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Gawler, established in 1839, is the oldest country town in the state of South Australia. It was named after the second Governor (British Vice-Regal representative) of the colony of South Australia, George Gawler. History of Gawler 'Shawfactors' It is about north of the state capital, Adelaide, and is close to the major wine producing district of the Barossa Valley. Topographically, Gawler lies at the confluence of two tributaries of the Gawler River, the North and South Para rivers, where they emerge from a range of low hills.
Historically a semi-rural area, Gawler has been swept up in Adelaide's growth in recent years, and is now counted as a suburb in the Outer Metro region of the Greater Adelaide Planning Region. Welcome to The 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide SA Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
The township of Gawler was established to cater for travellers to the mid-north of the colony, and in 1840 consisted of "a very good inn, one public house, police barracks, two smiths shops, six dwelling-houses, and thirty-four inhabitants". A "special survey" was applied for by Stephen King, H. Dundas Murray, and a syndicate of ten other colonists. The survey for Murray's syndicate was carried out in 1839 by William Jacob for the firm of Light, Finniss, & Company, of which Col. William Light (died 6 October 1839) was a founder. By 1842 Gawler had a main thoroughfare named Murray Street, and a town square named Light Square.
Thanks to Colonel Light, Adelaide was a model of foresight with wide streets and ample parklands. After Light's death, it became a model for numerous other planned towns in South Australia (many of which were never built). Gawler is dissimilar to Adelaide's one square mile (2.6 km²) grid; the heart of Gawler is triangular rather than square, a form dictated by the topographical features. The parkland along the riverbanks and a Victorian era preference for public squares are present, but Gawler was a village, not a metropolis.
Gawler prospered early with the discovery of copper nearby at Kapunda and Burra, which resulted in Gawler becoming a resting stop to and from Adelaide. Later, it developed industries including flour milling by Hilfers & Co, and the engineering works of James Martin & Co manufactured agricultural machinery, mining and ore-processing machinery and smelters for the mines of Broken Hill and the Western Australian goldfields, and steam locomotives and rolling stock. May Brothers & Co. also manufactured mining and agricultural machinery. Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers visit to Gawler South Australian Chronicle, 15 April 1893. Pp 7–8. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
With prosperity came a modest cultural flowering, ("The colonial Athens" was its nickname in the late 19th and early 20th centuries New Council Chambers, Gawler South Australian Register 18 April 1878 p.6 accessed 10 March 2011), the high point of which was the holding of a competition to compose an anthem for Australia in 1859, four decades before nationhood. The result was the Song Of Australia, written by Caroline Carleton to music by Carl Linger. This became, in the next century, a candidate in a national referendum to choose a new National Anthem for Australia to replace God Save the Queen.
Gawler had a horse street tram service from 1879 to 1931.Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, August/September 1950 pp55-56/75-76
Gawler regularly hosts stages of the annual cycling race, the Tour Down Under.
The annual show, named the Gawler Show, was established in 1856 and is South Australia's largest country show. Show attendances regularly attract an estimated 30,000 people over the weekend. The Gawler Show has won the Gawler Australia Day Award for Community Event of the Year in 2010 and 2017.
The Gawler Police XI (The Gawler Police are one of the oldest stations in Australia, as they have been on Cowan Street, Gawler continuously since 1842 ) play against a Salvation Army All-Stars team made up of local civic and business leaders in an annual community charity cricket match for the Hope Cup The 2022 Hope Cup match raised more than $40,000 to assist the homeless population in the community. The match is played at Curdnatta Park (Sandy Creek) which is considered one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in all of South Australia. The The Bunyip (The oldest regional newspaper in South Australia), awards the Bunyip Medal to the player in the game who best displays the spirit of the Hope Cup on and off the field. The Hope Cup Cricket Match won the Gawler Australia Day Award for Community Event of the Year in 2023 Australian cricket legend Darren Lehmann launched the 2nd Hope Cup at a formal dinner in August 2023 The Gawler Police XI won the Hope Cup in 2022 and retained it in 2023 The 2024 Hope Cup was launched by International Stars, Darcie Brown and Henry Olonga in June 2024 The All-Stars won in November 2024 with Federal Member for Spence Matt Burnell MP as part of the team the Cup was presented after the game by 2024 AFL Douglas Nicholls Honoree Sonny Morey.
Gawler railway station was the terminus of the railway from Adelaide from 1857. The railway was extended to Kapunda in 1860. Gawler became a junction station when a branch was constructed into the Barossa Valley in 1911. This is the line that provides the Gawler Oval and Gawler Central (originally named North Gawler) railway stations in Gawler. Neither lines are now used beyond Gawler and Gawler Central is now the terminus of the metropolitan rail services from Adelaide.
Gawler's horse-drawn tram service opened in 1879. It operated for both goods and passengers from the railway station along what is now Nineteenth Street (then known as part of Murray Street) and Murray Street (the town's main street) to a terminus near where the Gawler Central station is now. It passed the James Martin & Co engineering factory, providing a convenient way to deliver heavy equipment such as locomotives manufactured there. Broad gauge locomotives were taken directly on the tramway, narrow gauge were transported on specially-built flat-bed trucks. There were also sidings at May Brothers and Company, Roedigers, and Dowson's Mill. The tram closed in 1931 replaced by a bus, and the tracks lifted soon after.
The tram route is now part of Adelaide Metro bus route number 491.
In the early 1880s, after a slump in racing, there was a revival and the present-day racecourse at Evanston was first used. The race club was inaugurated in 1883. In 1901, the racecourse was purchased for £1500.
During the Second World War, all race meetings were held in Adelaide, due mainly to a military camp being set up at Evanston.
Following some amalgamations with other clubs, the Gawler & Barossa Jockey Club was incorporated in 1971.
In 1992, the Controlling Body reduced the distribution of Totalisator Agency Board profits, which caused hardship to provincial and country clubs. In the late 1990s, the club was earmarked for closure; however, it persisted and it now describes itself as "progressive".
Greyhounds
The Gawler Greyhound Racing Club hold greyhound racing meetings at the Showgrounds on Nixon Terrace. The Club held its first meeting on 12 July 1971.
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