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First Mainland Survey of Colonel William LightPrint Page 
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 |
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| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.525467 Long: 138.191088 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| 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 |
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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.
