Flinders Essay

INTRODUCTION.

The flinders ranges are incredibly famous for its topographical and geological history dating back to the ediacaran time and also the evidence of the customary individuals who occupied the area before the European settlement. The customary owners, the Adnyamathanha, existed in the flinders ranges for tens of thousands of years and the region holds a deep cultural significance to them. The Flinders ranges has been found and occupied for great number of years before the arrival of the Europeans but it was only with the entry of the main explorer Matthew Flinders did recorded history begin. However, the story of the molding of the area and their significance beliefs are said to have been passed on from era to era through what they

call the “Yura Muda”. The flinders ranges have been known for its mining activities, pastoral farming, and its natural surroundings which serves as a source of tourist attraction and a home to the Aborigines.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
The flinders ranges is a mountain range situated in South Australia which starts north of the River Broughton in latitude 33 degrees 18’, passing from 10 to 15 miles east of Spencer’s Gulf, and runs northerly to Mount Distance, where it close, about 30 miles from Lake Blanche. Flinders Range geology is complex and the scene of this area is however the after-effect of the geologic history dating back to the Later Proterozoic and Early Cambrian, for the pattern of ridge and valley derived from the sedimentation and folding that took place between 1000-500million years ago. The main part of the sediments in the flinders ranges were stored in a geosyncline, large elongated basin which brought about a fold belt and the sandstones and quartzite make up most of the ridges and ranges which underlie such well-known features in the area like the Wilpena pound and Gammon ranges. The wide assortment of types and species of vegetation found in the flinders ranges derives in part from the numerous distinctive soil and rock type in the area. Certain lithology, for example, quartzite and aggregate structure the vast variety of the high points where precipitation is heaviest and weathering and disintegration of the soil generally serious. This results in the slopes having an inadequately formed shallow Podsodic soils while the valleys and plains have better created soils such as alluvium or red brown earths. Precipitation in the flinders Ranges vary from ….. to…..and however, increase both with altitude and latitude. High points in the southern western part of the ranges are subsequentlty, the wettest having up to 60cm of downpour yearly while the areas around Lake Frome get about 16cm. The Ranges has a shrubby vegetation typical of so much of inland Australia and comprise of alluring wild flowers, for example Solanum sturtianum, Sturt peas of the tea tree outstation with some wild hops and Blue bush during early spring. This Bluebush is however the overwhemling vegetation in the more aid northern section of willochre plain and in the south, nitre bushes, cassias and local hops make up the shrub. The podsodic soil help numerous types of eucalypy of mallee habit, sheoak species, flinders ranges bottlebrush and a number of acacia specie. Also, the low undulating hills between the higher ranges are covered by mallee or savannah woodland depending on how fruitful the soil is. In the central and northern flinders ranges, the better soil support savannah woodlands of native cypress pine. On the lowlands between the ranges, quandongs are discovered, sida petrophila forming the scanty ground cover. So few species of animals are represented in the flinders ranges and out of the Australian local mammals, just about eight species are known to occupy the flinders ranges. Apart from bats, and five of these are uncommon. Of the three mammal species still said to be regular, only the red kangaroo is likely to be seen. Different creatures that are seen are the rabbits amid the day and the foxes, cats, mice and rabbits at night. The camels, donkeys and horses are also present but in little groups. Also, goats found here have been said to have been emphatically damaging. The birdlife fluctuates in the area and incorporates the budgerigars, corellas, galahs which occupy the grasslands and after precipitation, the ducks, egrets and gulls make use of this and sometimes herons, ducks and cormorants utilizes the static water. The largest birds in the Ranges are the emuhs and wedge-tailed eagles, however, the populace are low. Because of the variety in the habitat of the Flinders ranges, the snakes and the lizards form part of the bird’s diet. A few animal groups are exceptional to the Flinders ranges and are found inside a limited area, while some like the bearded dragon are regular, others like the carpet snakes and shink are frequently not seen as they occupy places inaccessible. The climate of the flinders ranges is the semi-arid and arid nature type

INDIGENEOUS HISTORY.
The first human settlement of the flinders ranges were the Negritoid individuals later known as Tasmanian who arrived about 50,000 years back during low Eustatic sea level and are mainly known for their stone culture “Kartan”. The landing of the Australoids about 20,000 years ago had its impact on the culture of the former and was superseded by other stone cultures. They were confined on the area where they survived before the arrival of the European. At this point of the European, the Adnyamanthanha individuals were the occupant of the Flinders ranges meaning the “rock or hill” people comprising of about five groups namely; Kuyani, Wailpi, Pangkala, Jadliaura and Pilatapa. These dialects groups are currently and collectively known as the Adnyamanthanha. It was the point at which the European settlers moved in that they were compelled to adjust to the change and majority of them now began working as herdsmen on the farm. In 1931, Nepabunna was the first home of the Adnyamathanha individuals after been dislodged by the Europeans from their traditional land given to them by the Balcoona station owner Roy Thomas.

ECONOMIC HISTORY.
Mining, Pastoral and Tourism. The first mineral mined in the Flinders ranges were not copper or gold, but the most known Red Ochre from Parachilna zone and this mining came to end at 1863. Northern Flinders ranges been known as one of the oldest international trade routes in the world was because of the conveyance of the Ochre throughout the central and eastern Australia. However, minning as a real industry started in 1840 and mines like the Kapunda founded in 1842, and the Burra founded in 1845. The traces of copper which brought wealth to the state was found as early as 1846 when a police officer was investigating a murder case between a European and the natives, amid his pursuit, he discovered a rich copper deposit close to Mt Remarkable. However, a significant amount of copper discoveries were made in the late 1850s and early 1860s and Copper found at Kapunda and Burra was been mined bringing benefit to the region, the copper deposit looked small and useless and the company went down in 1853 and this was the time pastorism had developed.
Mining of the rich copper then started again in 1860 and this proceeded until 1866 when the mine was flooded out. In 1877, the Sliding rock mine that was created 1870 likewise shut down for the same reason. The Thomas Blinman mine which was the most outstanding and productive which started production in 1862 and ceased 1907. The Mining industry formed one of the most important and valuable which helped in the improvement of the area. Flinders ranges is world known for its tourist site and attraction. The first explorers found the place to have interesting features and this results in many of the land features been named after them. Since the early European years, the flinders ranges have been a source of tourist attraction to people all over. Tourism in the flinders ranges has developed from a little base to turn into a significant development industry with numerous individuals coming to visit to see the area. Tourist have been visiting the ranges for a very long time and among the many places visited in the Flinders ranges include Aroona, Beltana, Melrose, Nuccaleena, Wilpena, Wirrabara among others. Tourism in the Flinders ranges received a high help when the railway station was moved from Port Augusta through the Pichi Richi Pass and north to Beltana and Leigh’s Creek brfore continuing its way to Lyndhurst and Farina before finally reaching Marreein in 1883. The area today house three national parks covering about 95,000 hectares Mount remarkable, Flinders ranges national park and Vulkathunha-gammon ranges national park. The Flinders ranges national park is one of South Australias most prominent destination located between the township of Hawker and Blinman.

EUROPEAN HISTORY OF BELTANA STATION
The first occupants of Beltana where the Adnyamanthanha native individuals who utilized the area as a camp because of the close-by spring in the warrioota and sliding rock creeks.

The entry of the European changed their customary way of life and a large number of them began working as stockmen for animal rearing. Amid the early years of European settlement, a camp was kept near Beltana station however later moved closer to the town of warrioota creek. The first white men to reach the area was Captain Matthew Flinders and Robert Brown and his crew after whom it was named. After was Edward John Eyre who could be said to have explored the flinders ranges had brought both sheep and cattle from New South wales around 1839-1840 followed by Thomas Burr in 1842 and Captain Edward Charles Frome in 1843 who was a surveyor-general who headed an expedition of six men to the area. Charles Sturt explored the eastern shores of Lake Frome before facing north in search for an inland sea. Among others were John Bristow Hughes who occupied the Booyoolee run, The White brothers who established the Charlton run and John Horrocks who led an expedition in 1846. By 1849, the Brown brothers occupied the site of quorn and the Ragless brothers north eastern part Balcarie station. Most names given to the features in Flinders ranges were by the European settlers and Mt Deception and Mt Hopeless came about as a result of the disappointment in these areas by some of these men. The most well-known of the

explorers followed by these men was John McDouall Stuart, who surveyed the area in the 1850’s in the interest of the Chambers brothers. Further exploration of the Flinders ranges by the European was in 1856 during the search for gold.
BELTANA STATION AND PUTTUPA STATION.
Beltana station is currently run along with the Puttupa station.

The name Beltana meaning “running water” was the name given to it by the early Aborigines and is a fully working sheep and cattle station. The next to explorer were the European while exploring the north. The best and first known was Edward John Eyre who travelled in an attempt to see what pastoral land lay north, followed by John McDouall Stuart in 1855 when he also pushed north looking for grazing land and runs for their sheep. However, the area has been established for pastoralism since the early 1850s before it was surveyed by John McDouall Stuart in 1855. Beltana station was first taken up by Robert Barr Smith in 1962 who got it from John Haimes with over 17,500 sheep and some cattle. Several thousands of nearby sheep also come to this area to shorn. Camels were imported into South Australia in 1866 which were some of the first and the first 109 camels went to Thomas Elder Umberatan station who was a partner to Robert Barr Smith in order for the camels to adapt to the changes in weather condition before they were been brought into Beltana station. In 1869, John parker Buttfield arrived and also Charles Todd 1870 who started the construction of the telegraph line to Darwin. It was in the year 1881 Beltana was built as a railway town. The effect of the drought, floods and world wars had an adverse effect on the surrounding area but the Beltana survived and during the 1875–1920, Beltana station was at its

peak. Beltana supported a range from churches, hotels, post and telegraph office, school, police station, hospital and was considered as the capital of the state of Brachina.
The current area covered by Puttupa station was taken up by John Haimes in the year 1854 as a much larger lease which eventually became the Beltana pastoral station. Parts of Beltana station was sold and a man named Steven Lock who has been managing Nilpena station became the owner of Puttupa station which he owned until 1919 when it was acquired by Martin and Bunn who made a building there from the old Ediacara mine. Some years after Bunn bought out his partnership from this and made more improvements to the station to shear the 3500 sheep it was holding but the station was again sold in 1930 and operated as Puttupa pastoral company which later was bought by Len Ragless in 1936 in which Puttupa station has remained in the custody of the Ragless family.