A History of South Australia by Paul Sendziuk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I heard the authors speaking on the radio about this volume both work at Adelaide Un9versity . I have never actually read a history of South Australia. This is despite living in south Australia most of my life. Its a chronological history which centres on european settlement and is not unsympathetic to aboriginal people. I found the earlier history up until about 1900 more interesting.
According to the authors there were about 700 Kaurna people living on the Adelaide plains when the english settlers arrived in 1836. What is remarkable is that by 1840 there were nearly 15000 european settlers in South Australia and they had already settled across the colony.
Money and farming seem to have been the drivers for settlement. South Australia did not have a penal colony. The authors paint South Australia as a contradictory place of innovation and conservative social values which fluctuate over time.
I think it’s well written and worth reading if you in South Australia or are just curious.
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