Morphett Vale established in 1840. The central building is clearly an 1850s structure. This site donated for an institute which was built in 1878. The limestone gable room on the right was probably added around 1900.
A brief History of Early Morphett Vale.
Although now part of suburban Adelaide this village was an important early settlement. The southern plains were one of the first areas beyond the city area that were surveyed by Colonel William Light as Surveyor General of South Australia. Most of this district was surveyed in 1838 and land was then put up for auction in 1840 and by August of 1840 the first crops of potatoes and wheat were growing. One of the major purchasers was the South Australian Company. At this stage they were buying up land to rent or lease to farmers so this attracted farmers with little money to the district. They did not need £80 to buy a section of land. John Morphett was directly involved as an agent for the South Australian Company and as an earliest colonist with considerable wealth he bought up land all over South Australia. He undoubtedly bought land in this district and hence it was named after him. (A nearby district was named after the first General Manager of the South Australian Company David McLaren.) Morphett Vale became the first town to emerge in the southern wheat districts. It was noted as being near Captain O’Halloran’s station (O’Halloran Hill) and also near that of John Reynell (Reynella.) Morphett Vale’s status as a town was confirmed early by the building of a flour mill, church and hotel. The hotel licensed from 1840 was the Emu Hotel run by a Mr Anderson and it was the first public building of the town. From September of 1840 it was also the district Post Office.
Another early structure which was the first Catholic Church built in South Australia and this too conveys a sense of the importance of this little village. A group of Irish Catholics were attracted to the district from the early 1840s. Local voluntary labour was used to erect the church which is still in use. Work started in January 1845 and the church foundation laying ceremony was conducted by the Catholic Bishop. The church opened in 1846 making it one of the earliest churches still standing in SA. A new nave was added to the early church in 1866. Mr Ignatius O’Sullivan was one of first settlers at Morphett Vale who had urged building of church was later buried in the cemetery there in June 1871. In the following year 1872 in this little church the Bishop rescinded the excommunication of Mary MacKillop who is now Saint Mary Mackillop. (The Catholics built a modern new church in 1972.) Next the Anglicans started planning a church at the urgings of Captain O’Halloran. In 1846 when Governor Robe was offering state aid to build churches and to offer land grants for glebe lands the Anglicans of Morphett Vale were awarded a grant of £25 towards the cost of building a church which was expected to cost £150. But nothing came of this and the grant was returned to the government in 1848. Next the Congregationalists proposed erecting a church in Morphett Vale. They wanted it to be used by all Protestant denominations and it was to be known as the Union Chapel. The foundation stone of the Union Chapel laid on 30 August 1849 with it opening as the second Morphett Vale church in 1850. The third church to be built at Morphett Vale was the Presbyterian Free Scots Church. The Presbyterians received a small government grant from the Governor Robe scheme and the church construction began in 1849 with some services held in the partially finished building although the official opening did not occur until 1853.The church was built on land donated in 1848 by Mr long. This church burnt down in 1858. Another Presbyterian church at a cost of £1,000 was started with foundation stone laid on Sunday 13 May 1855. It was a free Presbyterian Church known as the Knox Church and it opened in 1856. Adjacent to it the John Knox Presbyterian School opened in 1870. The Presbyterian Church closed in the 1970s. Both the Presbyterian Church and the former Knox School have recently been restored. Apart from the churches the other early public building was a town school. It was built in 1848 but replaced with the Victoria School in 1858. The superb old courthouse was built in 1851 and served as a district court for over 100 years. When it closed in 1962 it was acquired by the Anglicans who held Anglican Church services in it for the next 20 years until they had built the modern St Hilary of Poitiers Church in 1983. In the old town precinct is also the Institute which was built in 1878. The District Council of Morphett Vale was established in 1852 and existed until 1933 when it was amalgamated with the Council of Noarlunga. On the Main South Road is the former Baptist church which was built in gothic style in 1868 with a nearby cemetery.
Morphett Vale established in 1840. The central building is clearly an 1850s structure. This site donated for an institute which was built in 1878. The limestone gable room on the right was probably added around 1900.
A brief History of Early Morphett Vale.
Although now part of suburban Adelaide this village was an important early settlement. The southern plains were one of the first areas beyond the city area that were surveyed by Colonel William Light as Surveyor General of South Australia. Most of this district was surveyed in 1838 and land was then put up for auction in 1840 and by August of 1840 the first crops of potatoes and wheat were growing. One of the major purchasers was the South Australian Company. At this stage they were buying up land to rent or lease to farmers so this attracted farmers with little money to the district. They did not need £80 to buy a section of land. John Morphett was directly involved as an agent for the South Australian Company and as an earliest colonist with considerable wealth he bought up land all over South Australia. He undoubtedly bought land in this district and hence it was named after him. (A nearby district was named after the first General Manager of the South Australian Company David McLaren.) Morphett Vale became the first town to emerge in the southern wheat districts. It was noted as being near Captain O’Halloran’s station (O’Halloran Hill) and also near that of John Reynell (Reynella.) Morphett Vale’s status as a town was confirmed early by the building of a flour mill, church and hotel. The hotel licensed from 1840 was the Emu Hotel run by a Mr Anderson and it was the first public building of the town. From September of 1840 it was also the district Post Office.
Another early structure which was the first Catholic Church built in South Australia and this too conveys a sense of the importance of this little village. A group of Irish Catholics were attracted to the district from the early 1840s. Local voluntary labour was used to erect the church which is still in use. Work started in January 1845 and the church foundation laying ceremony was conducted by the Catholic Bishop. The church opened in 1846 making it one of the earliest churches still standing in SA. A new nave was added to the early church in 1866. Mr Ignatius O’Sullivan was one of first settlers at Morphett Vale who had urged building of church was later buried in the cemetery there in June 1871. In the following year 1872 in this little church the Bishop rescinded the excommunication of Mary MacKillop who is now Saint Mary Mackillop. (The Catholics built a modern new church in 1972.) Next the Anglicans started planning a church at the urgings of Captain O’Halloran. In 1846 when Governor Robe was offering state aid to build churches and to offer land grants for glebe lands the Anglicans of Morphett Vale were awarded a grant of £25 towards the cost of building a church which was expected to cost £150. But nothing came of this and the grant was returned to the government in 1848. Next the Congregationalists proposed erecting a church in Morphett Vale. They wanted it to be used by all Protestant denominations and it was to be known as the Union Chapel. The foundation stone of the Union Chapel laid on 30 August 1849 with it opening as the second Morphett Vale church in 1850. The third church to be built at Morphett Vale was the Presbyterian Free Scots Church. The Presbyterians received a small government grant from the Governor Robe scheme and the church construction began in 1849 with some services held in the partially finished building although the official opening did not occur until 1853.The church was built on land donated in 1848 by Mr long. This church burnt down in 1858. Another Presbyterian church at a cost of £1,000 was started with foundation stone laid on Sunday 13 May 1855. It was a free Presbyterian Church known as the Knox Church and it opened in 1856. Adjacent to it the John Knox Presbyterian School opened in 1870. The Presbyterian Church closed in the 1970s. Both the Presbyterian Church and the former Knox School have recently been restored. Apart from the churches the other early public building was a town school. It was built in 1848 but replaced with the Victoria School in 1858. The superb old courthouse was built in 1851 and served as a district court for over 100 years. When it closed in 1962 it was acquired by the Anglicans who held Anglican Church services in it for the next 20 years until they had built the modern St Hilary of Poitiers Church in 1983. In the old town precinct is also the Institute which was built in 1878. The District Council of Morphett Vale was established in 1852 and existed until 1933 when it was amalgamated with the Council of Noarlunga. On the Main South Road is the former Baptist church which was built in gothic style in 1868 with a nearby cemetery.