Percyton/Barunga Gap
Barunga Gap history
Barunga Gap is a small historic locality in South Australia, about 12 km south-west of Snowtown. Its history is closely connected with the Hummocks Range, pastoralism, wheat farming and the development of the railway between Kadina and the Mid North.
Before European settlement
The wider district is part of Nharangga/Narungga Country. The name Barunga is recorded with more than one interpretation. South Australian historical sources give Barunga as an Aboriginal word associated with “a place for meat,” while another interpretation connects it with the physical gap in the range. The latter is particularly associated with the geographical feature at Barunga Gap.
1860s–1870s: pastoral settlement
European pastoral activity expanded into the district during the 1860s. A major figure was Robert Barr Smith, who took over the Hummocks Run and arrived with surveyors in February 1870. His pastoral interests became an important factor in improving transport through the district.
The Barunga Gap itself was strategically important because it provided a route through the ranges between the agricultural country to the east and Kadina and Wallaroo to the west.
The road and railway
Transport was the big turning point.
A road through Barunga Gap toward Kadina was improved during the 1870s, with the first paved road completed around 1874. Then construction of a railway from Kadina towards Barunga Gap began in 1877. The line reached Barunga Gap in 1878 and officially opened in 1879.
Originally built as narrow gauge (3 ft 6 in), it was converted to broad gauge (5 ft 3 in) on August 1, 1927.
Barunga Gap.
"A party was formed at Kadina and travelled the track from thence to Mr. Michael's residence, where thirty farmers were assembled to meet them, and where also the hospitality of the owner of the homestead was made abundantly manifested.
According to our contemporary's report, they, one and all, protested that they wanted to get their wheat to Kadina or Wallaroo as directly as possible. They assured Messrs. Duncan arid Ross that there was not a farmer in the district who was not of that opinion.
Mr. Michael and others pointed to the immense flat stretching before them towards Wallaroo, all of which they said was excellent land, and would bring £2 per acre if put into the market, and trucks, laden with wheat, would run neariy the whole distance without any propelling power.
After arrival, a very excellent lunch, kindly provided by Mr. and Mrs. Michael, was partaken of by all the gentleman present, arid then it was resolved to visit the Gap. which was about a mile away. On the way thither the various wants of the locality were discussed. The great desideratum in the mind of everybody was. of course, the direct railway, and various instances were given of the increased cost the farmers would be put to if they had to send their wheat by any other route...
The Gap is place that there would not be the least difficulty in taking a railway over. The proposed terminus is half-a-mile away from it. But beyond it there is a vast stretch of land of the most fertile character, perfectly level, and clear from bush or timber with the exception of a few gum trees that mark the courses of the Creeks.
"This (beyond the Gap) is in the Hundred of Boucaut" and on it live the Messrs. Freebourne. one of whom had said he had 500 tons of wheat for export this year.
The farmers there say that the line should come direct to either Kadina or Wallaroo—which, neither they nor anyone in Kadina or Wallaroo care. They are also far-sighted enough to see that if it be carried through the Gap, into the flat country beyond, it must, in process of time, be taken North, where it, will, without difficulty, cut the line which is proposed from Port Augusta, and thus the one straight to Wallaroo, would ease the southern portion of some of its traffic.
This was particularly important for wheat, wool and other agricultural produce. Instead of relying on difficult overland transport to places such as Port Wakefield, farmers and graziers could move their produce by rail towards Wallaroo, where it could be shipped overseas."
Railway Built to Kadina
Typical train of this period. This train is on the South Hummocks line to Port Wakefield.
The Famous 1973 Steam Run: One of Barunga Gap’s/Snowtown's most iconic modern railway events occurred on September 2, 1973, when the famous South Australian Railways steam locomotive 520 hauled a massive anniversary train to Snowtown and Bute to celebrate 50 years since broad gauge rail reached the town (pictured below).
Percyton
The McCormack general store
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The Percyton township is top left of this map below:
The A1 Princes Highway and train-line to Adelaide proceed RHS south of this map
Check out township locations and district views.
This video concludes (@9 min) with the route through Barunga Gap, to Snowtown, and joins the (busy) main line.
A township was surveyed at Barunga Gap in 1879. It was originally proclaimed Percyton on 15 January 1880. The name Barunga Gap was officially adopted in 1942.
Percyton was named by Governor Jervois probably after a friend of his John Percy and military officer. The town was surveyed and gazetted in January 1880 with 195 building lots.
In 1881 when a SA census was held Percyton had only a few residents. The town was divided by the Bute to Snowtown railway and railway reserve.
Then Michael McCormack built a general store and residence in 1882. He also erected a small Post Office in the town.
McCormack’s wife was the first teacher at the Percyton School when it opened in 1883 and she was the post mistress. A room on the McCormack house was used as the early school room. As late as 1921 it was recorded as having only five or six buildings.
There were two stone houses built as railway workers cottages, a small wooden boxlike railway station, the general store and the McCormack residence and the McCormack post office.
Schools and community
The area developed a small farming community, with the Barunga Gap school operating for many decades. Historical records also show schools at Barunga, Barunga East and Barunga North, reflecting the number of farming families scattered around the ranges and plains.
McCormack’s wife was the first teacher at the Percyton School when it opened in 1883 and she was the post mistress. A room on the McCormack house was used as the early school room.
The McCormack school room was replaced in 1908 with a stone government school in the “suburban lands” beyond the surrounding “parklands” and north of the railway.
The school had a classroom on the east, a central lunch room in the middle and on the west side was a stone tack room for the bridles etc.as all the students rode a jigger or trap to school. The girls had a galvanised iron toilet but the boys had a two cubicle stone toilet.
The school closed in 1947 as it only had five students in that year. Today all the remains are the ruins of the three stone rooms and the stone boys’ toilet.
Mrs. Mary McCormack, who died at Henley Beach on October 30th, 1922, was a highly respected resident of the Snowtown district, having resided at Barunga Gap with her late husband, Michael McCormack, 45 years ago. The circumstances were particularly sad, her husband having predeceased her by less than one month.
The deceased lady had been ordered to the seaside by her medical adviser, to recuperate from the shock of her husband's death, consequently the news, which was unexpected, came as a great blow to her family and numerous friends. Mrs. McCormack, with her late husband, was one of the pioneers of the district, and was a teach-er under the Education Department for nearly twenty years, she having volunteered her services at a time when teachers were unprocurable for the rural districts.
She was an accomplished musician, and in addition to teaching music had a special gift which she freely exercised in training children for various entertainments, and organising numerous affairs for charitable purposes.
As a lady of most genial disposition, she will be greatly missed, as her kindness of heart and open hospitality were well known and recognised.
She was the eldest daughter of the late Denis Madigan of Mintaro, and was born at St. John's, near Kapunda, in 1856. She had been almost a life-time connected with church choirs, was an ardent Catholic, and a staunch supporter of the Irish cause.
From the age of 12 years until her marriage day she was organist at St. Mary's, Mintaro, and since that time had continuously filled the roles of both organist and conductress St. Canice's, Snowtown, and the Church of the Holy Rosary, Bute, until about two years ago, when she met with an accident to her hand.
MR. M. McCORMACK, BARUNGA GAP.
The death of Mr. Michael McCormack, of Barunga Gap, occurred at the North Adelaide Private Hospital on October 4th, 1922. The deceased gentleman was born at Echunga on October 17th, 1846, where his parents resided soon after their arrival from Ireland.
At an early age he undertook agricultural pursuits at the Lower Light, and when the lands of the Hummock Ranges were thrown open for selection in 1874, he took up land at Barunga Gap, where he resided continuously until his last illness.
Mr. McCormack showed a deep interest in all matters pertaining to the good of his district, and was for many years connected with all local bodies. He served a term with the Red Hill District Council, and when the Ninnes district was formed he was elected to a seat on the Council, which he retained for 27 years. He relinquished his seat in 1918, after serving two years as chairman. He was also chairman of the School Board of Advice, Tanunda North, for many years.
He was an honorary magistrate for 30 years, and his probity and fairness was recognised by all. He married Mary, the eldest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. D. Madigan, of Mintaro.
His widow and nine children — Mesdames J. Kelly (Kapunda), T. J. McNamara (Orroroo), A. M. Moloney (Orroroo), P. J. Butler (Aldgate), Miss Nora McCormack (Barunga Gap), and Messrs. D. P. and L M. McCormack (Barunga Gap), and V. J. and G. A. McCormack (Parilla)— survive him.
The remains were interred in the Percyton Cemetery, Rev. Father Ryan, of Snowtown, officiating. The funeral was largely attended by residents of the surrounding districts. Among the many beautiful floral tributes were wreaths from "The people and town of Bute", and the Ninnes District Council.
The train conveying the remains was met at Barunga Gap, the home of the deceased, by Dr. Prendergast, of Port Pirie, and the Rev. Mother and two Sisters of the Port Pirie Convent, one of whom was Sister Mary Denis, a sister-in-law of the deceased. During his last illness the late Mr. McCormack received comfort from his spiritual advisers, Rev. Frs. Carroll, Ahearn, Doyle, and Ryan, of Snowtown.
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1879: The Kadina junction via Barunga Gap extension to Black Point (soon renamed to Snowtown) railway was opened.
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Before it was established as Snowtown, South Australia in 1878, the area was originally known as Black Point from around 1840.
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The name came from Black Point Hill (and the nearby Black Point Lagoon), a prominent geographic feature located just east of the town of Snowtown.
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The railway line from Kadina to Barunga Gap was begun in approximately August 1877 by day labour and piecework, to afford employment for the miners thrown out of work on the (Yorke) Peninsula. The completion of this contract was expected by December 31,1878.
A Few Hours on the Barunga Line.
By our reporter
Tuesday was one of the " frizzling-days " of the period. Yet the road must be faced ; despite the heat, the dust, the blinding glare, and an atmosphere which made breathing a difficult exercise. Leaving Kadina behind, a little half-mile brought us to the junction where the Barunga Line unites with the Port Wakefield Railway. A little further on near the slumbering and costly old Cornwall Mine, at a gap in the embankment, about half a dozen men were braving weather that would almost appeal to a salamander, whilst, they were preparing culvert for the line.
Following up. we observed that a considerable quantity of earth-work had been done, until we approached the farms, from two to three miles out. Here were detached parties at work on piece or contract - work, at prices varying with the nature of the ground, and whether the work consisted of trenching, embankment, or cutting, from 8d. to 2s. per yard.
Our first conversation was in reference to a complaint that some of the men at work were getting wretchedly low wages, alleged to be due to the peculiar method of working. Thus men who had taken sections to finish, had in some instances made no more than 9s. per week — their questioning being answered somewhat in this fashion : " Well, the other fellows who commenced had so much ; the work must cost altogether such a sum ; consequently there is only the balance left for you."
It seemed incomprehensible to our informant that, men should work honestly and well, and find that they had only to receive a few shillings for a week's toil. Other allegations were to the effect that some among the men were not making more than half-a-crown a day ! But we vouch for the truth of neither statement.
At the commencement of the cutting near the farms we found a youth of fourteen, manfully handling a pick, with such earnestness of purpose that we perforce had to stop, and listen to a conversation ; —
On contract, sonny ?—Yes. What all by yourself ?—Yes. My brother was with me. but he's been put to another part of the work. And what do you, get a yard for your trenching ?—Eightpence. Well, " wire in," and make a pile.—All right.
Next we pulled up at a cutting which is being carried through rubbly limestone, with a tough flooring of the peculiar reddish nodular-limestone rock of the district. Terribly hot and dusty work down there, especially as the fringing masses of scrub on either side prevented the ingress of the breeze. Terribly hot. sun-blackened, and begrimed the men (several from Moonta amongst them), who were stripped down to trousers and flannel shirt, with a veil as a defence against the flies.
And there they delved, perspired, and labored with shovel, pick, mallet," bars, and gads, (sometimes putting in a blast) to move the stubborn rock at 2s. per yard, the while shrivelling up under the unrelenting sun. " Better this than starve; but I'd sooner be back to (a) Mine, Sir.' : Further and further, to see more perspiring, grimy, straggling parties of workers, all doing fair work apparently, though the very thought of moving (let alone labor) would be as death to the idling ennuied child of fortune.
Here and there the earth is looser, and consists of rubbly limestone, removable with ease at 1 s. per yard. But in every case to labor looked simply impossible on such a fierce, hot day; and remembering that the whole or nearly all the forty or fifty men there engaged have been all their lives accustomed to work in the bowels of the earth, we think they deserve credit for the pluck with which they have engaged in this unaccustomed and very severe toil.
The extreme limit of the work which has been conducted under the Government directly is about seven miles from Kadina. and the greater portion has been completed so far as mere earthwork is concerned. Whilst conversing with the men. we were informed that Mr. Fry (who has obtained the contract for constructing the remaining portion of the line) viewed the works on the previous day, and announced that it was likely that his contract would be commenced next week.
This seemed to be regarded as good news, especially as it was reported that he would give 8s. per day as wages "Ah." said some of the men, " It'll have every man now on the line ; they'll soon give up Government work."
... It needs nothing from us to indicate the probability that in another five years—what with the railway and extended cultivation — then whole of that side of the district, will bear a changed aspect; and that, produce, largely adding to the material wealth of the colony, will be raised to find its way into Kadina and Wallaroo, and there create other branches of commerce.
Water Supply
A Barunga Gap bore was definitely an established government water-supply site. Historical records specifically refer to the “Barunga Gap Bore,” including an 1884 report about difficulties obtaining water for the boring party.
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There was also a Percyton well/bore. In 1885 the South Australian Government called tenders for a masonry tank at Percyton well/bore, Hundred of Barunga.
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A historical water-supply summary lists a Barunga service tank with a capacity of 1,500,000 gallons, indicating that this wasn't simply an isolated farm tank but part of the government water-supply system.
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1883-1885 Percyton/Barunga Gap bore→ Masonry storage tank→ local township
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Barunga Gap's water infrastructure appears to have been associated with the broader Beetaloo water district/system, rather than being an entirely independent modern scheme.
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The major installation is the Barunga Reservoir, constructed as part of the Beetaloo Water Scheme, located near 'Gum Creek' homestead.
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The expanded capacity is about 11 million gallons, so the apparently conflicting figures likely represent different stages/configurations of the reservoir rather than two different Barunga reservoirs.
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1886-1890 Beetaloo Reservoir (east of Port Pirie)→ Barunga Reservoir → Paskeville Reservoir / Yorke Peninsula mains. Barunga sits (vertically) above Paskeville, so water could flow onward by gravity. The historical description says the Barunga–Paskeville connection was approximately 28¼ miles of 16-inch steel pipe.
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The 1908 South Australian legislation is especially useful because it records a road running: Mundoora → via Barunga Reservoir → Barunga Gap Railway Station.
Railway decline
Barunga Gap remained a railway station on the Kadina–Brinkworth line, linking the agricultural districts with the wider South Australian railway network. The railway eventually closed in the late 20th century, ending an important chapter in the district's history. Sources differ slightly on the exact closure date, with records placing it around 1990–1993. The railway siding closed in 1976 but the line was used for some years after that for grain trains to Wallaroo.
Barunga Gap today
The locality is now best known for its farming landscape and the dramatic Barunga/Hummocks ranges. The modern landscape also reflects a much newer form of infrastructure: wind turbines are prominent along the tops of the ranges.
One particularly interesting historical reminder is the Pioneers of Percyton monument, which commemorates the early settlers of the district and its original name.
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1870–1875 — the first farming families
A major change occurred after Robert Barr Smith arrived at the Hummocks Run with surveyors in February 1870. The pastoral country was progressively being divided and opened to smaller agricultural holdings.
One of the most significant early farming families was the Michael family.
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The Michael family
John Michael selected land near the Barunga Range in 1873. His original holding was about 250 hectares, on what had previously formed part of Hummocks Station.
Land records also show John Michael receiving land grants in the Hundred of Barunga in the 1880s, while Michael McCormack appears in land records associated with Kulpara and Percyton.
Mr. John Michael
Born at Gartly Aberdeen Shire Scotland, christened 2-3-1823. He married Helenor Adams who arrived in Adelaide on the "Jannet" on Monday March 19 1855. They married on 5th October 1855. John and Helenor Michael and family first purchased land at Barunga Gap in 1873 when the area was first opened up for selection.
John Michael took up the sections 73, 74E, 98, in 1873 and section 72A in 1885 all in the hundred of Barunga, and the section 270E in the hundred of Cameron in 1880. Selections were all £1 an acre and section 73 and a shepherds hut valued at £23.
When the Michael's first settled at Barunga Gap they lived in the shepherds pine hut with the paling shingle roof on the bank of the dam. They bought their belongings in a wagon pulled by bullocks.
Many hardships had to be endured before the district finally became settled. Fortunately the aborigines who had a camp nearby were friendly and gave a certain amount of assistance. They used to come over and ask for sugar and tobacco. Helenor was rather apprehensive at first but used to give them a little every time. When they cleared some land they used pine trees to build a house of lime and sand to keep them together, and later put in hessian ceilings.
The barn and lean-to was built in 1880. The front part of the present homestead at 'Gum Park' was built in 1890 and the back part in 1905 when the old original pine homestead at the back was pulled down. The front seven rooms and passage cost £100 to build (and the walls) and 6 shillings a day to put on the roof. The shearing shed was built in 1908.
The first crop was in the hill paddock and William Russel Michael drove the bullocks and his sister Margaret (Millstead) held the plough. The first crop yielded 27 bushels on new ground. Helenor had from 25 to 30 cows in the 1870s. She used to make butter in the dairy to sell at Kadina for 3½ pence per pound.
John was very resourceful and rigged up a windmill at the end of the dairy to work a large butter churn made out of a forty gallon barrel. Grain, eggs and butter were taken to Cameron, and Ninnes over the rough tracks and then along the old Burra-Clare-Kadina three chain road and through a long strip of scrub across the Thomas plain to Kadina.
The Michaels collected their mail from Nottle's near Lochiel. Water was carted from the Black Point lagoon near Snowtown.
John Michael passed away 22-11-1891 and is buried at the Barunga Gap cemetery. 'Gum Park' was left to Helenor and son Archibald. Helenor later purchased a place at Barunga, section 247 hundred of Barunga, and let the farm to share farming. Helenor and her youngest daughter Annie (Kerley) ran the Barunga Post Office from their house and kept cows, fowls and turkeys.
Helenor later retired to Adelaide for the last twenty years of her life and lived in her own home at 32 Kyre Avenue, Kingswood next door to her daughter Florence (Dring). Helenor passed away at the age of 92 years on 14-1-1931. She is buried with her husband at Barunga Gap.
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1876–1879 — transport transforms the district
The Port Broughton–Barunga Range horse tramway opened on 11 March 1876. The road and railway developments then made the Gap increasingly important as a transport route.
A railway from Kadina towards Barunga Gap was constructed during 1877–78. It gave local farmers and graziers access to Wallaroo, making it much easier to ship agricultural produce.
For family research, this matters because people who appear in the records as farmers at Barunga, Hummocks or Percyton may have been connected economically to Kadina, Wallaroo and Port Broughton, rather than just Snowtown.
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1880 — Percyton is born
The township was surveyed in 1879 and officially proclaimed Percyton on 15 January 1880. The name was apparently chosen by Governor William Jervois, probably in honour of John Percy, an English military lecturer.
The original town plan contained 195 allotments, although the settlement remained very small. A description from the late 19th century paints a picture of a railway platform, a small station, railway cottages and only a handful of buildings among the surrounding hills. So don't expect a large "town" in historical records—the Percyton population was tiny.
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The McCormack family
The McCormacks are another particularly important family for reconstructing Percyton's history.
Michael McCormack
Around 1882, Michael McCormack established a general store and residence at Percyton and also operated a post office.
The family became closely associated with the little township.
Most interestingly, McCormack's wife became the first teacher at the Percyton school, with an early classroom operating in a room of the McCormack residence. She also served as postmistress.
Land records independently identify:
This suggests that several members of the McCormack family were involved in the district rather than there being only one McCormack household.
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Michael McCormack — farmer, Kulpara, with a land grant in 1879–80.
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Michael McCormack — Percyton, appearing in later land records.
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Michael Louis McCormack — farmer, Percyton, appearing in 20th-century land records.
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John Gerald McCormack — Percyton, with a township allotment grant in 1880.
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6. 1881 — the first cemetery records
The Percyton Cemetery, now generally called Barunga Gap/Percyton Cemetery, dates from 1881.
It is therefore one of the most valuable places to investigate if you're looking for families who lived around the Gap in the 1880s and 1890s.
The cemetery is located off the Bute–Snowtown Road. Snowtown Museum specifically identifies it as: Barunga Gap or Percyton Cemetery and provides burial-record research links.
The surviving cemetery history indicates that Michael and Mary McCormack were buried there in 1922 alongside four of their infant children.
That is a particularly poignant example of how the cemetery can reveal family relationships that aren't obvious from property records.
7. 1883 — Percyton School
There is a small discrepancy between sources concerning the school's opening date.
The South Australian place-name research records Percyton School as opening in 1883, while another historical compilation gives 1878.
The more detailed local account says the school initially operated in the McCormack residence, with Mrs McCormack as teacher.
The school was eventually replaced by a purpose-built stone government school in 1908.
8. 1908 — the stone school
The new school was built in the "suburban lands" north of the railway.
The surviving description is unusually detailed. It consisted of:
Children commonly travelled to school by horse-drawn trap or jigger, which gives a wonderful glimpse into everyday family life in the district.
The school ultimately closed in 1947, when only five pupils remained.
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a classroom
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a central lunch room
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a stone tack room
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separate toilet facilities
Some stonework of the school remains.
