State Library of South Australia

The Needles, showing a cottage and family group [PRG 1258/2/1992] • Photograph

Info

Share
- facebook
- twitter
- pinterest
- google+
- email
Buy
Download
Permanent link
Print

Prev List Next

Summary

The Needles, showing a stone cottage with small family group outside, and small stone building at left. The cottage may have been near the 'Needles' (a geological rock formation at the Coorong), although it is housed in the Godson Collection under Point McLeay.

Restrictions

This image has no known copyright restrictions.

Please refer to the State Library's Conditions of use.

Learn more about copyright and our collection.

Physical description

Photoprint; 15 x 5 cm

Dates / Publication details

1880

Collection

Part of Godson Collection

Subject

Architecture, Domestic -- South Australia -- Coorong, The
Point McLeay Region (S.A.)

Catalogue record

Return to catalogue

General notes

This property was associated with Alfred Cameron and wife Jessie and was on his mother's tribal land. Another photo in existence shows the property without a roof, and uninhabited. In a descendant's family is a document that states that a photograph was taken with Alfred and Jessie's children in front of the Needles property. Part of this document states that when one of the photographs was taken, Alfred Cameron's grandmother was hiding inside the room (a ration-issuing room from early days) that eventually became the 'kitchen'. Apparently Alfred's Grandmother went blind before her death, so Alfred and Jessie secured a guiding line of rope so she could have a little walk outside. Alfred Cameron's grandmother's husband was an elder of the Milmendjirie tribe and was buried not far from the Needles, in a 'burial ground'. [Information from Melissa Mansfield].

John Whitehead and his wife Mary Ann lived in this house c1876, which was built by William McHughes, the first Aboriginal stone mason. He also built the church at Raukan. The land was purchased in 1876 by the Aboriginal Friends Association, and John Whitehead was appointed as a shepherd under the direction of George Taplin. Mary Ann Whitehead (nee Hudson) died in 1892. [Information from Sandra O'Hara, with some information taken from George Taplin's diaries].

Historical information

'The Needles' was also an Australian Aboriginal reserve dedicated in 1876, according to G.H. Manning 'Manning's place names of South Australia'.

(Godson number 29A/18).

Digitisation information

Date

02/07/2021

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

8,001 x 2,747 pixels (22.0 MP)

Size

65.96 MB

Ask Us

If you would like further information about this image, please Ask Us