The Ballot for Glenelg
South Australia's first 'Secondary Town'
B.T. Finniss (later First Premier of SA 1857), and G.O. Ormsby, surveyor.
Colonel Light did not name the streets of Glenelg or Adelaide.
Street names were added to his maps at later dates by other parties.
Secondary Towns
As well, the surveyor-general had to -
Glenelg was a 'Green Slip'
The Adelaide Road or Bay Road
Light Finniss & Co's Plan of Glenelg Township The Secondary towns of Glenelg, Gawler, and the Village of Marion, are other towns planned by Light Finniss & Co. William Jacob surveyed and laid out the town of Gawler under their plans.
Governor Gawler calls a Ballot
Pt. Adelaide had already been sold to 10 Preliminary Land holders coming mainly under the control of The South Australian Company. Two of those landholders were David McLaren, Manager of The SA Co., and John Morphett. However, the landing place there had not then any quay or roadway to the city of Adelaide. Glenelg was the landing place for all ships over 300 tons unable to enter Pt. Adelaide.
Great public interest therefore attended the tender for Glenelg; moreso because Light had indicated in his earliest plan a jetty be built at the historic landing spot adjacent to the Patawalonga mouth. Several Companies were formed upon the principle that each individual should tender for the whole section under an agreement to share it if successful. 1,200 tenders were received by the closing date 6th February.
Attempted Monopoly of the Ports
An hour and a half before the tenders were to be opened, another party of Blundell, Morphett and Edward Stephens, representing the SA Co., again attempted to gain control of the town by submitting their 80 acre land orders.
A half an hour before the closing of tenders, McLaren and Charles Mann further attempted to be put in possession of the 43 acres in virtue of Preliminary Order No. 204 belonging to the SA Company.
Under the regulations of The SA Land Commissioners, the sites of secondary towns had to be mapped and marked out by the surveyor-general at the public expense. The space required for the streets and other public purposes - (squares, quays, public walks and places for public buildings) - were not to be included in the purchaser's 4,000 acres special survey, and -
"reserves (are to be) made securing to the public in all cases free communication with the coasts, rivers, lakes, and chains of pools."
"reserve as a public road all land on the coast within not less than 100 feet of high-water mark; he must also reserve a road at least 60 feet wide along each side of every navigable river, and around every lake or sheet of water...".
The proposed Town of Glenelg comprised 65 acres; 43 acres to the south of the historic landing site and 22 acres to the north abutting the Patawalonga Creek. Areas less than 80 acres were classed as green slips.
The 22 acres of north Glenelg came within Division A of Light's Surveys of South Australia, while the 43 acres south of the roadway, came within Division B. The town area was surrounded by 80 acre sections 184, 182 and 204. It is interesting to note that present day street directories still retain Light's original Section numbers.
The road dividing north and south Glenelg in Light's Plan became known as the Adelaide Road or Bay Road. It was re-named Anzac Highway in 1923 in honour of our Gallipoli veterans.
The town survey commenced in March 1839 was completed by the 11th May. Light Finniss & Co placed their datum peg (as Light had done in his survey of Adelaide); in the north-west corner, and, in accordance with The Commissioners instructions, 100 feet from high-water mark. This position is the corner of Colley Terrace and Anzac Highway. The roadway runs east west on a line from the Glenelg Flagstaff to Mt. Lofty.
Governor George Gawler
depicted later in life
Governor Gawler (aged 43), arrived in October 1838 to find that the previous Resident Commissioner, James Hurtle Fisher, had allowed Glenelg to become the first Secondary Town in South Australia. As it was not now possible for the port to be incorporated into the capital city lots, he put the town up for tender on the 16th January 1839.
Prior to the opening of tenders, McLaren and Morphett called on Governor Gawler claiming that, as they held Preliminary 80 acre Sections Nos. 204 and 184 which border on the Township of Glenelg, they were therefore entitled to have the Town Section.