Giclee, Henn & Co, River Torrens, Elder Park, Adelaide, South Australia, 

Archival Limited Edition Giclee Inkjet technique after the original lithograph by Louis Henn & Co from 1882-1884.

The original scenes may have been sketched/painted by Louis Henn & lithographed by Frederick Sears although neither he nor Louis Henn signed any of the lithographs to be certain.

Size of image = 32.5cm x 24.5cm (13 x 9 2/3 inch)

Limited Edition Issued with /200 with Certificate

Torrens Lake History, 1881

A settlement needs a source of fresh water, so a river was the reason Colonel William Light chose this location for South Australia's capital of Adelaide. The name of Torrens was chose in honor of Colonel Robert Torrens the chairman of colonial commissioners, founding supporter of South Australia & father of Sir Robert Torrens. The local Kaurna people's name is Karrawirra Parri (Redgum Forest River). However rivers are problematic as they are prone to be raging torrent (as we see in this recent clip of what the weir has been dealing with to prevent City floods) or become a trickle or a chain of stagnant pools in summer. From the beginning the river was used for bathing, rubbish disposal, watering farm animals, source of drinking water, and a de facto sewer. There was urgent need for civic protection from outbreaks of cholera, typhoid & diptheria to adhere to the tag-line, "a Slice of London in the Antipodes", especially after the 1839 outbreak of cholera killed 5 children. With progressive water improvements we see civilizing recreational activities including Public Baths north of the current Parliament House.

It was when Mayor Sir Edwin Smith closed the sluice gates to create Lake Torrens on 21 July 1881 that we see the fruits of those improvements: colonists could fish, swim and enjoy boating excursions on its permanent calm waters. However, with the opening of the Torrens Lake the City Council passed a series of laws which were administered by the Inspector of Boats and Collector of Licence Fees for citizens to use the lake giving him the power to impound unlicensed boats. Elder Park and the riverbank was landscaped to emulate a English formal garden. To that end the resident 'Man of Trees, Conservator of State Forests, John Edne Brown, had much to contribute to the aesthetic improvements. In November 1882 the Glasgow-built Rotunda with iron bandstand was installed by the parks namesake, Sir Thomas Elder Smith. Unfortunately this is not shown here.

In the distance is North Terrace where a flock of birds rise over the Exhibition Building being erected for the Exhibition of Arts and Industry (Emulating the Great Exhibition of London in 1851). The Universities of Adelaide and South Australia occupy that same location today. The road to the left was Victoria Drive at that time. A hint of Albert Bridge can be seen in the distance crossing the river. It was named after Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria, in May 1879, 18 years after his death.

The Torrens Lake is now an important community asset and tourism icon thanks to those 19th century solutions to flooding, disease and drought. Even so, when it comes to water maintenance in the driest state on the driest continent, it is an on-going problem that needs a new set of eyes and scientific solutions to resolve similar issues. In 2011 wetlands were seen as a solution to deal with rising water temperatures, lack of water flow due to urban development and ongoing drought to preserve this vital river ecosystem. The present will become the past so let us give this story its best chapter yet.