Barunga Gap revealed
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.
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.
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.
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.
1879: The Kadina junction via Barunga Gap extension to Black Point (soon renamed to Snowtown) railway was opened.
Before it was established as Snowtown, South Australia in 1878, the area was originally known as Black Point from around 1840.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
1883-1885 Percyton/Barunga Gap bore→ Masonry storage tank→ local township
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.
The major installation is the Barunga Reservoir, constructed as part of the Beetaloo Water Scheme, located near 'Gum Creek' homestead.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 MichaelBorn 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.
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