Gawler Special Survey 1839
| Type of thing | Government |
| Date made or found | {{#set:Date approximate=No}}1839 |
| Place made | Gawler
|
The Gawler Special Survey was a land survey and selection method used in South Australia in the late 1830s, including the area that became the town of Gawler. It allowed private individuals to purchase and survey large tracts of land, often with the best land being selected, before it was available to the general public through official surveys. This method was instrumental in the early development of Gawler and other areas, with many large landholdings established as a result. The Special Survey was a response to the colony's struggling financial situation and a way to encourage settlement and land development. John Reid and his family were the first Europeans to settle in Gawler, establishing their property "Clonlea" on the North Para River. The survey of Gawler itself was carried out by William Jacob, based on a plan developed by Colonel William Light.
The Special Surveys were an exception to colonial land policy, which generally prohibited land acquisition prior to official surveying. Under this system, private individuals or consortia could finance the surveying of large tracts of unsurveyed land and subsequently claim priority selection within that area. The practice of Special Surveys ceased after 1846, when the British government determined that land should be made available for purchase by the general public rather than reserved for the wealthy elite.
The Gawler Special Survey was a 4,000-acre land purchase in South Australia in 1839, where a syndicate of landholders, led by Henry Dundas Murray and John Reid, paid for a private survey of the area that would become the town of Gawler. The land was located beside the North Para River and the survey was conducted by Colonel William Light's firm, Light, Finniss and Company. This special survey allowed private investors to acquire and survey prime land before official government surveys were complete.
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