Gregory
- Grey Town
- Grotegut
- Grove Hill
- Gruenberg
- Grunthal
- Guichen Bay
Granite Island
Nomenclature
A descriptive name applied to an island in Encounter Bay.
General Notes
Information on Mr Landseer's stores on the island is in the Register,
9 and 11 May 1878, pages 5b and 6e and
of a military encampment on
30 and 31 December 1895, pages 6e and 7c,
Observer,
4 January 1896, page 14b.
Also see South Australia - Defence of the Colony
"Claim for Granite Island" is in the Register,
5 December 1884, page 5c.
A photograph is in the Chronicle,
13 January 1906, page 29.
Information on the construction of the breakwater in 1882 is reported in the Register,
24 January 1910, page 5a.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Grant Hill
Information on the late Frederick A. Grant is in the Register,4, 5, 6 and 7 January 1922, pages 6h, 6g, 8g and 9d.
Information on the school is in the Observer, 4 July 1885, page 30c:
-
In June 1885 a deputation waited upon the Minister of Education and requested that better school accommodation be provided. It was said that the present provisional school, established 18 months before, was attended regularly by over 20 scholars, while at times as many as 34 had been packed into it... The site of the present school was objected to on the ground that it was situated in a farm yard. It was suggested that as the travelling track was to be surveyed a block might be reserved opposite Section 195 for school purposes...
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Granville, County of
Nomenclature
The second Earl of Granville (1815-1891), Secretary of State for the Colonies.
General Notes
Earl Granville's obituary appears in the Register,
2 April 1891, pages 4g-6c.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Grassy Flat
Two memorials in the General Registry Office - Book 29 Folio 313 and Book 85 Folio 398 - show "Robert Norton of Grassy Flat" purchasing section 1111 in February 1851 and selling a small portion, near the northern boundary, in May 1855 for Baptist church purposes - this land lies on the eastern side and adjacent to what is now known as Norton Summit. Mrs Robert Norton (1804-1881), who had been a governess in England, volunteered to start a school at Grassy Flat in the chapel.
In June 1869 the East Torrens District Council obtained land on the south corner of section 1111 and in September of that year a school house and master's residence were completed. Its name was changed to "Norton Summit" in 1941.
(Sources - Chronicle,
3 and 10 June 1937, pages 47c and 48a;
Parliamentary Papers, 18/1864 (p. 8), 15/1865 (p. 8), 41/1866-67 (p. 10), 13/1867 (p. 9), 19/1868-69 (p. 11), 18/1870-71 (p. 7);
Certificate of Title, volume 129, folio 168;
State Records Office, GRG 18/113/82.)
A contentious report of a meeting about the school is reported in the Register,
4 February 1868, page 3d.
The Register of 12 March 1870, at page 5a says "out of 14 applicants for the Mastership of [the school] Mr Thomas Peirce, late of the Barossa Goldfields, has been chosen..."
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Graymore
Nomenclature
The land was owned by W.H. Gray; the name was obtained from the surname 'Gray' and 'Frogmore', Mr Gray's home near Fulham.
General Notes
A "chat" with W.F. Gray is reported in the Express,
23 October 1884, page 3g:
-
Mr. Gray went to the Territory partly on his own business as well as to see what progress had been made with the Delissaville Sugar Company's works.... Mr. Gray is a thoroughly practical man and made no attempt to infuse a couleur de rose aspect into any of the facts he gave expression to...
An obituary of W.H. Gray and
other information is in the Register,
7 and 19 September 1896, pages 5a-c-6e and 5b.
An obituary of W.H. Gray and other information is in the Register,
7 and 19 September 1896, pages 5a-c-6e and 5b.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Green Hills
Its school opened in 1933 and closed in 1941.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Green Patch
Nomenclature
A descriptive name given to an area 16 km west of Port Lincoln.
General Notes
Its Aboriginal name was "Woolga" - see Register,
21 April 1883 (supp.), page 2d.
James Sinclair's station is described in the Register,
30 October 1883, page 6b; also see
9 June 1905, page 5h,
5 October 1906, page 7a.
Observer,
20 October 1906, page 47d.
Photographs of James and Donald Sinclair are in the Observer,
31 July 1909, page 30.
James Sinclair's reminiscences appea rin the Register,
24 September 1918, page 7f.
Also see Sinclair Gap
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Greenacres
Nomenclature
A descriptive name applied to a subdivision of section 488, Hundred of Yatala by the owner, Christoph Samuel Mueller in April 1919.
General Notes
A history of section 488 is in the Register,
10 April 1919, page 5f;
sale of allotments on
17 April 1919, page 4c:
-
Section 488, Hundred of Yatala, containing 136 acres, 3 roods and 15 perches, situated in a very elevated position on the North-East Road was granted originally to Duncan Dunbar under the hand of Governor Gawler. He held the property until 23 January 1868 when he sold to Christian Modra, a farmer of Yatala. On the decease of the latter owner in 1880 the property passed into the hands of Elizabeth Notzke, of Gilles Plains, from whom Mr. Mueller purchased it in 1896. He has devoted his energies to hay growing which he has found to be a very remunerative business... The surveyors have had the subdivision of Greenacres estate for some weeks past and have now laid out the whole area into 110 acre blocks, intersected by several splendid roads...
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Greenly Island
Nomenclature
Named by Matthew Flinders in 1802. Sir Isaac Coffin was engaged to a Miss Greenly, whom he married in 1811 and for two years he assumed the name of Greenly.
General Notes
"Marsupial Pioneers", the release of wallabies on the island, is in the Register,
11 April 1913, page 6f,
27 May 1913, page 6e.
-
The Government steamer, Governor Musgrave... left Port Adelaide and called at Harvey's Return, the landing place for Cape Borda. The keepers from the lighthouses brought down two pairs of wallabies which they had caught under instructions from the president of the Marine Board, Mr. Arthur Searcy, to place on Greenly Island.... Before breakfast the wallabies were taken ashore. Numerous seals flapped their way down the rocks within a few feet of the party and extended a welcome. The cases containing the wallabies were carried up to the undergrowth on the side of the island. Here the members of the party shook hands with the quaint little animals and set them at liberty. As they hopped away into the bushes three cheers were given for the marsupial pioneers of Greenly Island...
Also see South Australia - Flora and Fauna - Marsupials and Mammals.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Greenock
Nomenclature
The Greenock Range appears on an 1839-40 map of South Australia (John Arrowsmith) and local legend has it that it was named by German settlers who moved into the district in 1839. This contention is supported by the fact that there is a 'Mount Gruneck' in Germany. Did the surveyor, who drew up the plan, anglicise the German word which means 'green or verdant corner'?
There is a 'Greenock' in Scotland and, to further confuse the issue, Lord Greenoch (sic) was a personal friend of Col. Light, who may have named the range in 1837 which was subsequently corrupted to 'Greenock'. This proposition is supported by the fact that Mount Greenoch appears on W. Jacob's survey map of 1840.
General Notes
Information on the Greenock Creek Mine is in the South Australian,
22 June 1849, page 3b.
Also see South Australia - Mining - Coal.
The laying of the foundation stone of the Wesleyan Chapel is reported in the Register,
29 March 1855, page 3c.
A horse race meeting is reported in the Register,
13 March 1858, page 3c.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Horse Racing.
Information on the Victorville Political Association is in the Chronicle,
17 September 1859, page 3a,
25 February 1860, page 4f.
Also see South Australia - Politics
Its school opened circa 1861 - information on it appears in the Express,
11 July 1876, page 2d,
Observer,
15 and 22 July 1876, pages 8a and 7f,
Register,
4 and 13 April 1877, pages 5f.
The laying of the foundation stone of the Public School is reported in the Register,
14 November 1877, page 6d.
Information on local schools is in the Advertiser,
12 July 1876, page 6f,
Observer,
7 April 1877, page 3g,
23 August 1913, page 49e.
A photograph of the school band is in the Observer,
31 January 1903, page 24.
A report on the Barossa and Light Agricultural Society Show appears in the
Register,
1 March 1876, page 6e.
Also see South Australia - Agricultural, Floricultural & Horticultural Shows .
Local flooding is discussed in the Chronicle,
31 March 1877, page 6d.
A photograph of the flooded main street is in the Chronicle,
22 February 1913, page 32,
Observer,
15 March 1913, page 29.
Also see South Australia - Natural Disasters - Floods.
Information on the post office is in the Observer,
8 March 1879, page 7a.
Also see South Australia - Communications - Mail and Postal.
"A Day at Greenock" is in the Register, 11 November 1884, page 7c:
-
A few miles beyond Roseworthy stands Freeling Station from which the coach conveys the passenger over an alternatively level and rolling country, rich with growing corn and redolent of new mown hay, to the village of Greenock, distant about eight miles. The latter place is noteworthy for several important industries, of which Mr. Finck's mill and the extensive distillery as also the vermicelli and future macaroni factory, owned by the two brothers Seppelt, respectively are the most prominent...
An Oddfellows' picnic is reported in the Chronicle,
10 January 1885, page 8f and
a sports day on
5 January 1895, page 22b,
9 January 1897, page 11b.
A boiler explosion at a mill is reported in the Observer,
16 and 23 February 1889, pages 30c and 30a.
A photograph of the aftermath of an explosion at the flour mill is in the Chronicle,
9 December 1905, page 28.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Farming - Mills.
The town is described in Parliamentary Paper 66/1886 and
the Register,
21 November 1903, page 9e.
The collapse of the Greenock Creek Dam is reported on
7 March 1898, page 3g:
-
It was a stroke of bad fortune for the Railway Department that the embankment alongside the Greenock Creek collapsed... The genesis of the effort to store water at this spot was the desire of the department to augment its supply at the Gawler and Roseworthy stations... The Engineer-in-Chief therefore recommended the construction of a reservoir and dam near Daveyston... No water had flowed into the reservoir previous to yesterday week. On the afternoon of that day a heavy storm occurred and as the sluice gates were open the water poured along the channel and into the enclosure in so great a volume that in four hours there was 20 feet of water therein... It was noticed on Saturday by the neighbouring residents that the embankment was leaking and by Sunday night practically all the water had escaped... The flat was covered for chains wide and the roads rendered impassable, but no damage to private property was reported...
Photographs are in the Chronicle,
13 April 1933, page 36.
Also see South Australia - Water Conservation.
The laying of the foundation stone of the Institute is reported in the Register,
25 January 1905, page 6h;
on the same day on page 7a are the reminiscences of Mr and Mrs Jaeschke.
Photographs of the ceremony at the Institute are in the Chronicle,
4 February 1905, page 25.
Biographical details of Mr & Mrs J.D. Jaensch are in the Register,
25 January 1905, page 7a,
of J.C.E. Jaensch in the Register, 5 June 1906, page 4h,
Observer, 9 June 1906, page 28e.
The golden wedding of Mr & Mrs August Nitschke is reported in the Register,
16 July 1912, page 4g.
Biographical details of Mrs Rebecca Webb are in the Register,
30 March 1921, page 6h.>P>
A photograph of the aftermath of harvest time in the Observer,
12 February 1931, page 32.
Photographs of the reopening of the Gnadenfrei Church are in the Chronicle,
23 May 1914, page 32.
Greenock - Obituaries
An obituary of Charles Radford is in the Register,
1 October 1900, page 5a,
of Mrs Mary Clarke on 22 August 1903, page 5a,
of Christian E. Jaensch on 23 May 1908, page 9d.
An obituary of L. Schulter is in the Register, 21 December 1891, page 5b,
of Hugo Seppelt on 2 February 1898, page 5c,
of Mrs C. Ehrhardt on 3 November 1906, page 7,
of James Branson on 3 December 1906, page 4i,
of Mrs K. Rowe on 4 October 1918, page 4g,
of Mrs Rebecca Webb on 4 March 1919, page 4h,
of George Tummel on 18 March 1921, page 6i,
of C.H. March on 14 October 1922, page 8h,
of Mrs Rebecca Webb on 17 October 1922, page 6g.
An obituary of J.C. Elix is in the Observer, 30 March 1907, page 37c,
of Christian E. Jaensch on 30 May 1908, page 40a,
of Julius Eggers on 19 July 1913, page 39a,
of Mrs S.P. Anderson on 24 March 1917, page 15a.
An obituary of P.T. Matthias is in the Register, 14 August 1926, page 13h.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Greens Plains
Nomenclature
On section 18, Hundred of Kadina north-west of Paskeville. John Green, who took up pastoral lease no. 293 in the Hundreds of Kadina and Kulpara from 22 July 1851, having earlier held an occupation licence in 'County Stanley' from 18 February 1847.
General Notes
An interesting article on the Plains, including its discovery, is in the Observer,
12 February 1910, page 45e:
-
And so it came to pass that the first white man to sight the place was an individual by the somewhat uncommon name of Smith who, when he saw kangaroo, emu, turkeys and wallabies bounding, running, flying or feeding over these great rolling downs, called it the Land of Promise... But before he could peg out his claim a band of unpainted heathens came on the scene and ran him violently down a steep place into the scrub and his after fate remains a mystery to this day, for, although he left footprints on the sands of time, they were mostly about 15 feet apart and heading for the interior.
Thus it fell to the lot of the hitherto unknown but now illustrious John Green to make the final discovery... These great plains are today are dotted over with prosperous farms... [and were] the first to introduce ploughs and ploughing matches to the peninsula and the first and only peninsula plains to have a railway, horse racing and agricultural shows. Here was invented and perfected the capstan grubbing machine... and from here or hereabouts came that priceless boon to mankind, the stump-jumping plough...
Also see
Register,
27 November 1916, page 4f.
The reminiscences of an early settler, W. Vowles Brown, appear on
31 March 1911, page 6e.
The district's first ploughing match is reported in the Register,
19 September 1865, page 3f;
a proposed Show and ploughing match is discussed in the Chronicle,
9 September 1876, page 11e; also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Ploughing Matches.
see a report on the Daly Agricultural Society in the Register,
27 September 1879, page 6d; also see
Advertiser,
15 September 1884, page 6e.
Also see South Australia - Agricultural, Floricultural & Horticultural Shows.
The Register of 17 January 1868, page 2g says that "at one time the growing crops suffered much from the inroads of the kangaroo."
Information on the local pound is in the Register,
17 August 1868, page 3b.
"A Trip to Green's Plains" is in the Chronicle,
25 October 1873, page 3d (supp.).
Parliamentary Paper 24/1874 shows a school being conducted in a chapel by Shapland Groves with 32 enrolled pupils.
The Greens Plains East School opened in 1873 and became "Paskeville" in 1886 -
see Observer,
17 March 1877, page 12b,
Chronicle,
6 October 1877, page 4e;
the Greens Plains West School opened in 1873 and became "Thrington" in 1942; also see
Advertiser,
8 October 1873, page 1c (supp.).
Register,
27 November 1916, page 4f.
A horse race meeting is reported in the Chronicle,
9 January 1875, page 4c,
Advertiser,
4 January 1877, page 6b.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Horse Racing.
Information on the water supply is in the Register,
16 January 1877, page 5e,
22 March 1877, page 5c.
Also see South Australia - Water Conservation.
The district is described in the Express,
4 October 1877, page 3b.
The golden wedding of Mr & Mrs A.F. Skipworth is reported in the Register,
7 and 14 January 1878, pages 5b and 5c.
A Show and ploughing match is reported in the Observer,
27 September 1879, page 6b; also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Ploughing Matches and
4 September 1880, page 388d;
Advertiser,
1 October 1886, page 7c.
Also see South Australia - Agricultural, Floricultural & Horticultural Shows .
Alleged ill-treatment of a destitute child under the care of a local farmer is reported in the Register,
16 July 1884, page 6h.
A sports day is reported in the Chronicle,
3 June 1899, page 21b.
An amusing report on "Mice, Cats and Motor Cars" is in the Advertiser,
17 August 1904, page 9a.
"Snakes and Stories" is in the Register,
22 October 1907, page 6c.
Also see South Australia - Flora and Fauna - Mice, Snakes and Rats.
"Storm at Greens Plains" is in the Register,
25 November 1907, page 4f.
An account of "The First Snowballing" is reported in the Register,
22 September 1908, page 9g.
An outbreak of anthrax is discussed in the Advertiser,
1 May 1909, page 10g.
"Motor Bicycle at Green's Plains" is in the Register on
13 July 1910, page 6e and
an account of an earthquake on
22 February 1911, page 6g:
-
Doors and windows shook and rattled as if under the influence of a strong wind and crockery jumped about in a most cheerful and musical manner. Some roosters were shaken off their perch and crowed wildly for daylight...
"Daylight Saving at Green's Plains" is in the Register,
4 January 1917, page 4f,
Observer,
6 January 1917, page 32b.
Also see South Australia - Miscellany - Clocks and Times.
"Christmas at Green's Plains" is in the Observer,
1 January 1921, page 44b.
Also see South Australia - The Colony - Christmas in South Australia.
A mice plague is described in the Register,
18 April 1911, page 4d,
11 March 1922, page 6e.
Also see South Australia - Flora and Fauna - Mice, Snakes and Rats.
Reminiscences of early wheat growing are in the Register,
17 January 1923, page 10h.
"Yarns From Greens Plains" is in the Register,
15, 19 and 26 May 1923, pages 12d, 5g and 15d,
5 and 27 June 1923, pages 14a and 11g,
16 July 1923, page 12g,
4, 9, 17 and 30 August 1923, pages 3d, 2g, 4f and 3a,
11, 15 and 18 September 1923, pages 11d, 9g and 12d,
1, 11 and 16 October 1923, pages 5h, 8g and 13h,
15 and 29 November 1923, pages 12h and 12e.
Greens Plains - Obituaries
An obituary of Thomas Tait is in the Observer, 1 October 1910, page 39a,
of Mrs Elizabeth Petherick on 22 February 1913, page 41b.
An obituary of James Allen is in the Register, 15 August 1911, page 8e.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Greenwith
Nomenclature
The name was applied to an Adelaide suburb in 1977 and recalls the Greenwith Methodist Church built in the district in 1853; see Observer, 5 December 1863, page 5a. The minutes of the first meeting of the Church are held in the Mortlock Library. Thomas Roberts worked at the Greenwith Mine in Cornwall and emigrated in the Sir Charles Forbes in 1839. He bought section 2147, Hundred of Yatala, calling it 'Greenwith Farm'.
General Notes
The opening services of the Primitive Methodist Chapel are reported in the Observer, 5 December 1863, page 5a:
-
The opening services of the Primitive Methodist Chapel were conducted on 15 and 22 November 1863... The public meeting was addressed by the Reverends T. Braithwaite, J.S. Weyland and Wilson and Messrs George Robinson, C. Watson and others.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Gregory
Nomenclature
When naming the Hundred of Gregory Governor MacDonnell gave no reason for its derivation but it probably honours A.C. Gregory who, in 1858, disproved the 'horseshoe' configuration of Lake Torrens. Lake Gregory, north-west of Lake Blanche, discovered by A.C. Gregory of the Leichhardt relief expedition in 1858. B.H. Babbage claims he named it
General Notes
"The South Australian Exploring Expedition" is in the Observer,
20 June 1857, page 6a.
An editorial on the explorations of A.C. Gregory is in the Register,
16 July 1858, page 2f and
his arrival in Adelaide is in the same newspaper on
22 July 1858, page 2f,
Register,
9 and 12 August 1858, pages 3d and 2c-3a,
Observer,
9 November 1918, page 41c:
-
Mr. Gregory's presence in our neighbourhood [indicates] that he has long ago abandoned his search [for Leichardt]. What circumstance may have induced him to turn his steps southward we have yet to learn. It is not improbable that, finding water in the Victoria, he was led to follow the course of that stream until, having reached Kennedy's furthest point, he was tempted to verify the accuracy of the expressed opinion that the Victoria was identical with Cooper's Creek of Captain Sturt. This probability Mr. Gregory has now established as a fact, and he has also added to our previous information this further fact, that Cooper's Creek empties itself into Lake Torrens [sic]... From other sources we learn that Mr. Gregory crossed Lake Torrens by a firm and well-defined isthmus about five miles broad, in a north-easterly direction from Mount Hopeless...
B.H. Babbage claims he named Lake Gregory - see Advertiser,
26 November 1858, page 3c.
"Lake Gregory and the Hermit Hills" is in the Observer,
4 February 1860, page 6h.
Biographical details of Mr Gregory are in the Register,
1 August 1902, page 6c and
an obituary on 26 June 1905, page 6e.
A controversy over the closure of roads in the Hundred is aired in the Register,
29 October 1877, page 5e.
The Hundred of Gregory School opened in 1925 and closed in 1946.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Grey Town
Its rise and fall is commented upon in the Register,19 April 1871, page 5d under the heading "Harbours in the South-East".
It is described on 3 February 1875, page 6c:
An amusing poem citing the residents of the town is in the Register,
25 July 1876, page 5d.
Grey Town
-
(Taken from an unpublished manuscript by Geoffrey H. Manning titled "A History of the Lower South east in the 19th Century")
It is true that Grey Town was once a place of some note it being the first bay used on the South-Eastern coast before Guichen Bay was opened. Even Mr. Brown of Avenue Range had to send all the way to Rivoli Bay for his goods. Yes; Rivoli Bay was the first bay opened. But it is untrue that MacDonnell Bay caused the fall of Grey. Grey Town fell and was deserted years before MacDonnell Bay was thought of. It died a natural death as soon as Guichen Bay was opened. Guichen Bay secured the whole trade of Mount Gambier until the opening of MacDonnell Bay...
(Register, 19 April 1871, page 5.)
-
The value of Rivoili appears to been long known to our good friends the Portland people and explains the anxiety which they have always shown to run it down and their recent efforts to get hold of the town land. That a township will be formed is no longer doubtful... We firmly believe it would soon eclipse all the ports on the south coast and become the Liverpool of South Australia... Captain Underwood has made a neat plan of the township reserving the strip of high land terminating at Cape Lannes for the government, for customs houses, bonded stores (adapted for which there is a natural cavern), barracks, government house, etc.
-
There is plenty of fresh water to be found at Rivoli Bay and there is a swamp within 200 to 300 yards of the township and fresh water can be found all round the bay by digging a few feet in the sand a little above the high watermark... I have repeatedly discharged and loaded a vessel drawing 11 feet of water and no accident happened to any vessel in the Bay consigned to me during my nine years residence there... A vessel going ashore in Guichen Bay is sure to become a total wreck while at Rivoli Bay it would be swept onto a sandy beach where, by lightening the vessel, it could be got off...
-
I thought that after the division of the district all dissension would cease but I see that such is not the case by the debates on the Rivoli Bay railroad question and the improper remarks made about lighterage at Lacepede Bay being enormous... I am informed that any ship from 100 to 3,000 tons can be loaded there at less expense than Port Adelaide... The south end of Rivoli Bay has been tried twice in the last 20 years... Three lines of railway or roads surveyed and marked on the public maps and now about to be given up to the north end which has never been practically tested and never can be a seaport for large ships...
-
It was about 1841 or 1842 when bound south in the good ship Governor Gawler of 15 tons, pressed near the coast by contrary winds, I entered in the night. I saw it was a bay and remained there until daylight to examine its features, try the soundings for anchorage (the water was very smooth) and I formed at once the idea that such a bay might be made useful to settlers in the adjacent country for receiving stores and shipping wool... Soon afterwards Captain Lipson was sent to examine minutely and report on its capabilities it offered for the purposes I have named. His report was altogether unfavourable and mine condemned and, at the time, I had to bear some wordy abuse for my crude opinions; and at the time Guichen Bay was becoming a rival and received all the favours and attention of the government at that period. Nevertheless, I stood up for Rivoli Bay.
I built a store there for the reception of goods... I planted a family therein charge of my venture whose name has been honourably mentioned in the recent speeches at the Mount (Mrs Smith). I met encouragement from the settlers and made a number of trips with stores bringing the wool back in season. But I had to contend with the prejudices of those in high stations and there were no facilities of any kind to forward my views, and that connected with mishaps and one fatal shipwreck forced me to give up my project at great loss and for the time Rivoli Bay was abandoned.
Time has tooled on; changed in opinions of men in power have taken place and Rivoli Bay, now ?Beachport?, looms out prominently as a port in South Australia. I feel gratified at such an issue as it has justified my humble opinion at that early period in our history...
Indeed, it was even difficult to procure inter-colonial vessels to load there and, in 1874, wheat was lightered by the Gambier Lass from the south end to the brigantine Belle at the north end. The insurance rates for coasters were ruinous, being 15 per cent per annum:
-
In the face of facts like these I imagine all the logrolling in creation will not be sufficient to make Rivoli South the maritime terminus. Guichen Bay is in a state of decadence having lost by death or otherwise some of its earliest and staunchest supporters and being in possession of but little good country in its neighbourhood to back it up.
To conclude our visitation to Grey Town with a little droll humour - in 1876 a correspondent to the Register under the pseudonym of ?Nauticus? complained on behalf of the residents of Greytown that they had been unjustly accused of being involved in the pillaging of the Wave Queen in 1874 and in reply "Geoffrey Crabthorn" responded:
-
It would be manifestly unfair to throw this in the teeth of the township where public opinion is absolutely unanimous in favour of law and order... As for the Greytown protesters I must protest in turn against their assumption that the Rivoli Bay district does not extend beyond the limit of their eight homesteads... I not only cheerfully record my regret that any such misunderstanding should have arisen, but by way of making ample amends for the mistake I herewith issue, enshrined with appropriate comments in the immortality of verse -
-
Geoffrey's Own Greytown Directory
Now, who are the people of Greytown,
And what are their numbers all told,
Just name the inhabitants singly,
Leaving none of them out in the cold!
Say what are the varied vocations
In which they indulge day by day,
And pray have they any connection
The first is one F. Bevilaqua;
A smart shipping agent is he,
And doing a snug little business
In this township away by the sea.
He's a highly respectable person,
And I hasten with pleasure to say
That he hasn?t the slightest connection
With the wreckers of Rivoli Bay.
Messrs French & Co next I must mention,
And they, it behoves me to tell,
Like their neighbour of foreign extraction,
Are keen shipping agents as well.
They are men, I believe, of high
That the firm is in no way connected
With the wreckers of Rivoli Bay.
Two lightermen, careful of cargo,
Come next, Messrs Foster and Fry,
And at lightering vessels at anchor
No doubt they are remarkably spry.
But these honest lads, I warrant,
More used to barge than to dray,
And cannot have any connection
With the wreckers of Rivoli Bay.
Aaron Lane follows next on the record,
The jolly and generous host
Of the only hotel that at present
This coy little township can boast.
But dealing out drinks and good dinners
`Tis seldom from home he can stray,
And he's not, I assure you, connected
With the wreckers of Rivoli Bay.
Then follows C. Harris, a captain -
Though whether of brig or of barque,
Of steamer, or schooner, or lighter,
I?m utterly left in the dark.
However, he's plainly a sailor,
Nor long on the shore will he stay
And he hasn?t the slightest connection
With the wreckers of Rivoli Bay.
A carpenter, one Samuel Willson,
Must now with brief notice be passed;
And a labourer, hight John Davoren,
Then follows, the eighth and the last.
No doubt they are hard-working worthies,
Each good in his own special way,
And they haven?t the slightest connection
With the wreckers of Rivoli Bay.
Now these are the eight people of Greytown,
And eight is their number all told;
I?ve recited the whole population;
No one is left out in the cold;
o now I beseech you remember -
Or there?ll soon be the devil to pay -
That these are in no way connected
With the wreckers of Rivoli Bay.
9, 12, 16 and 19 January 1844, pages 2a, 2c, 2b and 2a,
21 and 24 October 1845, pages 2c and 2b.
"Hurrah for Gov Grey!" is in the Observer,
5 July 1845, page 4a; also see
19 July 1845, page 7,
3 December 1859, page 6e.
An editorial on Sir George Grey's visit to Adelaide and a biographical sketch by "An Old Colonist" is in the Advertiser,
14 April 1891, pages 4d and 6d; also see
Weekly Herald,
25 November 1899, page 8.
Lectures on the life and times of the former governor are in the Advertiser,
12, 19 and 26 July 1905, pages 6h, 6c and 7b.
Comprehensive biographical details of Sir George Grey are in the Observer,
26 April 1890, page 33a.
Gov Grey's obituary is in the Register on 21 September 1898, pages 4c-f-g-7c.
"The Work of Sir George Grey" is in the Register on
16 June 1909, page 6d,
"Centenary of an Empire Builder" on
13 April 1912, page 13a; also see
6 January 1925, page 11f and
Observer,
17 January 1925, page 49c.
The Grey Administration
(Taken from Geoffrey H Manning's A Colonial Experience)
In 1841 Governor Grey arrived and his predecessor took his departure from these shores carrying with him the respect and esteem of all, not excepting those who had not cared to disguise their disapproval of his remedial economic measures.
At the commencement of 1842 the colony was characterised by extreme monetary depression, trade of every kind was stagnant, and confidence between man and man nearly destroyed, as evinced by the quantity of property which was sacrificed daily for less than one fourth its value, by such as were compelled with the demands of some grasping creditor.
Employment was all but impossible to obtain but, of course, this was no novel matter in the early days; good men wandered about seeking employment and finding none. But indomitable perseverance told in the long run and when a family friend felled a tree, in what is now Victoria Square, we all wondered what he would do with it.
It was a grand old gum tree of solid wood and, as such, easily worked and turned into plumbers' mallets or rolling pins, or in fact anything of that kind; and so it was fabricated into shapes to meet the growing emergencies of the colony and subsistence for our friend by their sale.
When the demand for rolling pins, etc., slackened he turned to the manufacture of horse water troughs. To do this from a solid lump of gum tree made for hard labour for those unaccustomed to it, but when done by a young man fresh from England the labour was doubly hard. Hundreds of holes to bore with a two-inch auger and then thousands of chops as adze and hatchet cleared the internal wood and made a fair square acceptable for the water.
Such was the disastrous state of the colony at the time, that nothing short of the indomitable perseverance of the settlers, aided by the kindness and forbearance of British capitalists, could have enabled the colonists to struggle through the difficulties that surrounded them.
At that time there were 1,700 emigrants, including women and children, out of employment and depending on government for their support, and the population appeared to be reduced to a state of utter despondency. Public meetings were held, at which it was announced that the banks and other commercial bodies had determined to set the example of forbearance.
Captain Grey came here when the colony was in a state of bankruptcy, public and private; he found the ship among rocks and shoals with a mutinous crew who wanted him to cast anchor, but in spite of them all he steered her into deep water and placed her in a right position to catch a prosperous breeze. His reward was to be baited and badgered, to be threatened by one party, denounced by another who petitioned for his recall.
Debts to an enormous extent had accumulated and his instructions were to reduce public expenditure to the limits of the revenue. On all hands he was beset by persons clamorous for money; the labourers said they could not live on five shillings a day and threatened personal violence.
Governor Grey was impervious to all representations from the perturbed colonists and one of them was so incensed he urged the populace to go to Government House, 'Seize the Governor, put a rope around his neck and drag him to the Port.' The governor was lampooned by the press and in April 1843 the SA Register came out with this plea to Queen Victoria:
-
Governed by an imbecile,
Royal lady we entreat you,
Ease us from this tyrant's will,
Your subjects' prayers e'er greet you.
Following his death his papers revealed a stray sheet initialled 'GG' at the end of a few lines, containing a reflection on this particular experience:
-
The voice within me said - Cease grieving for the child, weep not for the dead, but rather weep for those who live or are to live. Arouse thee! Rise up and struggle to ease the suffering of countless millions of thy countrymen who are now here, or are to come - to endure the miseries which foolish men have prepared for them in life.
The years 1842 and 1843 were distinguished by wholesome retrenchments in colonial expenditure and matter of fact measures of finance in Cabinet; a firm and dogged application to the business of agricultural production on the part of the resident land holders, and a somewhat slow and forced relinquishment of all dependence upon the government's charitable support of the labouring population.
All the necessaries of life were produced within the colony, our income and expenditure balanced themselves and, being in want of little extraneous assistance, unnecessary imports were discouraged and commercial encouragement was accorded to the growers and exporters of native produce. Slowly, but surely, confidence was again in a great measure restored; the people aroused themselves from their lethargy and healthy economic conditions prevailed.
By the close of 1843 Adelaide could boast of a Savings Bank, Mechanics? Institute and other establishments for the benefit of its inhabitants, who then numbered 8,000 souls, more than half the population of the colony. By mid-1844, with the economic scene being a little brighter, the South Australian proclaimed:
-
Gross were the drains upon the public purse,
Economy was banished from the land,
Only a few approved the healing course,
Required by one who showed the master hand,
Governed by him we must commend his plan,
Each action proves him still the wiser man.
Great was the conflict yet he braved it all,
Resolved to carry what he had begun,
E'en his enemies now his acts extol -
Years will add lustre to the name he's won.
There was little difference in the actual circumstances of the different classes - some had property and some had none; but property was unsaleable for money, and barter only exchanged one unsaleable article for another. Thus, gradually the financial position of the colony improved by means of the well-directed industry of the settlers.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
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Place Names
Grotegut
This place near Templers is mentioned in the Chronicle, 21 May 1864, page 3c and
Advertiser,
11 January 1865, page 3a;
a person of that name is reported in the Express,
3 August 1864, page 2d:
-
A preliminary meeting of gentlemen residing in and north of Gawler was held at Grotegut's, Gawler Belt, in 1864 for taking steps to replace the line of road between Gawler and Forrester's (Gilberton)... In the absence of Mr. Peter Ferguson, whose magisterial duties at Gawler prevented his attendance, Mr. William Delaney was called upon to preside, Mr. Grundy acting as s secretary...
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
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Place Names
Grove Hill
At Third Creek; it was the name of Messrs Giles and Pascoe's Nursery "about three miles beyond Magill" - see Register,
2 June 1868, page 2h,
14 October 1878 (supp.), page 2a,
17 December 1890, page 5g,
3 June 1893, page 6a,
Chronicle,
15 April 1937, page 49d.
A letter from Charles Giles in respect of an horticultural show is in the Register, 22 March 1856, page 3f:
-
It appears to me the reward is not for the man who goes to the greatest expense and trouble to produce the best articles, but those that are linked up with the committee that takes it from the enterprising man. I exhibited two collections of vegetables. All present acknowledged them to be the best, but because one collection was awarded Mr. Burford's prize, the Judges would not award it any other prize, considering that the same party should not get but one prize in the same class.
Why do not the Society make rules and abide by them. Last year I lost five prizes through my articles not being named, yet they gave the prizes to other parties whose articles were not named any more than mine...
Also see South Australia - Agricultural, Floricultural & Horticultural Shows .
An obituary of Charles Giles is in the Register, 11 February 1887, page 5a,
Observer, 12 February 1887, page 30a;
also see 29 August 1925, page 43d, 25 August 1928, page 32c.
A fire is reported in the Register,
22 February 1878, pages 5c-1d (supp.).
"SA Fruit in London" is in the Register,
6 July 1893, page 5a.
The export of cherries is discussed in the Register,
8 February 1894, page 5a.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Fruit and Vegatables.
"A Pioneer Orchardist - Mr Charles Giles Looks Back" is in the Register,
25 August 1925, page 10d.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
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Place Names
Gruenberg
Nomenclature
Grunberg, near Angaston, has a namesake in Silesia, Germany. The word means 'green hill'. The name was changed to 'Karalta' (Aboriginal for 'green') in 1918 and became Gruenberg in April 1975.
General Notes
Information on the school is in the Register, 28 October 1872, page 7a:
-
An examination at Mr. D.H. Lunke's school took place in October 1872. Rev Mr. Rechner presided and the Rev Appelt of Dutton with about 35 parents and other visitors, attended.... C. Altmann, L. Kukejei and B. Walter were presented with books... The writing was very good especially that of C. Altmann which was executed in ornamental lettering . The neat writing in German of B. Roberts was also noted.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
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Place Names
Grunthal
Nomenclature
A town laid out by Carl A.H. Storch in 1875 on section 3816, Hundred of Onkaparinga. A German word meaning 'green valley'. In 1918, the Nomenclature Committee suggested it be renamed 'Tumbeela', meaning 'evergreen', but Cabinet decided on 'Verdun', a World War I battle- ground.
General Notes
An advertisement for a horse race meeting is in the Observer,
28 January 1854, page 2f.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Horse Racing.
A fire at a woollen factory is reported in the Observer,
21 September 1878, page 21b.
Information on an athletic club is in the Express,
31 March 1880, page 2d.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Athletics and Gymnastics.
Its school opened in 1882 and became "Verdun" in 1918; closed in 1970.
See Register, 9 July 1913, page 6f.
A report in the Register, 26 July 1884 (supp.), page 1e states that the railway station was called "Windermere":
-
A few months ago I had occasion to visit Grunthal and procured a return ticket printed 'Adelaide to Grunthal'. I naturally expected to see 'Grunthal' the signboard at the next station to Bridgewater but found a signboard 'Windermere', not mentioned in the time table, which on enquiry I proved to be identical with Grunthal. On my return journey I joined the train at Balhannah Station and asked for a ticket to Grunthal, but received one printed 'Balhannah to Windermere'...
Mr Sandow's orchard is described in the Register,
19 January 1903, page 5b.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Fruit and Vegetables.
An obituary of John Beaumont is in the Register,
27 June 1903, page 5b,
of Mrs Mary A. James is in the Observer,
4 December 1909, page 38a,
of G. Sandow in the Register,
22 and 30 May 1914, pages 7b and 7b.
"Grunthal Mine Unwatered" is in the Register,
11 October 1915, page 8f.
Also see South Australia - Mining - Coal.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
G
Place Names
Guichen Bay
Nomenclature
Also see Place Names - Robe
On Freycinet's charts it is B.de Guichen. Admiral de Guichen (1712-1790) of the French Navy who possessed high scientific ability which served him in good stead in action against the English; he had the reputation of an accomplished and high-minded gentleman.
General Notes
Also see under Place Names - South-East for an essay on Lower South East Ports.
The district is described in the Observer,
27 January 1849, page 2d.
An interesting letter on the district is recorded in the Register,
3 July 1860, page 3f
while a feature article on the same subject appears on
28 February 1861, page 2h:
-
My object is not to dispute the importance of Lacepede Bay as a shipping place, or destroy the illusion of the Mount Gambier visionary, but simply to state a few facts in connection with Port Robe, ie, Guichen Bay, which will show that, however important other ports in the south-eastern district may become, Guichen Bay is at present the entrepot and outlet; in fact, the only port we possess where our wool can be safely shipped, and from which all our supplies have hitherto been drawn...
Many may not be aware that this harbour has given secure anchorage to as many as seven large vessels at once during a severe gale; and that, during the influx of the Chinese en route to Victoria, a varying in tonnage from 800 to 2,000 tons, entered this port... (number I have been credibly informed no less than 50)...
The abolition of ad valorem duties to those in business here must be a boon; they can now better compete with Portland settlers and those itinerant vendors - the hawkers - whose carts I have frequently seen in front of shops in Robe Town full of goods brought overland from Victoria, temptingly displayed to attract ladies, and take the cash from the more legitimate trader - the Customs authorities complacently viewing this legalised smuggling...
I have been informed that the good folks of Guichen Bay are about to have the services of Rev Mr. Reid as their spiritual adviser. A very pretty little church has some time been ready, but no resident minister to use it...
A description of the local Boiling Down Works is in the Register,
17 February 1868, page 3d; also see
27 July 1868, page 2h,
30 October 1868, page 2e,
Observer,
13 March 1869, page 9c,
Register,
3 April 1869, page 3b and
4 May 1869, page 3g.
Also see South Australia Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Boiling Down.
A report on the new jetty is in the Register,
26 November 1868, page 2f.
A report on missing fishermen is in the Observer,
29 May 1869, page 6a.
The closure of the Guichen Bay Gaol is reported in the Observer,
15 January 1870, page 4d.
A report on a meeting of the Guichen Bay Race Club is in the Observer,
26 March 1870, page 5d.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Horse Racing.
Granite Island - Guichen Bay
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