Old gum tree on the Gawler

Plate 26: Part of the text accompanying the illustration reads 'The ... plate represents the trunk of an aged gum-tree or 'eucalyptus', on the banks of one of the water holes of the river Gawler: the marks in the bark are incisions or cuts made by the natives with their climbing sticks ... The locality of this subject is on the Gawler at Salem Valley, about two miles from German Pass ... at the season when this view was taken (the month of February) the grass around was parched in many places, and the course of the river marked only by a succession of deep water-holes ...'.

This is one of 60 coloured lithographs found in the 1847 edition of South Australia Illustrated by colonial artist George French Angas, together with a descriptive passage for each. The lithograph was created by J.W. Giles from Angas' original painting. The date assigned is assumed to be approximately when the lithographs were created; the original paintings were done in earlier years.

George French Angas (1822-1886), naturalist and painter, was born on 25 April 1822 at Newcastle upon Tyne, England, fourth child and eldest son of George Fife Angas and his wife Rosetta, née French. George French Angas sailed for Australia in 1843 on the Augustus, arriving in Adelaide in January 1844.

Angas remained in South Australia until July when he left for New Zealand. He returned to South Australia in January 1845 and remained for six months. During these visits to South Australia, Angas travelled with William Giles to the area in the vicinity of the mouth of the River Murray, and with Governor (Sir) George Grey to the south-east of the province, Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln. Angas recorded these journeys in watercolour drawings which were shown in Adelaide in June 1845 in the Legislative Council chamber.