Governor Gawler's Views on Port Lincoln

In 1936, the Public Library Board of South Australia received an old plan from Miss Poulden on which her grandfather (Governor Gawler) had pencilled his idea where the mountain ranges were, and indicated where the good country would be. This must have been done many years after he left South Australia, and showed that although absent he still had an interest in the distant lands. In a previous article (May 8, 1936) mention was made that so late as 1865 Gawler still recollected actions he took in South Australia.

But to resume the synopsis of Gawler's speech at the dinner tendered him in Port Lincoln on May 5, 1840. He was pleased at finding available land so far north, yet he considered it too far distant to give "complete satisfaction" to the residents of Port Lincoln. In returning he said he "left the coast and examined the district called the Downs, the valley of the Tod, and the swampy flats which drain into the head of Port Lincoln proper, and which has been named Hindmarsh."

"After carefully considering the agricultural and pastoral capabilities of these lines of country I am gratified to be able to offer as a decided opinion, that there is in this immediate neighborhood available land enough, at the least to maintain a respectable port. How much more I cannot say, and do not for the present enquire, as the object of my visit is satisfied . . . With the country referred to, I was very pleased, the pasturage is very good and extensive and the agricultural tracts rich and beautiful.."

Other advantages Port Lincoln possessed were whale fishery and beautiful building stone easily wrought and in great quantity. In his opinion the stone was not equalled in any other part, of the Province, and he predicted it being sent to Port Adelaide. He also pictured Port Lincoln as a sanatorium for the restoration of health, but all these advantages were "worthless unless brought into effect by rightly directed exertions. Prosperity does not depend upon capabilities alone."

When we look at the position of Spain today, the Governor's remarks at that banquet in 1840 are very appropriate. "Look at the case of Spain," he said, "the most beautiful country perhaps in the world. What has been her state for a long period, and what is it now, from the deficiency of well-sustained moral energy and right principles?" (Ferdinand was king. Some wanted his brother Carlos, in consequence there were many insurrections. Ferdinand's wife got the law altered so her daughter could be queen. On Ferdinand's death in 1833 civil war resulted and during the struggle England and France allowed men to be recruited in their territories to assist the queen. Doubtless it was at this time Robert Gouger, afterwards Colonial Secretary in South Australia, enlisted to help the cause of the queen. This was the struggle to which Col. Gawler was referring. — J.D.S.)

He further said that the new colony required "the active unremitting industry of every individual." From his observations in America, he found that though wages were high in British colonies and the United States yet they were not felt to be high because they were accompanied by most unremitting industry." He completed his address by saying "a police force came over with me and it shall be increased to a sufficient strength to prevent the annoyance which you have experienced from persons belonging to the whaling crews in the neighbouring stations, and I will take care to have your lands surveyed with expedition and sections laid out for the application of 80 acre land orders."

It is very gratifying to be able to record why the Governor sent the police to Port Lincoln, recently (1936) it has been said that it was owing to the character of the natives. At the banquet it was said that during the absence of the Governor, Mrs. Gawler interested herself in local requirements. St. Nicholas Church came in for a share of her influence; the poor benefited both by her advice and resistance, and an infant school through her instrumentality was established.

Capt Lipson, in replying to a toast proposed in his honor, said he had told Col. Light that Port Lincoln was the finest harbor in the world. "With respect to the land, it was evident that he could not have expressed any opinion upon it, for during the six weeks which Col. Light's party remained in the harbor, he was never once permitted to land for fear of the natives, who appeared numerous."

The day before the dinner His Excellency laid the foundation stone of St. Nicholas Church, but as this has been referred to in a previous article there is no occasion to remark upon it again, except to say the foundation stone was laid, a fair amount of money collected for the building's erection, and the church was never built. Many years afterwards another church, the Church of St. Nicolas, was built.

During His Excellency's stay on the Peninsula he took geological notes and in a paper which was published far and wide, gave his views thereon. His remarks on the country tended to disabuse the minds of the public as to the capabilities of the Peninsula, which previous explorers and writers had not been able to appreciate.

SURVEY OF COAST

It was considered that the Governor had gone about 90 miles up the Gulf, and from 30 to 50 miles into the interior. Capt. Lipson was engaged during his stay in making a close survey of the coast. He took soundings of Thorny Passage, finding it free from hidden dangers. (He also made a survey of Lipson Cove and Island. Through the conspiracy of silence no mention is made in newspaper reports of T. Burr being associated in the surveys and construction of these two charts, but he must have been, for Lipson Cove plan states "sketch ed by T. Burr and soundings by T. Lipson." While on the subject of plans, through the visit of Governor we have the following names — possibly he may not have originated all the names, but certainly by showing them on his plan he preserved the names in most cases — Winter's Hill, Lipson Cove and Island, Cape Hardy, Sheep Hills and Sheep Hills Cove (just north of Lipson Cove). Cape Burr, Mottled Cove, Mount Hill (replacing Flinders's A Bluff Mount), River Dutton and Dutton Bay, River Driver and Cape Driver, Salt Creek Cove (probably now Arno Bay), Lake Flinders, Franklin Harbour, Point Victoria and Point Germain (the writer previously thought Victoria was named after the boat in which Cock made his investigations in 1839, but it would now appear that Point Victoria was named after the S.A. Company's schooner Victoria that took McLaren to Port Lincoln in April 1840. As regards Point Germein the only solution that can be suggested is that Germain (Germein) was either captain or on the Waterwitch, he certainly was captain later in the year when he discovered Port Germein), Mount Olinthus and Mount Parapet, Harvey's Bay (now known better as Tumby Bay), Point Peter (near where Louth Bay jetty is), Point Nixon (now Peake Point), Mount Knott (not the same as Knott's Hill ; it was a little south west of Mount Liverpool — may be Pillaworta Hill), and Mount Liverpool.

ORIGIN OF NAMES

On his plan he showed a station, Weroona, just a little west of Tumby Island. He also mentioned that be tween Tumby Island and the mainland there was a good port for small craft. Most of the proper names will be recognised, some may be in doubt. Who was the Peter honored in Louth Bay? Nixon was a surveyor and may have been one of the attendants on the Governor, Nixon returned in the Victoria, to Adelaide. Mount Hill is evidently after John Hill, who rode from Point Riley to Adelaide and may be the same person who investigated the west coast in 1839. As to Mount Olinthus and Parapet, there seems to be no solution. Burr and Lipson showed on the chart of Thorny Passage, in addition to the names given by Flinders, West Point and East Point, on either side of Cape Catastrophe, which name they dropped. Point Maclaren, Points Lipson, Fanny, A, and Maria on Boston Island and Point Porter on the mainland, making, with Kirton Point (Flinders' name) the Porter Bay of more recent times.

As a result of the Governor's visit he appointed Matthew Smith and W. F. Porter to be Commissioners of Police for the district of Port Lincoln. The brig Porter returned to Holdfast Bay at 2 a.m. on May 13, bring ing back His Excellency the Governor and suite. Among the party were Mrs. Gawler, Miss Conway, Capt. Lipson, Mr. Alfred Hardy and ten attendants. The brig had left Port Lincoln at 10 p.m. on May 11, being speeded on her voyage by "a salute of 17 guns from Dr. Harvey's battery," and the shore was crowded with nearly the whole population. The "Southern Australian" gleaned that the Governor had said that the harbor of Port Lincoln was easy of access, and one of the finest in the world, and that the site of the town— all things considered — was one of the most delightful he had ever seen. The Governor estimated that the land adjacent to Port Lincoln would satisfy 5,000 inhabitants and he had little doubt that in the space of a few years the population would equal that number.

GAWLER'S RECALL

It is somewhat outside the scope of Eyre Peninsula, but the English Government gave Governor Gawler an impossible task of governing the colony without incurring a large debt. Emigrants were being sent out regardless of whether they could be employed or not. Money in the land fund was plentiful and had to be expended on the despatch of labor to the new colony. Land was not surveyed and landholders in South Australia were more inclined to devote their energies to buying and selling land and keeping near Adelaide instead of getting out on to the land to utilise the laborers coming in so fast. Gawler was forced to start public works to employ these emigrants, until the British Government dishonored the colonial bills. They got scared at the ever increasing amount of bills and sent Capt. George Grey to take over from Lieut-Colonel Gawler.

Grey arrived on May 15, 1841, proceeded to Government House and read his commission, almost before Gawler knew what was happening. B. T. Finniss in his 'Constitutional History of South Australia' said Wakefield's scheme of colonisation failed because he took no notice of working capital — land speculators did not help to find use of the laborers being sent out through his speculations. Finnis even in 1886 said that, the ratio between land, labor and capital had not been ascertained then. That was the position in Governor Gawler's time ; many landholders, either without capital or not using their capital for producing from the land, left the laborers without any chance of employment. Because these two — laborers and landholders — could not be brought together, Gawler was recalled. His name ever will be remembered on Eyre Peninsula, by Mount Gawler and Gawler Range, and in that he named Eyre Peninsula.

The next article will deal with Governors Grey and Robe on Eyre Peninsula.