View of Proposed Town of Adelaidec 1836

by William Light

Colonel William Light was appointed as the first Surveyor-General for South Australia in February 1836, his main task was to select and survey a suitable area to establish the new settlement of Adelaide.

The survey was conducted from this camp of temporary dwellings.This quote from his diary hints at the difficulties he faced in selecting the site:

‘The reasons that led me to fix Adelaide where it is I do not expect to be generally understood or calmly judged of at present … I leave it to posterity … to decide whether I am entitled to praise or to blame.’ (William Light, 1839)

View collection item
Collection Item Type: 
  • Oil on board
Call Number: 
DG 157
Published date: 
c 1836
On display: 
Exhibition Galleries
Sponsored by Dr Charles Barnes
Out of copyright: Creator died before 1955 Please acknowledge: Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales
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