Governor MacDonnell Pays Another Visit

Port Lincoln Times (SA : 1927 - 1954), Friday 19 March 1937, page 3

The vessel Lubra returned to Port Adelaide on Monday, January 6, 1862. The passenger list showed the names of Sir R. G. MacDonnell, Messrs. Davenport, Bollen, Redpath, Koeminsky, Dutton, Muller, Swan (2), Sabine, Hawson, Simmons, Smith, Dellissier, Borthwick and Swaffer, Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Bromley and Miss Hawson in the cabin and 38 in the steerage. The cargo was 375 bales of wool, 18 tons of copper ore (Wirrawilka Mining Co;) and 53 bags of oysters.

His Excellency did not have a long time at home, for on the afternoon of January 15, 1862, the Lubra left Port Adelaide for Wallaroo, with Sir R. G. MacDonnell and Lady MacDonnell, Capt. Brinkley and Capt. Lyon (or Lyons) and other gentlemen for the purpose of allowing the Governor in-Chief to turn the first sod at the Kadina end of the railway to be constructed. (I think this would be the Kadina and Wallaroo railway constructed privately and bought by the Government about 1877. — J.D.S.). The Lubra had been chartered by the contractor for the construction of the railway line (Mr. Gouge) to take the Government party from Port Adelaide to Wallaroo. The departure from Port Adelaide was made a festive event, for as the steamer drew away from the wharf the Port artillery fired a salute of 13 guns.

PORT LINCOLN REACHED

The ceremonies at Kadina and Wallaroo are outside the scope of these articles. The party boarded the Lubra again on Friday, January 17, and left at 8 p.m. for Port Lincoln, arriving there at 9 a.m. next day. His Excellency, Lady MacDonnell, Mrs. Price, Hon. G. M. Waterhouse (Chief Secretary), Capt. Brinkley, Major Douglas and Mr. West disembarked with the intention of visiting His Excellency's residence at Lake Wangary. The Yatala reached Port Lincoln immediately after the Lubra, and was there to await His Excellency's return from the country. The "Advertiser's" correspondent accompanying the Lubra was rather hard on the Port Lincoln people, for he wrote, " I have no wish to be hard upon the Port Lincoln natives — the inhabitants I mean — but I think the universal opinion, of those who went on shore for a few minutes was that they could sleep well, and didn't appear likely to be in a hurry about anything."

The Lubra on her return trip stopped to pick up Capt. Harris, who had piloted a ship from Port Augusta to Wedge Island. It was ascertained that two brothers named Messrs. Dawe had purchased the island and were living on it with their wives — only four inhabitants to about 3,000 acres. Fresh water was available, and a considerable extent of land had been brought under cultivation. The stock consisted principally of sheep, and these were thriving well. The visitors were well pleased with the prospects of the speculation of the two brothers.

The Governor's party went from Port Lincoln to Lake Wangary (28 miles) and stayed at the hotel kept by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hawson, but the next day established a camp on the borders of the lake, in one of the most picturesque spots on His Excellency's property. The party was highly gratified with what they had seen.

On the 20th they returned to Port Lincoln and sailed in the Yatala the same night. The Yatala was obliged to take refuge until the 23rd under the lee of Thistle's Island in a bay named by His Excellency "Waterhouse Bay," doubtless after Mr. Waterhouse, who was a member of the party. The island was traversed by His Excellency and some of the party, the principal curiosity discovered being some hundred trees petrified upright where they had grown. No mention is made of any residents on the island.

LIGHTHOUSE INSPECTED

On January 23 Cape Borda was reached, and a landing effected at "Harvey's return, a small gully about four miles from Flinders Light house on Cape Borda. The lighthouse was found to be in perfect order, under the superintendence of the principal keeper (Mr. Tapley). The Governor-in-Chief and party had a rough passage back in the Yatala. The authorities, were concerned about them, so a tug Prince Alfred was sent out to search for the missing boat. She was found near the Troughbridge Shoal, and was towed back to port, arriving on January 23.

In looking through the newspapers of this period it was noticed that several new stations were said to be about to be established. Mr. Joseph Kosminsky was about to go to his new run at Denial Bay. He had transferred his storekeeping business into the hands of Mr. Thirkell, eminently fitted to fill the void. It was also said that an old shepherd, Pierce Larkin, in the employ of Mr. Borthwick, lost himself in the bush and was without water for two days and two nights. When found he was exhausted, but soon rallied enough to make remarks about the scrub that were apparently unprintable in the press.

END OF STORY IN DOUBT

It is with regret this article is left unfinished. One wishes to know how the Governor-in-Chief got out of his ventures. It is apparent that Mr. Mortlock took over at least some of the leased property, but I have not seen it mentioned what became of the purchased land at Lake Wangary. Looking at the county plan of Flinders, it would appear that the land between sections 508 and 506 was merged into 508.

[The next series — and the concluding one — will deal with the monuments on Eyre Peninsula— Memory Cove, Stamford Hill and the recent one to Nuyts at Streaky Bay. The research work on the subject of Poonindie Mission Station is not sufficiently far advanced to include an article thereon.]