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First Mainland Survey of Colonel William LightPrint Page Print this page

29-January-2021
29-January-2021

Photographs supplied by Stephen Warren

The cairn commemorates the first mainland survey of Colonel Light at Rapid Bay in 1836. The cairn includes a replica of the stone inscribed `W L 1836`. (The original stone is on display in the Mortlock Library.)

South Australia Colonial Surveyor General Colonel William Light made his first landfall on mainland South Australia at Rapid Bay on 8 September 1836. The site was named after Light's ship, the 162 ton brig Rapid. To mark this historic landfall the Colonel's initials, "W.L.", were carved into a large boulder – a replica is visible in the township.  

On Saturday the 92nd anniversary of the appointment of Colonel Light, as the first Surveyor-General of South Australia, the residents unveiled a cairn to commemorate the landing of Light at Rapid Bay. The cairn contains a replica of the stone on which Light carved his initials on that occasion. The present Surveyor-General (Mr. T. E. Day) performed the unveiling.
The Advertiser (Adelaide), 7 February 1928.

Location

Address:Essington Lewis Drive, Rapid Bay, 5204
State:SA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -35.525467
Long: 138.191088
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Settlement
Approx. Event Start Date:September-1836
Approx. Event End Date:September-1836

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Saturday 4th February, 1928
Front Inscription

This memorial erected in 1928 by residents commemorates the first mainland survey of Colonel William Light Surveyor - General who landed from his vessel Rapid on September 8th 1836 and surveyed and named this valley.

The stone inscribed W. L. 1836 is a relic of that survey.

Source: MA, SAM
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au