Explore Onkaparinga history during South Australia’s History Festival
Published on 26 April 2022
South Australia’s annual month-long exploration of the state’s history is back from 1-31 May and the City of Onkaparinga is packed with events.
You can experience talks, tours, workshops and exhibitions in person and online in Onkaparinga during South Australia’s History Festival (most of them free), covering diverse topics such as shipwrecks, finding lost graves, Willunga slate, family history, and aprons.
Check out the list of events below and get ready to delve into the stories behind Onkaparinga’s history. Note: while all events are free, some require a booking.
South Australia’s History Festival is an annual statewide event exploring South Australia’s history, held each may. The History Festival explores the state’s places and spaces, stories, collections and ideas that make us who we are.
Exhibitions
Connected Threads: The Apron Project | Maureen Neville and Julia Boros
Where: Sauerbier House, 21 Wearing Street, Port Noarlunga
When: 7 May to 18 June
Bookings: Not required, except RSVPs for exhibition launch (7 May) and exhibition talk (21 May)
Celebrating the past and present through personal storytelling, The Apron Project seeks to share the collective experiences of the extended Onkaparinga community by focusing on the fashion, form and function of the ubiquitous apron. Using audio recordings, collage and historical references, the exhibition shares the stories of local apron wearers, presenting an opportunity for visitors to the historic homestead, to reflect on the humble apron through concepts of tradition, fashion, protection and skill specialisation.
Will ‘o’ the Wisp | Jordan Wood and Kylie Blackley
Where: Sauerbier House, 21 Wearing Street, Port Noarlunga
When: 7 May to 18 June
Bookings: Not required, except RSVPs for workshop (8 May TBC) and exhibition launch (7 May)
Jordan Wood and Kylie Blackley take a meandering look into the many holes in the records of Kathleen Sauerbier’s practice: her travel, gardens, fabric and jewellery design, prints and paintings. Fellow artist John Dowie recollects: “Kath is one of those who pursue a will o’ the wisp, one to follow a mysterious light.” This exhibition is the result of collecting, crafting, and composing arrangements that wander in response to the gaps and multiplicities of the artist Kathleen Sauerbier, an enigmatic muse.
Picturing the Past: Scenes of Onkaparinga
Where: Civic Area of the Noarlunga Centre council office (and on Onkaparinga Libraries’ digital screens)
When: 2-31 May (normal opening hours)
Bookings: Not required
The Local History Team at Onkaparinga Libraries and the City of Onkaparinga Arts Team jointly present an exhibition of local artworks and historical photographs from their collection along with modern photography presenting changing views over time. Come along to see artworks by talented local artists side-by-side with past and present photographs of historic buildings and beautiful landscapes, and immerse yourself in the history of the region.
Workshops
Family Trees and Ancestry DNA Workshops and Resource Room
Where: Uniting Church Hall, 23 William Road, Christies Beach
When: Wednesdays 4 and 18 May
Bookings: Required by phone or email, call Joy on 0434 466 182 or email fleurpengroupinc@yahoo.com.au
Thinking about your family history and don’t know how or where to start? The Fleurieu Peninsula Family History Group are offering two free workshops on Wednesday 18 May from 1pm. The workshops will get you started and introduce you to a range of the various research resources the group has on hand. The Resource Room will also be open on Wednesday 4 May for free access to family history resources. Group members are available to offer their help and they look forward to welcoming you and showing you about.
Talks
Willunga Slate: from quarry to community
Where: Aldinga Library, 11 Central Way, Aldinga Beach
When: Saturday 14 May, 10:30am
Bookings: via Eventbrite
The Willunga slate deposits were first discovered by European settlers in 1840. From that time, Willunga was known to have the only roofing slate in Australia for most of the 19th century. Join Willunga National Trust researchers Paddy O’Toole and Mark Staniforth as they explore the fascinating history of the Willunga slate quarries including slate products that were developed, markets and modes of transport for the quarried slate, and the hidden slate heritage that still exists in Willunga and other places today.
Interview with author Carol Baxter: History Detective
Where: Online or streamed in-person at Onkaparinga Libraries
When: Friday 13 May, 2–3pm
Bookings: via Eventbrite
Do you want to write engaging family histories? Are you stuck on names and dates? If so, then join Onkaparinga Libraries online or in person as they chat with author Carol Baxter about her books, and delve into how she manages to turn her notes into gripping stories! You can join online from home or at an Onkaparinga Library where they’ll be live-streaming the conversation.
Finding Lost Graves
Where: Uniting Church Hall, 23 William Road, Christies Beach
When: Saturday 21 May, 2:30–4pm
Bookings: Required by phone or email, call Joy on 0434 466 182 or email fleurpengroupinc@yahoo.com.au
Take a journey with Adelaide archaeologist Dr Ian Moffat as he searches for the long lost final resting place of some of our ancestors. Using earth-penetrating radar he has successfully located many long-lost graves. He has been instrumental in providing cemeteries with helpful information around Australia. The talk begins at 2.30pm, but you may like to arrive earlier to see what The Fleurieu Peninsula Family History Group is all about. The Resource Room opens at 12pm until the group’s general meeting starts at 1.15pm covering the running of the group and reports from special interest groups including Aussie, UK/US, Computer and DNA groups (something for everyone). Afternoon tea supplied between 2pm and 2.30pm.
Author Talk: Farmer Harriott and the Tale of the Nashwauk
Where: Seaford Library, Grand Boulevard, Seaford
When: Thursday 26 May, 6–7pm
Bookings: via Eventbrite (bookings start 5 May)
Join author and historian Cheryl Williss for a talk about Farmer Harriott and the Tale of the Nashwauk. On 13 May 1855, the immigrant ship Nashwauk came to grief off the coast of Moana, near what is now the suburb of Seaford Rise. At auction, local businessman, publican and farmer Andrew Harriott – whose property Dalkeith Farm overlooked the ship’s final resting place – paid £65 for ‘the cargo that had come on shore, the cargo that might come on shore, or any portion that might be recovered. Seventy years later, the story of the doomed ship took on a life of its own, implicating Farmer Harriott and Dalkeith’s mysterious attic light. Smugglers! Unexpected whisky, smuggled tobacco, signal lights, muffled oars. But truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction.
Tours
Willunga Slate Quarry Tour [SOLD OUT]
Where: Willunga Slate Quarry, Quarry Road, Willunga South
When: Saturday 14 May, 2–4pm
Bookings: Sold out
Visit Willunga’s only working slate quarry. Slate was discovered by settlers in 1840. During the 19th century, a vigorous industry developed. Willunga was the only area in Australia that produced roofing slates, which were exported to other colonies. How was Willunga slate quarried? Come to the heritage-listed Willunga Slate Quarry (formerly Martin’s Quarry) to find out.
Willunga Slate Celebration Bus Tour
Where: Willunga Courthouse Museum, 61 High Street, Willunga
When: Friday 13 May, 1:30–4:30pm
Bookings: $35, book online
Slate made its mark on 19th century Willunga. Join this bus tour and discover how slate remains part of the region’s landscape. See how the craftsmanship of the past contributed to everyday life and still features today. The tour will visit significant and unusual heritage sites that give an insight into the use of slate in terms of water management and stock control. You’ll see features that are seldom visited.
Historical Port Noarlunga [SOLD OUT]
Where: Foreshore car park, Saltfleet Street, Port Noarlunga
When: Tuesday 10 May, 10am to 12pm
Bookings: Sold out
Port Noarlunga is rich in history, from thousands of years of First Nations habitation to early whaling activities and coastal port in the 1800s, and subsequent transformation as a seaside holiday destination in the early 20th century. Join council’s Local History team and the Willunga National Trust for a walk exploring significant sites and heritage buildings.
Happy Valley Reservoir History Tour [SOLD OUT]
Where: Happy Valley Reservoir, Chandlers Hill Road, Happy Valley
When: Friday 13 May, 10–11:30am
Bookings: Sold out
The Happy Valley Reservoir has a history of controversy. One of SA’s earliest large infrastructure projects, it was built at a time when the state was staving off bankruptcy but desperately needed water for a growing population. The compulsory purchase of the site of the town of Happy Valley meant progress would come at a cost. Come on a tour of the Happy Valley Reservoir and explore its inception and construction.
Port Willunga Heritage Walk [SOLD OUT]
Where: Meet at the Star of Greece car park, 1 Esplanade, Port Willunga
When: Saturday and Sunday, 7 and 8 May
Bookings: Sold out
Join Willunga Heritage Walks for a walk through history as you learn about the heritage buildings of Port Willunga’s old survey area and the colourful characters that inhabited them. Discover hidden gems such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the Harbourmaster’s Cottage. Be amazed as you discover the many faces of the Seaview Inn. Meet the folk that helped shape the district including Thomas Martin, the original landowner and an old sea captain who had 19 children.