New Era Village Settlement storeroom

Former store of New Era Village Settlement, The communal settlement, established 25 Apr 1894, was abandoned 2 years later. The New Era Fruit Growing Company managed the property 1900-1926, now the Cadell irrigation area.

 

“Another Village Association has been formed at Port Adelaide, and has been named the New Era. Messrs. W. Carter and H. W. Clark were appointed to inspect some land in the Hundred of Cadell, about eight miles from Morgan on the Murray. They found that the land is heavily timbered, with patches of clear land of about 40 acres in extent. The land consists for the most part of sand rises and flats, and would be suitable for dairy-farming. There is plenty of limestone to be obtained, and Murray freestone is also available. . . decided to apply to the Government for about 2,000 acres.” [Register 23 Mar 1894]

 

“On Wednesday morning the members of the New Era Village Settlement left Port Adelaide for the River Murray. . . The Government granted assistance in the shape of transit by rail to the river, but the Association had to provide its own tents and other necessaries. . . The Association have taken to the settlement 3 horses, 1 cart, a number of ploughs, 7 goats, 100 fowls, 34 ducks, 9 geese, 2 turkeys, besides a number of vine cuttings. The following are the names of the members of the Association, with the number of each family, who left on Wednesday :— Messrs. G. Ashby (6), J. N. McIvor (4). W. H. Clark (8), E. Burnett (4), H. D. Hanemann (6), J. Hickey (4), W. Booth (7). J. Olsen (3), T. Pocock (9), J. Pocock (single), W. J. Carter (3), C. W. Carter (4), F. Ralph (single), W. Milne (2), R. Turnbull (4), C. Carr (4), T. Carr (single), F. Lindstrom (4), C. Anderson (single), W. Carey (4), T. F. Reynolds (7), G. Da Boizot (single), making a total of 89 men, women, and children.” [Register 26 Apr 1894]

 

“Bible Society. . . A report regarding the village settlements was produced by the Secretary, and it was decided that twelve English and one Swedish Bibles be granted to the New Era Village.” [Evening Journal 6 Dec 1894]

 

“New Era Village Settlement. . . record of the progress made daring the six months that have passed since the formation of this association, from the 25th of April to the 25th of October. . . Abont 160 acres of land have been grubbed; 1½ miles of fence put up, enclosing a paddock containing 85 acres; and a wharf and roadway have been constructed. . . Thirty acres of wheat have been put in, which is promising to yield a good hay crop; 330 fruit trees of various kinds, and about 2,000 vines have been planted. . . a large vegetable garden to supply the settlement has been kept going, and a little patch of potatoes and melons. . . Some of the livestock we brought with us from Port Adelaide. In addition to these we bought three horses and one cow and calf, and have received a valuable present, consisting of four cows, twelve pigs (which have increased in number since their arrival), and a number of fowls, from the Narracoorte Branch of the Aid Society, which we are exceedingly grateful for; also one cow from the Hon. Alexander Hay; while the Adelaide Branch forwarded us 75 sheep. . . One of our cows has died, the others are thriving well, and as two of them are in milk our women and children are able to obtain a little of that useful article. Our sheep are slaughtered at the rate of six per week, allowing each adult about 4½ lbs. of mutton per week. Since our association was formed, five new members have joined, most of whom are mechanics. Our settlement numbers thus — 26 men, 17 women, and 47 children. The weekly quantity of stores consumed by us amounts to £9 11s 10½d, being about 2s 1d per head. During these six mouths we have gone through a good many hardships, in which of course the women and children have suffered most. We wish to acknowledge the many gifts which have been sent us from various sources.” [Narracoorte Herald 9 Nov 1894]

 

“The New Era Village Settlement. . . Another of our members has resigned. Our number is now fourteen members, and it is as much as we can do to keep pace with the work required to be done.” [Register 15 May 1896]

 

“New Era. . . It was decided to obtain 250 sugar gums for planting in the district. The chairman of the New Era Village Settlement tabled nice sample of cotton grown from seed distributed by the Bureau.” [Chronicle 30 May 1896]

 

“New Era Village Settlement on the Murray has been broken up after two years and three months' experience of stormy brotherhood.” [Millicent Times 18 Jul 1896]

 

“At the abandoned village of New Era everything has gone off.” [Register 3 Oct 1896]

 

“When we got to New Era we found the pumping plant, immense engine, enormous pump houses, and irrigation channels. But the setters, where, oh, where were they? . . We learnt that this settlement is in the hands of a Morgan syndicate, that they are working it, and that last year they irrigated 50 acres for wheat, and got 5 tons per acre.” [Bunyip, Gawler 6 May 1898]

 

“the New Era Fruit-growing Company . . . has been formed to take over 1,387 acres of land, held under perpetual lease from the S.A. Government at a rental of £69 7/ per annum, and known as the New Era Village Settlement. It is the intention of the company to at once start planting from 50 to 100 acres this season with sultana vines and other early fruits, and each year to extend the area, while attention will be paid to many other sources of income, such as early tomatoes, planting some hundreds of acres with lucern and other fodders to fatten store cattle and sheep, breed pigs, and other animals.” [Advertiser 18 Jun 1902]

 

“The New Era Settlement was started as a village settlement by the South Australian Government in 1894. Alas, for the name — it was closed in 1896. . . The reasons may thus be summarised — unpractical settlers without experience, and the unsuitability of the soil for economic working. The land is suitable for the growth of vines and cereals. In private hands it may succeed. Fifty acres of sultanas have been planted this year, and it is impossible to say what will be done with, the remainder of the area, but, although no one is living on the settlement at present, and the pump, capable of lifting 18,000 gallons per hour, did not work at all last year.” [Chronicle 5 Jul 1902]

 

“The New Era settlement was taken over by an Adelaide company nearly 20 years ago. . . the hopes of big returns entertained by the promoters of the company have not been realized. . . The property has lately been purchased by Mr. Wiles, who had been working it as manager during the last four years or so. . . The New Era Fruitgrowing Company Ltd., owed its birth to the early vogue of the Sultana in Mildura.” [Murray Pioneer 21 Jul 1922]

 

“an agreement had been made with Messrs. Wyles and Pickering, proprietors of New Era, which will enable the Cadell fruit to be packed at the New Era packing shed.” [Murray Pioneer 1 Dec 1922]

 

“the New Era Fruit-growing Company . . . under instructions from the liquidator . . . l,917 acres, was offered for sale by auction. . . The bidding failed to reach the reserve price, but it is understood that private negotiations are being carried on. . . The dried fruits which came from those crops were of excellent quality, but owing to the low prices of the market the company experienced financial difficulties. . . and the shareholders recently decided to go into voluntary liquidation.” [Register 28 Jul 1925]

 

“Seven miles above Morgan, on the south side of the river in a valley, part of which contained the old village settlement of New Era, Cadell is the first of the dried fruit settlements on the Upper Murray of South Australia.” [The Mail 30 Sep 1939]

 

“a largely attended meeting at Cadell on the possibilities of extending the Cadell irrigation settlement to include New Era.” [Advertiser 20 Feb 1947]

 

Done