Historical Australian Towns: Glencoe, SA: Journey Back to The Early Pioneer Pastoralists

Glencoe is located on the Limestone Coast of South Australia, 27 kilometres north-west of Mount Gambier and 354.83 km from Adelaide.

Glencoe was first established in 1844 by Edward and Robert Leake as a sheep shearing station.

The Bungandidj people (spelled variously)

The name Bunganditj means Bung-an-ditj or “people of the reeds”.

The Aboriginal name for the wider Glencoe district was kilap meaning “deep water”.

Christina Smith, a Christian missionary who documented the lives, customs, legends, and language of the Buandig Indigenous Australians wrote (1880):

"The aborigines of the South-East were divided into five tribes, each occupying its own territory, and using different dialects of the same language. Their names were 'Booandik', 'Pinejunga', 'Mootatunga', 'Wichintunga', and 'Taloinjunga."

"The Booandik . . . was the largest and occupied that tract of country extending from the mouth of the Glenelg River to Rivoli Bay North, for about thirty miles inland. The other tribes occupied the country between Lacapede Bay and Border Town, abutting the Booandik country."

Neddy, from "The Booandik Tribe of South Australian Aborigines: A Sketch of Their Habits, Customs, Legends" ...by Christina Smith

Christina and her son Duncan Stewart learnt the Bungandidj language and Duncan was appointed an interpreter for this language in 1853.

According To Christina Smith: "Each tribe, as I have said, is divided into two distinct classes, the Kumite and Kroke. If a man is a Kumite, his wife must be a Kroke; and if a man is a Kroke, his wife must be a Kumite. The children belong to the mother's class."

"Infants are betrothed to one another by their parents. Girls are betrothed by the father, with the concurrence of his brothers, into some family which has a daughter to give in exchange. They term this "wootambau" (exchanging)."

In the Bungandidj world view, everything is divided into two halves. Fison and Howitt (1880) claimed that these moieties (class names) of the Bunganditj people as Kumite and Krokī, with feminine forms Kumitegor and Krokigor.

Within the Kumite class there were five major animal totems
boorte moola: fishhawk
boorte parangal: pelican
boorte wa: crow
boorte willer: black cockatoo
boorte karato: (harmless) snake

The Kroke class had 4 major totems:

boorte wirrmal: owl
boorte wsereoo: teatree scrub
boorte moorna: an edible root
boorte kara-al: white crestless cockatoo.Bungandidj people made digging sticks, boomerangs and throwing sticks out of wood from trees.

Queen Caroline, from "The Booandik Tribe of South Australian Aborigines: A Sketch of Their Habits, Customs, Legends" ...by Christina Smith

Tribal boundaries, according to Tindale, seemed to occur where there were topographical and environmental changes in the country.

Rock shelters and burial grounds may be found in the region.

In 1789, small-pox spread through the Aboriginal population, perhaps spread by sealers and whalers of south-eastern Australia, ahead of the appearance of Europeans in the region. Small-pox epidemics had catastrophic effects on Aboriginal people and populations.

Read (free) "The Booandik Tribe of South Australian Aborigines: A Sketch of Their Habits, Customs, Legends", by Christina Smith. (keep in mind that sources may come from a time that is very different to our own)

British Settlement

British settlement of South Australia began in 1836.

1840s

In January 1844, Robert Leake and his overseer John McIntyre, along with 15 men, drove 7,000 sheep from the Adelaide hills, settling at a lake they named Lake Leake. Originally their holdings consisted of 90,000 acres.

The station was named "Glencoe" by Robert Leake in honour of their manager John McIntyre's birthplace in Scotland. The Scottish Glencoe is infamous as a massacre site of 38 members of Clan MacDonald in 1692.

Glencoe means “Glen” meaning Valley, and “Coe” meaning View.

Hostilities and outrages between Aboriginals and Europeans commenced. Aboriginal people speared stock animals, and settlers retaliated with violence. Europeans abducted Aboriginal women for illicit purposes.

South Australian (Adelaide, SA : 1844 - 1851), Friday 27 December 1844

The Leake brothers reported that they lost 1,000 sheep from their 16,000 flock during 1845.[18] In that same year, Leake and six other armed horsemen confronted about 200 Aboriginal people who had taken a large number of sheep, dispersing them with a few gunshots.

Hostilities are reported to have continued around the Glenelg River region for the next two years.

As hunting and gathering became more difficult due to conflicts over land use and access, many Aboriginal people began living and working on farms or living in camps on the edge of town. Later, missions and reserves were established.

By the late 1840s, some Aboriginal people were employed on the squatters' properties in a variety of occupations, men as shepherds, shearers, bullock drovers and horsebreakers. Women were often domestic workers. The Leake's employed many Aboriginal shepherds and stockmen.

1850s

The original Glencoe Sation in 1854, built in the 1840s without a nail, Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931)

Lake Leake in 1854, SA, Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), Tuesday 3 December 1940

John Bull and Paunchey. Two noted Lake Leake Aboriginals of the fifties, Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931)

This long rectangular two storey house has a short verandah with an archway over its entrance. There is lawn and garden in front of the house and mature trees to the side. When this run was being established in the 1840s there was friction between settlers and the local Buandig tribe and even in 1854 when this homestead was built the situation must still have been tense. It is reputed that there were slits built into the walls of the homestead through which a rifle could be fired. [On back of photograph] 'Frontier House, Glencoe / built by Messrs Leake in 1854 / Undated, before 1926'. SLSA

1860s

Robert Leake died in 1860, and his brother, Edward took over management.

The Glencoe property was leased by John McIntyre from 1867 and later by John Tilley.

Built in 1863, the Glencoe woolshed, built from locally quarried stone and hand-hewn blackwood timbers, was never converted to mechanised shearing. During its heyday, around 50,000 sheep a day would be shorn here.

Glencoe developed from the early days, not as a town, but as two localities, known as Glencoe and Glencoe West.

The Glencoe area, however, did have a bakery, a hardware store, a mechanic, two cheese factories, two halls, two post offices, two sawmills, two shops, two schools and four churches.

1880s

In 1882 the majority of the Glencoe station was bought by the Riddoch family.

1890s

Frontier House : l-r Mrs Laird, Mr Laird, Frank Laird, Sophie Larid, - Harper, ?, Glencoe, SA. 1890, SLSA

In the 1890s the Riddoch family began selling acres of land to small landholders.

With the influx of families into the area, a school was established in 1894.

Shearers assembled by the woolshed, Glencoe, SA. 1893, SLSA

Frontier House - family members sitting on the verandah, Glencoe, SA. 1895, SLSA

1900s

The government divided Glencoe station in 1901 into settler farm blocks, with the first sold in 1902.

The shearer quarters at Glencoe farm was converted to the Glencoe Hall in 1904.

The Mount Gambier railway was extended to Glencoe in 1904.

The Parliamentary Party and Prominent residents of the South East at Glencoe., SA. Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904), Saturday 3 September 1904

The Commissioner of Public Works (Hon. J. Vardon) addressing the children of the Glencoe and Tarqua Schools on the arrival of the First Train at Glencoe, SA. Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904), Saturday 3 September 1904

The Glencoe Post Office, near the Railway Terminus, SA, Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904), Saturday 3 September 1904

In 1904, a man named J. Medhurst was driving his horse and buggy near his property while it was raining, when Mr Medhurst heard "thump, thump" sounds around him in the cart. He was surprised to find it was raining frogs in Glencoe.

The strange "shower of frogs" at Glencoe may have been due to frogs from a nearby waterhole being caught up in a whirlwind during a storm and dropping to the ground as the storm abated.

Glencoe West Presbyterian Church was built in 1906.

1. Main Street, Glencoe West, SA. 2. Post office and refreshment rooms, Glencoe West, SA. Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), Saturday 9 May 1908

Cheese factory, Glencoe West, SA. Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), Saturday 9 May 1908

Glencoe Racing club was established in 1909.

The Glencoe Football Club was in existence in 1910 and the original colours of the club were red, white and blue.

Glencoe West Hall was built in 1911 and opened by George Riddoch.

A timber Methodist church opened 1911, a Catholic Church (Saint Brendans ) in 1911, and an Anglican church (Saint Pauls) 1913.

Opening of St. Brendan's Catholic church, Glencoe, SA, 1911, SLSA

Group at the recent celebration of the Golden Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. W. Sporer, of Glencoe, SA. Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), Saturday 11 January 1913

Opening ceremony of Public Hall at Glencoe, SA. Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Saturday 25 May 1912,

WWI

Number 1105 BROOKS, Gordon Raymond. GRG26/5/4 Photographic Portraits of South Australian Soldiers, Sailors and Nurses who took part in World War One. Number 1105 BROOKS, Gordon Raymond. 43rd Battalion. Place of birth: Millicent. Residence: Glencoe West. SRSA ref GRG26/5/4/1105, State Records of SA

THE LATE PRIVATE E. MEDHURST. Private Edward Medhurst, who was killed in action in France on March 26, was the youngest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Medhurst, of Glencoe. He left Australia in August last. Private Med- Private E. Medhurst. Private E. Medhursthurst lived in Glencoe practically all his life, and was highly respected. He left a widow and three young children. He was 40 years of age, and was an expert shearer, having worked in all the principal sheds in the South East. Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Saturday 28 April 1917

Letitia Leake, who grew up on the Glencoe sheep station, later inherited the equivalent of a $40m inheritance and moved to Britain with her family. During WWI, she and her husband donated their Harefield Park property, now in the London Borough of Hillingdon, to the Australian Government for use as an Australian-run hospital to help 50,000 wounded Anzacs. Letitia is buried with her family and many Anzac soldiers at Harefield.

As Glencoe had never had a hotel, in 1917, a vote was held on whether to establish a hotel in the town. The poll result was 34 in favour and 149 against.

1920s

Farmers and dairymen delivering their supplies to the Co-operative Cheese and Butter Factory at Glencoe, SA. Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Saturday 22 May 1926

South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA : 1906 - 1954), Friday 18 June 1926

1930s

Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), Tuesday 7 November 1933

A Methodist Church Hall was built in 1933.

Laying the foundation stone of the Methodist Church Hall, Glencoe, SA. Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), Saturday 1 April 1933

Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), Tuesday 13 March 1934

Six months ago the Highways Department erected a crusher adjoining the abrupt cliff at the Hanging
Rocks, a few chains from the Tantanoola Cave, to secure metal for the construction of the bitumen
road cn the Prince's Highway from The Snuggery to Glencoe. The stone is particularly suitable for road construction, and is somewhat similar to the red dolomite used for building, purposes. Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), Thursday 1 March 1934

BASKET-BALL IN THE SOUTH EAST. The Glencoe West Old Scholars Basket-ball Team, Premiers of the recently-formed Association. The team had an unbeaten record in Association matches during the past season. From left: — Zetta Koop, Clytie Koop (Captain), Margaret Tregenza, Belle Copping, Linda Ferguson, Estelle Telfer, and Nesta Koop.— A.C. Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Thursday 22 November 1934

GLENCOE FOOTBALL CLUB. Premiers of the South-Eastern B Grade Association. Back row(from left): A. Menzies, G. Copping, L. Widdison, R. B. KnowUng (treasurer) G Sporer E Menzips GTelfer Second: F. A Telfer (timekeeper), D. Menzies. C. Ferguson, A^Thompson, A ^^ Riddle T W Ron, G. R. Holloway (goalkeeper). Third row: E. HoUoway, I. W. Bateman (secretory) C RWdle fvicecaptain), S Burston (captain), P. J. Ryan (president), E. R. Edwards^ /N. Coping? RChilds. S?5n Tow' S. Hunter, Fred Bateman (mascot), L. Allen. Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Thursday 28 November 1935, Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Thursday 28 November 1935

GLENCOE WEST WINS. Premiers in the South Eastern B Grade Cricket Association, the Glencoe West team comprised : — Back row (from left) : T. Ryan, H. Koop, T. Michell, C. Ferguson (vice-captain), G. Sporer, G. Ferguson. Front row: G. Kennedy, G. Copping, G. Telfer (captain), F. Telfer (president), B. Morris, and N. Copping (secretary).Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Thursday 15 July 1937

VERNA CARTHEW, daughter ofMr. and Mrs. J. T. Carthew, of Glencoe West, who secured her A.L.C.M. for pianoforte recently. Verna is 13 years and 8 months old and is a pupil of Miss I. E. Dunning. Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), Saturday 13 August 1938

WWII

Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 - 1954), Tuesday 13 May 1941

1950s

The railway closed in the 1950s when the main line was changed from narrow to broad gauge.

A South Australian Railways Y class locomotive departs Glencoe, SA, for the final time in 1957 (John Masson)

1970s

The Glencoe Central School opened in 1972, was an amalgamation of the Glencoe and Glencoe West schools.

Glencoe Football Clubrooms opened in 1973.

2000s

2012: Birds were blamed for starting a grass fire at Glencoe, sparked by corellas eating the plastic covering on a transformer.

2016: Glencoe Guernsey steer Big Moo is perhaps Australia's biggest cow.

Tourists were attracted by the glow-in-the-dark poisonous mushrooms (fan-shaped Omphalotus nidiformis ) growing in Glencoe Forest.

Around Glencoe