Whitwarta, South Australia

Whitwarta is a town in South Australia. The town is situated beside the Wakefield River about 100km north of the state capital, Adelaide. The name "Whitwarta" means freshwater, a reference to the freshwater springs that exist along the pronounced bend in the river nearby. [ [http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/w/w5.htm#whitwarta Welwyn - Whyalla ] ] The constant availabilty of freshwater along an otherwise dry river (the Rocks upstream of Balaklava is the next closest and permanent waterhole) meant that Whitwarta was a suitable place to establish a village. Approximately 20 people now live in the village.

The old [http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/research/condon/teachers/teachers-list.asp?School=Whitwarta Whitwarta School] (1879-1951) still stands at the northern end of the village on Bowman St, as does the Post Office at the southern end. The church and [http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-pa-HTTP%253A%252F%252F143.216.21.253%252FMPCIMG%252F56500%252FB56277.HTM Whitwarta Hotel] along the Kadina Road were damaged by floods during the 1900s, and were demolished as a consequence. The last flood occurred in the summer of 1998. A number of "Eucalyptus camaldulensis" sprouted on the flood plains and riparian zone shortly afterwards, some of which have been fenced-off by local farmers to avoid stock damage. A management plan for the River Wakefield was carried out in 2000, which included recommendations for the amelioration of water quality and flow at Whitwarta. Up until the late 1970s, it was common for the River Wakefield to flow every winter. Damming of the river upstream has impacted flows to the point that the River Wakefield now flows about once every five years. The trees around Whitwarta have suffered in recent years because of the rise of salinity in the soil. The National Trust of South Australia has listed a stand of "Eucalyptus largiflorens" (River Box) at Whitwarta on the significant [http://www.nationaltrustsa.org.au/pdf/sig_tree_reg_2.pdf tree registrar] . These trees, which are located approximately 500 m north of the River Wakefield and about 600 m west of the Halbury-Whitwarta intersection, are the only Eucalypts of their kind in the district. Local farmers say that these trees sprouted after a flood in the early-mid 1900s.

A gliding club and rifle club are both located on the outskirts of Whitwarta.

Whitwarta once had a cricket team and a tennis club.

Traditional Occupants

According to the "Manning Index of South Australian History", the "Nantuwwara(Nantawarra) tribe of some 25 to 30 once occupied the country from the River Wakefield, north to Whitwarta and west to the Hummock Range." The index indicates that the Nantuwarra name refers to the 'place where the kangaroo people live'. [ [http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/n/n1.htm#nantawarra Nackara - Naracoorte ] ]

Historic Whitwarta Personalities and Stories

Two German settlers from Hamley Bridge, Johannes Rudolph Ferdinand Heopner and Elise Moeller, who married on June 6 1878, purchased property at Whitwarta upon marriage. They purchased property 44, 45 and eight other lots of the Hundred of Stow within the township of Whitwarta. They moved to Whitwarta in an attempt to set up a successful blacksmith business, and because they saw Whitwarta as a fit place to raise children. Johannes purchased land at Whitwarta with the hope that the town and surrounding districts would boom not only because of the availability of freshwater but because it was along one of the paths ("Gulf Road") that "Bullockies" used to cart copper from Burra to Port Wakefield. However, the boom period at Whitwarta did not last for long because of the creation of a railway at nearby Balaklava.

Irrespective of lean years of business, Jonny, as he was called, made a start in the once busy town. In 1878, with the help of his mate Conny Lange, a local stonemason from Balaklava, they built a 3-roomed cottage on lot 45 Hundred of Stow. The design and layout of the house was dictated by Jonny's financial situation at the time. The house was set back nearly 50 metres from Bowman Street (named after the pastoralist Edmund Bowman) so that his blacksmith shop (constructed in 1878) could sit almost directly beside the road.

The 1878 building consisted of a kitchen, bathroom and Whitwarta's first Post Office. They slept in the Post Office room. Materials used to construct the cottage included limestone, which was quarried from section 164 Hundred of Stow and red river sand. The sand was sourced from a bed in the River Wakefield behind the cemetery. Lime was made on the building site. Kilns were set up at most building sites in the district, as it saved on transporting materials from afar. Red bricks were used around windows and as quoins.

When Jonny had secured enough wealth from his blacksmith business, and because of a growing family, he decided to have another house built in front of the 1878 house. Now known as Whitwarta House, it was built in 1912 within a year by Jonny and Conny. Materials were sourced from the same locations as those used for the 1878 house.

According to local farmer Esmond Heopner, who lived in the house when he was younger, it was regarded as "a very modern house for its time." A modest and "quiet fellow citizen", the house reflected his standing in the community. The six-roomed house comprised a parlour (lounge) at the front, a passageway leading to the dining room and three bedrooms. A "boys room" was located at the rear. Es Heopner tells the story that this room allowed for the boys to quickly slip down to the river for a swim just before dinner time in the hope that their mother wouldn't notice their absence. Apparently their wet hair gave it away!

Drastic alterations occurred to Whitwarta House after Jonny's death in 1942. The 1878 building fell down shortly after, and the blacksmith shop was demolished due to limestone damage. Coins dating back to 1865 were found in-between the corners of the red brick, a tradition of builders of that time. Coins have recently been found behind the fireplaces in the house as well.

Jonny was a very religious man who belonged to the Lutheran congregation in Balaklava. It is said that he was one of the first to develop the stump-jump plough (a labour saving device to remove mallee tree stumps), for which he was awarded a medal for exhibiting it at the Port Wakefield Agricultural and Horticultural Society in 1885. Others, like Smith from Maitland, South Australia patented the invention. The stump-jump plough is now regarded as one of the most significant inventions that changed the face of the Australian countryside as it permitted land to be cleared at an alarming rate.

Summary of Whitwarta House

*1878: small 3-room cottage built, consisting of bathroom, Post Office and Kitchen
*1878: blacksmith shop built close to Bowman St
*1912: Whitwarta house constructed in front of 3 bed. cottage
*1977: Besser block addition as lean-to at rear of house
*1978: Middle Gable about front verandah removed (due to corrosion)
*1980: Interior alterations - two rooms combined
*1989: Besser block addition extended
*1992: Verandah added to rear of house. Posts are exact match to original. New posts were made at Nairne in Adelaide Hills

Owners:

*1878-1942: Johannes and Elise Heopner. Sold at 400 pounds upon his passing.
*1942-1959: Hennesey's
*1959-1976: Hunter's
*1976-1978: Anderson's
*1978-present: Heyes'

Teachers at the Whitwarta School

Research by the University of South Australia indicates that the following teachers served at the now defunct Whitwarta School from 1879-1947:

1879 HOWIE, Edith M. 1880 HOWIE, Edith M. 1881 HOWIE, Edith M. 1882 HOWIE, Edith M. 1883 HOWIE, Edith M. 1884 RICHARDSON, Jane 1885 DARBY, Louisa Margaret 1885 TUCKER, Julia 1886 TUCKER, Julia 1887 ARMYTAGE, Frances Gertrude 1887 TUCKER, Julia 1888 ARMYTAGE, Frances Gertrude 1889 LUCY, Mary Theresa 1890 LUCY, Mary Theresa 1891 LOWE, Edith Charlotte Lister 1891 LUCY, Mary Theresa 1892 LOWE, Edith Charlotte Lister 1897 TUPPER, Sarah Ann 1898 TUPPER, Sarah Ann 1899 KIPPIN, Minnie 1899 TUPPER, Sarah Ann 1900 TUPPER, Sarah Ann 1901 TUPPER, Sarah Ann 1902 TUPPER, Sarah Ann 1903 TUPPER, Sarah Ann 1904 BOWDEN, Blanche May 1905 BOWDEN, Blanche May 1906 BOWDEN, Blanche May 1906 CLARK, Evelyn Maude 1907 CLARK, Evelyn Maude 1907 CORRELL, Stella Daisy 1908 CORRELL, Stella Daisy 1908 McLEAN, Annie Isabel 1909 McLEAN, Annie Isabel 1909 McLEAN, Annie Isabel 1910 McLEAN, Annie Isabel 1946 HOOPER, Maurice Desmond Thomas 1946 HOOPER, Maurice Desmond Thomas 1946 HOOPER, Maurice Desmond Thomas 1947 HOOPER, Maurice Desmond Thomas 1947 HOOPER, Maurice Desmond Thomas

See [http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/research/condon/teachers/service-year-list.asp?ServiceYear=1888 Service histories of S.A. State Teachers] for more information.

Diamond Lake

Diamond Lake, about 3 km west of the Whitwarta Village is a distinctive landscape feature of the region. It is an ephemeral salt lake. See location on [http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&hs=CiV&q=diamond%20lake%20whitwarta&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl Google Maps] . A variety of wildfowl can be seen here when the Lake fills after winter rains, such as: Black Swans, Grey Teal, Chestnut Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Water Hens, and Plovers. Gypsum continues to be mined from the banks of the Lake.

References