County of Fergusson

Description

The County of Fergusson covers the part of Yorke Peninsula “lying to the south of the south boundary of the County of Daly, including Wauraltee Island” where the southern boundary of the County of Daly approximately aligns with the town centre in the locality of Price.

History

The County of Fergusson was proclaimed by Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet, the eighth Governor of South Australia on 18 February 1869 along with three of its constituent hundreds, the Hundreds of Melville, Moorowie and Para Wurlie. The county was named by the Government of South Australia after Sir James Fergusson who was the Governor of South Australia from 1869 to 1873.

The following sixteen hundreds were proclaimed within the County between the years 1869 and 1878 - Carribie and Coonarie in 1878, Cunningham in 1873, Curramulka in 1874, Dalrymple and Kilkerran in 1872, Koolywurtie in 1874, Maitland in 1872, Melville in 1869, Minlacowie in 1874, Moorowie in 1869, Muloowurtie in 1874, Para Wurlie in 1869, Ramsay in 1872, Warrenben in 1878 and Wauraltee in 1874.

Description of layout of the hundreds

The hundreds located within the County of Fergusson are laid out as follows:

Hundred of Carribie

The Hundred of Carribie (35°00′01″S 137°03′58″E) was proclaimed on 24 January 1878. It covers an area of 350 square kilometres (137 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from an aboriginal word meaning “Emu Flat.”

Hundred of Coonarie

The Hundred of Coonarie (35°06′38″S 137°16′50″E) was proclaimed on 24 January 1878. It covers an area of 270 square kilometres (104 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from an aboriginal word meaning “Hollow Tree.”

Hundred of Cunningham

The Hundred of Cunningham (34°21′35″S 137°53′25″E) was proclaimed on 19 June 1873. It covers an area of 350 square kilometres (134 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from Hastings Cunningham which was the founder of what is now Mount Gambier and “a friend of Governor Fergusson.”

Hundred of Curramulka

The Hundred of Curramulka (34°41′23″S 137°46′15″E) was proclaimed on 31 December 1874. It covers an area of 270 square kilometres (105 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from the aboriginal words "curra" which means emu and "mulka" which means ‘deep waterhole.’

Hundred of Dalrymple

The Hundred of Dalrymple (34°56′43″S 137°39′29″E) was proclaimed on 20 June 1872. It covers an area of 250 square kilometres (97 sq mi) and is named after a “place in Ayrshire, Scotland.”

Hundred of Kilkerran

The Hundred of Kilkerran (34°22′45″S 137°33′14″E) was proclaimed on 20 June 1872. It covers an area of 320 square kilometres (123 sq mi) and its name is derived from “Governor Fergusson's estate in Scotland.”

Hundred of Koolywurtie

The Hundred of Koolywurtie (34°41′20″S 137°35′08″E) was proclaimed on 31 December 1874. It covers an area of 320 square kilometres (123 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from the place known as “Koolywurtie or Black Point.”

Hundred of Maitland

The Hundred of Maitland (34°22′26″S 137°43′02″E) was proclaimed on 20 June 1872. It covers an area of 320 square kilometres (123 sq mi) and was named after Julia Maitland who is considered to be a relative of Governor Fergusson.,

Hundred of Melville

The Hundred of Melville (35°04′02″S 137°38′49″E) was proclaimed on 18 February 1869. It covers an area of 317 square kilometres (122.5 sq mi) and is considered to be named after “Lord Melville, Governor of the Bank of Scotland.”

Hundred of Minlacowie

The Hundred of Minlacowie (34°49′19″S 137°33′26″E) was proclaimed on 26 March 1874. It covers an area of 280 square kilometres (110 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from an aboriginal word meaning “sweet water.”

Hundred of Moorowie

The Hundred of Moorowie (35°00′01″S 137°28′15″E) was proclaimed on 18 February 1869. It covers an area of 280 square kilometres (110 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from an aboriginal word meaning “a sandy or dusty water.”

Hundred of Muloowurtie

The Hundred of Muloowurtie (34°33′13″S 137°47′33″E) was proclaimed on 31 December 1874. It covers an area of 280 square kilometres (107 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from an aboriginal word meaning “a rat burrow.”

Hundred of Para Wurlie

The Hundred of Para Wurlie (34°59′12″S 137°16′36″E) was proclaimed on 18 February 1869. It covers an area of 330 square kilometres (126 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from the aboriginal words “Para” which means ‘water’ and “Wurlie” which means ‘hut’.

Hundred of Ramsay

The Hundred of Ramsay (34°49′19″S 137°44′36″E) was proclaimed on 20 June 1872. It covers an area of 280 square kilometres (110 sq mi) and was named after J G Ramsay, a South Australian parliamentarian.

Hundred of Warrenben

The Hundred of Warrenben (35°09′35″S 137°01′47″E) was proclaimed on 24 January 1878. It covers an area of 429 square kilometres (165.5 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from an aboriginal word meaning “a waterhole.”

Hundred of Wauraltee

The Hundred of Wauraltee (34°32′51″S 137°35′57″E) was proclaimed on 31 December 1878. It covers an area of 300 square kilometres (117 sq mi) and its name is reported as being derived from the aboriginal words “waural” which means ‘bandicoot’ and “tee” which means ‘island island (sic).’