2 November 1898      George Goyder

George Goyder, Surveyor-General of the colony of South Australia from 1861-94 died on 2 November 1898 at his estate near Echunga. In 1865 following a severe drought the Commissioner of Crown Lands asked Goyder to make an examination of the country to the north to map a line of demarcation between higher rainfall areas suitable for agriculture and the dryer areas more suited to pastoral activities. Goyder took a zig-zag course from Adelaide to the Murray and north to Melrose and the Flinders Ranges and was guided in drawing the imaginary line by the appearance and character of salt and other edible bushes. His line is still regarded as a good guide to the type of country in those areas and on the one occasion when the government sanctioned the use of some of his designated dryer areas for agriculture the results were disastrous. Goyder was also in charge of the surveying of Port Darwin in 1869. He was a very competent and efficient man and in six months there were 665,866 acres surveyed and ready for selection. In the 1860s Goyder was involved in the drainage scheme for the south-east area of the colony. In all ways he served the colony well.

Mail, 2 April 1927.