How was the British colony of South Australia established?
The British colonisation of South Australia began following ideas raised by Edward Gibbon Wakefield in 1829 and culminated in the South Australia Act 1834. Settlers first arrived in 1836, with Governor Hindmarsh proclaiming the new province at Glenelg. Financial difficulties under the initial Colonisation Commission led to a restructuring in 1842, turning the territory into a Crown colony.
What we know
- The planning of South Australia began in 1829 when Edward Gibbon Wakefield raised the idea while imprisoned. [2]
- The British Province of South Australia was established by the South Australia Act in August 1834. [2, 4]
- The first settlers arrived on Kangaroo Island in July 1836 before moving to Holdfast Bay and proclaiming the colony at Glenelg in December 1836. [2]
- The South Australia Act 1842 repealed the 1834 Act, transforming South Australia into a Crown colony after the initial Colonisation Commission failed to achieve financial self-sufficiency. [2, 4]
Where to go next
- whoWho was Edward Gibbon Wakefield?
- how we knowWhat did the South Australia Act 1834 entail?
- what followedHow did early colonial settlement impact Aboriginal peoples?
- whereWhat is the history of Glenelg, South Australia?
- compared withHow does this compare to the Swan River Colony?
- an unexpected connectionHow is a Scottish town linked to South Australia's founding suburb?Glenelg, the oldest European settlement on mainland South Australia where the colony was proclaimed, was named after Lord Glenelg, whose title derives from Glenelg in the Scottish Highlands.
Sources
- [1]European settlement of South Australia (Wikidata Q5413679) · CC0 1.0
- [2]British colonisation of South Australia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [3]History of Australia (1788–1850) · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [4]South Australia Act 1834 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- [5]Glenelg, South Australia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Your path
- Who were the Guanche people of the Canary Islands?
- How was the British colony of South Australia established?