Eudunda, South Australia
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Eudunda is a town in the
Mid North The Mid North is a region of South Australia, north of the Adelaide Plains and south of the Far North and the outback. It is generally accepted to extend from Spencer Gulf east to the Barrier Highway, including the coastal plain, the souther ...
region of
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
, situated 110 kilometres northeast of
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
in the
Regional Council of Goyder The Regional Council of Goyder is a local government area located in the Mid North region of South Australia. The council area is reliant on agriculture as a mainstay of its economy, with manufacturing and tourism also becoming prominent. The co ...
. As of 2021, Eudunda had a population of 815 people. Eudunda is known as the birthplace of author and educator
Colin Thiele Colin Milton Thiele (; 16 November 1920 – 4 September 2006) was an Australian author and educator. He was renowned for his award-winning children's fiction, most notably the novels '' Storm Boy'', ''Blue Fin'', the '' Sun on the Stubble'' ser ...
.


Etymology

The town name of Eudunda originates from the name of the spring to the west of the town, which local Aboriginal people called ''judandakawi.'' According to Dr. Phillip Clarke of the
South Australian Museum The South Australian Museum is a natural history museum and research institution in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1856 and owned by the Government of South Australia. It occupies a complex of buildings on North Terrace in the cultur ...
, ''judandakawi'' means 'sheltered water.' The earliest-known written mention of the name Eudunda was published in ''
The Express and Telegraph ''The Telegraph'' was a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1862, and merged with '' The Express'' to become ''The Express and Telegraph'', published from 1867 to 1922. History ''The Adelaide Telegraph'' The Adelaide ''Teleg ...
'' on 8 March 1872.


History

The area is the traditional lands of the
Ngadjuri The Ngadjuri people are a group of Aboriginal Australian people whose traditional lands lie in the mid north of South Australia with a territory extending from Gawler in the south to Orroroo in the Flinders Ranges in the north. Name Their ethn ...
people. The Ngadjuri have been largely overlooked in the histories of colonisation and the subsequent dispossession from their traditional lands. The first Europeans in the area were those travelling to Adelaide markets from
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
and
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
in the 1830s. In 1838, four livestock importers from the eastern colonies, John Hill, William Wood, Charles Willis, and John Oakden, embarked on a journey to bring livestock overland from New South Wales to South Australia, following the
Murray River The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray; Ngarrindjeri language, Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta language, Yorta Yorta: ''Dhungala'' or ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is List of rivers of Australia, Aust ...
, naming landmarks along the way. Shortly after, pastoralists such as Frederick Dutton took up sheep grazing runs in the area. Eudunda township was established in 1870 by John Henry Hannan, who owned the land which was surveyed and divided for sale. The first European settlers were primarily German Lutheran immigrants. In 1874, Friedrich Gotthilf Ernst Appelt opened Appelt's General Store on South Terrace. The building is listed on the
South Australian Heritage Register The South Australian Heritage Register, also known as the SA Heritage Register, is a statutory register of historic places in South Australia. It extends legal protection regarding demolition and development under the ''Heritage Places Act 1993'' ...
. The town became the centre of local government in 1878 with the establishment of the District Council of Neales, which operated until 1932 when it merged with the District Council of Julia to create the District Council of Eudunda. It continued until 1997 when it was replaced by the formation of the Regional Council of Goyder. Founded in 1884 by Johannes Gottlieb Wiesner and Gustav Adolph Hilbig, Wiesner and Hilbig played a significant role in Eudunda's manufacturing history. They were known for their forges and production of
plough A plough or ( US) plow (both pronounced ) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses but modern ploughs are drawn by tractors. A plough may have a wooden ...
and scarifier shares. The business changed hands several times, with Carl and Heinrich Lutz taking over in 1895 and gaining recognition for their
strippers A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at private events. Modern forms of stripping m ...
, which were widely sold in New South Wales and
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...
. Theodor and Georg Jansen took over in 1905, expanding the business and diversifying into the service of motor vehicles as cars became more prevalent. In 1951, Johannes and Leslie Reimann acquired the Jansen Brothers business, and it continues as of 2023 as Reimann Manufacturing, carrying on the legacy after a brief hiatus. Established in 1896, the Eudunda Farmers Co-Operative Society was formed by a group of traders in firewood who faced economic challenges during the 1890s. Frustrated with middlemen refusing to pay in cash, they decided to trade directly on the Adelaide market. This successful venture led to the establishment of the co-operative, which came to own 62 general stores across South Australia. Eudunda Farmers merged with United Supermarkets in the 1990s, and their stores became
Foodland Foodland may refer to: Supermarket chains * FoodLand, eastern U.S. * Foodland (Canada) * Foodland (South Australia) * Foodland (Thailand) * Foodland Hawaii Others * ''Foodland'' (film), a Canadian film * Foodland Ontario, a consumer food promo ...
and
IGA IGA or IgA may refer to: Businesses and organizations * IGA (supermarkets) (initially Independent Grocers Alliance), a name used by many independent supermarkets throughout the world ** IGA (Australian supermarket group), the local Australian v ...
supermarkets. During the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Eudunda, with its strong German culture, experienced a series of events fuelled by
anti-German sentiment Anti-German sentiment (also known as anti-Germanism, Germanophobia or Teutophobia) is fear or dislike of Germany, its Germans, people, and its Culture of Germany, culture. Its opposite is Germanophile, Germanophilia. Anti-German sentiment main ...
s. In early 1915, a local Lutheran pastor was arrested for communicating with the
Attorney-General of South Australia The attorney-general of South Australia is the Cabinet minister in the Government of South Australia who is responsible for that state's system of law and justice. The attorney-general must be a qualified legal practitioner, although this wa ...
,
Hermann Homburg Hermann Robert Homburg (17 March 1874 – 12 December 1964) was a South Australian politician and lawyer. Early life Homburg was born in Norwood and educated at Prince Alfred College and the University of Adelaide. Following his admission to t ...
, about naturalisation matters. Although the pastor was released shortly after, another incident took place in February of that year. The Citizen's Forces conducted raids on the homes and businesses of both German-born and Australian-born Eudunda residents. Travel in and out of the town was restricted by sentries stationed at its entrances. Although the raids yielded no incriminating evidence, they served as a clear message that the authorities were committed to suppressing any disloyal sentiments. In 1920, author and educator
Colin Thiele Colin Milton Thiele (; 16 November 1920 – 4 September 2006) was an Australian author and educator. He was renowned for his award-winning children's fiction, most notably the novels '' Storm Boy'', ''Blue Fin'', the '' Sun on the Stubble'' ser ...
was born at Mutter Knabe's Nursing Home. His upbringing in nearby
Julia Julia may refer to: People *Julia (given name), including a list of people with the name *Julia (surname), including a list of people with the name *Julia gens, a patrician family of Ancient Rome *Julia (clairvoyant) (fl. 1689), lady's maid of Qu ...
, and his education in Eudunda, served as inspiration for many of his writings. The Eudunda Courier and Murray Flats Advertiser was first published in Eudunda in 1922. Ownership changed in 1928 and again in 1948. However, in 1978, following the death of V. H. Baehnisch, the newspaper ceased operation. It was later taken over by a local family after negotiations. In 1981, ownership shifted to Barossa News, and the Eudunda Courier became a supplement to the Barossa Herald. Eventually, the title was dropped, and today Eudunda news is covered by The Leader. Laucke Flour Mills acquired a flour mill in the town in 1951 and operated it until the 1990s.


Climate


Railway

Railway services were first introduced to Eudunda in 1878, with the opening of the North-West Bend Railway to
Morgan Morgan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment'', also called ''Morgan!'', a 1966 comedy film * ''Morgan'' (2012 film), an American drama * ''Morgan'' (2016 film), an American science fiction thriller * ...
. From 1914, it was the junction station for a branch line running north past Point Pass to Robertstown. The
Morgan railway line The Morgan railway line or North-West Bend railway was a railway line on the South Australian Railways network. History The first section of the line opened from Gawler railway station, Gawler. It was built to service the copper mining at Kap ...
was cut back to Eudunda in November 1969. The Robertstown branch was closed in September 1991. The remaining line through Eudunda was closed in March 1994. The railway lines and yards have since been dismantled although the station building, and the old weighbridge & building, water tower and tank remain today.


Demographics and Economy

According to the latest census data, Eudunda has a population of 815 people. The town exhibits a balanced gender distribution, with males accounting for 49.9% of the population, and females comprising 50.1%. The median age in Eudunda is 54 years. Eudunda has a total of 447 private dwellings, with an average of 2.1 people and 2 cars per household. The town has residents born in Australia, England, Germany, the Netherlands, the Philippines, and New Zealand. 3.1% of the population identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The town has a notable Lutheran community, comprising 24.2% of its residents who identify as Lutherans. This percentage is substantially higher compared to the state average of 2.4%, indicating the town's historical background. Eudunda's unemployment rate is slightly lower than the state average, at 5.2%. The most common occupations in the town are managers, labourers, tradespeople, machinery operators and drivers, and clerical and administrative workers. The predominant industries in Eudunda include supermarkets, hospitals, farming, poultry processing, and building and other industrial cleaning services. The median weekly household income of $921 is lower than the state average. However, the town has higher rates of home ownership compared to the state average, and the rent and mortgage repayments are lower as well.


Education

Eudunda is home to several educational institutions, including th
Eudunda Community Preschool CentreSt John's Lutheran School
an
Eudunda Area School
St John's Lutheran School has a long-standing history, established in 1904, while Eudunda Area School was founded in 1948.


Sports and Recreation

Eudunda has several sports clubs catering to various interests, some of which are hosted at Eudunda Sporting Club. Eudunda's sporting clubs include: * Eudunda Basketball Club Incorporated - Light Amateur Basketball Association

- Barossa & Light Bowling Association
Eudunda Golf Club

Eudunda & Robertstown Cricket Club
- Barossa & Light Cricket Association
Eudunda Robertstown Netball Club
- North Eastern Netball Association
Eudunda Robertstown Football Club
- North Eastern Football League * Eudunda Tennis Club - Julia & Light Tennis Association Eudunda also has a children's playground and community swimming pool.


Arts and Culture

The Eudunda Family Heritage Gallery is a volunteer-operated local history gallery that explores the heritage of the Eudunda region. Focusing on the pioneers and the broader history of the area from the 1840s onwards, visitors can access early cemetery records of Eudunda and the surrounding district, as well as a collection of local newspapers, photographs, and memorabilia related to churches, schools, sporting associations, and various local organisations. A bronze sculpture of Colin Thiele by artist Chris Radford is located in Eudunda's Centenary Gardens. In September 2021, artist Sam Brooks completed a 30-metre-tall mural on the Eudunda Silos, located in the former railway station precinct. The artwork portrays two children sharing stories about their past, culture, and local connections.


Trails

Eudunda is home to several walking and driving trails: * Eudunda Historic Walking Tour is a walking trail exploring Eudunda's built heritage, encompassing its industrial, agricultural, and trade history, religious influences, and educational development. * Eudunda Mosaic Art Trail is a walking trail that features a collection of mosaic art created by the local community. * Colin Thiele Driving Trail is a car trail of important locations from the author's life in Eudunda. * Lavender Cycling Trail is a long-distance cycling trail that passes through Eudunda. *
Lavender Federation Trail The Lavender Federation Trail is a long distance walking trail in the eastern Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. It extends from Murray Bridge, South Australia, Murray Bridge to Clare, South Australia, Clare. It is named after Terry Lavender ...
is a long-distance hiking trail that passes through Eudunda. * World's End Driving Trail is a car trail from Eudunda to Burra, showcasing rural landscapes of hills, valleys, gorges, and lagoons.


Notable people

* Erhard F. Boehm, farmer and ornithologist * Alexander Buchanan, stockman and early South Australia pioneer * John Aloysius Chamberlain, sportsman * Lance Duldig, cricketer * Herbert Michael, politician * Leslie Nicholson, politician *
Kane Richardson Kane William Richardson (born 12 February 1991) is an Australian international cricketer who plays domestic cricket for Queensland and Melbourne Renegades. Since 2013, Richardson has played international cricket for Australia in both One Day I ...
, cricketer *
Leslie Arthur Schubert Leslie Arthur Schubert (aka Les Schubert) was a notable Western Australian pastoralist and author born in Eudunda, South Australia on 25 August 1922 and died in Perth on 22 March 2012. In 1974 he was the largest sheep wool grower in West Austra ...
, pastoralist and author *
Colin Thiele Colin Milton Thiele (; 16 November 1920 – 4 September 2006) was an Australian author and educator. He was renowned for his award-winning children's fiction, most notably the novels '' Storm Boy'', ''Blue Fin'', the '' Sun on the Stubble'' ser ...
, author and educator * Justin Westhoff, AFL footballer


Gallery

File:EudundaBakery.JPG, Eudunda Bakery. File:EudundaShop3.JPG, The former Appelt's General Store, now the Eudunda Roadhouse. Located on South Terrace. File:EudundaLutheranChurch.JPG, St. John's Lutheran Church, Eudunda. Dedicated in 1980. File:EudundaCouncilBuilding.JPG, The Eudunda office of the Regional Council of Goyder, formerly the office for the District Council of Eudunda. File:EudundaLightHotel.JPG, The Light Hotel, formerly the Royal Hotel. File:EudundaMainStreet.JPG, Part of Bruce Street, Eudunda, looking in a southerly direction.


References


External links


eudunda.net – Eudunda & Region of Southern Goyder's Web Portal
*
The Eudunda Family Heritage Gallery

Eudunda's 150th Anniversary
{{authority control Towns in South Australia Geology of South Australia