Scene on the Coorong near Lake Albert. Part of the text accompanying the illustration reads 'The scene represented on the opposite plate is not far from the extremity of Lake Albert ... the kangaroo figured in the drawing is a new species, inhabiting this location precisely: this elegant little animal is called 'Halmaturus Greyii' in honor of Governor Grey, by whom it was discovered; its distribution is so extremely limited as to extend only for a distance of about fifty miles; it inhabits the scrub adjoining the Coorung to the S.E. of Lake Albert'.

Coorung was the original spelling used by Angas. The animal described is actually the now extinct Toolache wallaby (Macropus greyi) formerly known as Halmaturus Greyii.

This is one of 60 coloured lithographs found in the 1847 edition of 'South Australia Illustrated' by colonial artist George French Angas, together with a descriptive passage for each. The lithograph was created by J.W. Giles from Angas' original painting, which is very likely to have been copied from a former original by S.T. Gill. These three works are typical of the many water-colours of urban scenes which S.T. Gill produced in Adelaide in the 1840s.

George French Angas (1822-1886), naturalist and painter, was born on 25 April 1822 at Newcastle upon Tyne, England, fourth child and eldest son of George Fife Angas and his wife Rosetta, n ©e French. He sailed for Australia in 1843 in the Augustus, reached Adelaide in January 1844, and remained in South Australia until July when he left for New Zealand. He returned to South Australia in January 1845 and remained for six months. During these visits to South Australia Angas went with William Giles to the area in the vicinity of the mouth of the River Murray, and with Governor (Sir) George Grey to the south-east of the province, Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln. These journeys Angas recorded in water-colour drawings which were shown in Adelaide in June 1845 in the Legislative Council chamber.

Angas, George French, 1822-1886

Giles, J.W.

Australian dictionary of biography online: Angas, George French, 1822 - 1886.

Treasures of the State Library of South Australia: George French Angas South Australia illustrated

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition: Search for George French Angas

Pictures Catalogue National Library of Australia

PictureAustralia

South Australia Illustrated catalogue record

Coorong National Park : ParksWeb, South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage website

Coorong : South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation website

Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth : South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation website

Coorong & Lower Lakes : South Australian Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board website