Orroroo • Find • State Library of South Australia

Pekina Water Scheme

c. 1909, Photograph, B 10966

Pekina Water Scheme. Pekina Creek rises on the eastern side of the Pekina Ranges in the Southern Flinders Ranges and flows about 16 kms into the Pekina Reservoir. The reservoir was built near Orroroo in the state's mid north in approximately 1914. However the reservoir filled with silt reducing the amount of water available for irrigration.

Pekina Water Scheme

c. 1909, Photograph, B 10967

Pekina Water Scheme. Pekina Creek rises on the eastern side of the Pekina Ranges in the Southern Flinders Ranges and flows about 16 kms into the Pekina Reservoir. The reservoir was built near Orroroo in the state's mid north in approximately 1914. However the reservoir filled with silt reducing the amount of water available for irrigration. This photograph shows a large tunnel built as part of the water scheme.

Pekina Water Scheme

c. 1909, Photograph, B 10977

Pekina Water Scheme. Pekina Creek rises on the eastern side of the Pekina Ranges in the Southern Flinders Ranges and flows about 16 kms into the Pekina Reservoir. The reservoir was built near Orroroo in the state's mid north in approximately 1914. However the reservoir filled with silt reducing the amount of water available for irrigration. This photograph shows a worker standing next to a large tunnel/pipe built as part of the water scheme.

Pekina Water Scheme

c. 1909, Photograph, B 11003

[General description] Part of the new Pekina reservoir showing a culvert. The Pekina Creek IrrigationScheme was one of South Australia's earliest irrigation schemes. It supported a thriving dairy industry including lucerne growing for the cattle into the 1930s but the dam kept silting up, thus reducing its capacity to meet the water supply needs of local industry. It eventually fell into disuse. Dairying became non-viable in the mid-north by 1970, resulting in the closure of the Orroroo Butter Factory.

Shearing time, Yalpara Station

1926, Photograph, B 49085

Shearing time - Gordon Miell with hand shears at Yalpara Station.

Farmer with team of horses

c. 1930, Photograph, B 49086

Farmer with a team of horses clearing sand away from a fence line at Yalpara Station.

H. M. Bown droving in the hills

1930, Photograph, B 49092

Farmer Hector MacDonald Bown droving in the hills.

H. M. Bown sawing wood

c. 1930, Photograph, B 49094

Farmer, Hector MacDonald Bown, sawing wood at Yalpara Station.

Lunch time at Yalpara Station

c. 1930, Photograph, B 49096

Lunch time on Yalpara Station, station hands resting by a large tank. Gordon Miell is reclining in the centre foreground.

Jim and Mable Storkson

c. 1930, Photograph, B 49099

Jim & Mable Storkson with their "Indian" motorcycle and sidecar.

H. M. Bown scooping sand at homestead

c. 1930, Photograph, B 49331

H.M. Bown scooping sand near the homestead at Yalpara Station.

Bales of wool clip on wagon

c. 1930, Photograph, B 49332

Horse drawn wagon with the Station's wool clip at Yalpara Station.

Horse drawn conveyance

c. 1930, Photograph, B 49333

Driving around Yalpara Station in conveyance pulled by a team of four horses.

Reginald Charles (Rex) Ingamells

Hammer & Co., 1936, Photograph, B 6795

Reginald Charles (Rex) Ingamells, South Australian poet, was born at Orroroo January 19, 1913, son of Rev. EM Ingamells. He was educated at various public schools and later at Prince Alfred College. He obtained his Batchelor of Arts degree in 1934 and won the Bundey Prize for English verse in 1935. He wrote 'Gum Tops' published in Adelaide in 1935. He was fascinated by Aboriginal culture and founded the Jindyworobak Movement. He died an untimely death in a car crash near Dimboola in 1955.

Ragless Brothers

1893, Photograph, B 7949

Portrait of seven of the Ragless Brothers who had Yalpara station (north east of Orroroo), and later, Witchelina Station. Witchelina Station was a pastoralist lease for sheep and cattle 72 kilometres north west of Leight Creek and 664 kilometres from Adelaide. John Ragless established the property in 1873. The traditional owners are the Adnyamathanha and Arabunna peoples. The photograph shows Fred. B, William, Hurtle, Thomas, Henry, George and Richard Ragless wearing beards and hats with their three dogs.

Millstones for Grinding Wheat

News and Mail, c. 1938, Photograph, B 10315

[On back of photograph] 'Millstones used for grinding wheat in early days at old mill at Orroroo / Exhibited in exhibition of early agricultural implements at the Royal Show, 1938 / Reproduced in the News, August 22, 1938'.

Toop family holiday

1919, Photograph, B 20151

Roadside halt between Port Pirie and Port Broughton on the way to Adelaide from Orroroo. Vehicles 1910 Humber, Harley Davidson motor bike, 'Jap' bike with cane side-car.

Herbert Wright Swift

1914, Photograph, B 46130/108

No. 196 Private Herbert Wright Swift, born Orroroo, South Australia, 18 February 1894. Enlisted 3rd Light Horse 22 August 1914. Served Gallipoli and Egypt. Promoted to Staff Sergeant and detached for duty with Australian Records Section, Alexandria, 21 June 1916. Returned to Australia 1919.