Portrait of A. Hallett from Wandillah from the S.A. Northern Pioneers' composite, 1850-1859 (shown in position on B 6912/1).

Alfred Hallett arrived in South Australia in 1838 joining his brother John on the Worthing farm along the Field River near Reynella. Copper was discovered in 1847 and samples sent to London for assaying proved encouraging and the Worthing Mining Company was formed by 10 men contributing 1000 pounds each. This company purchased the property from the Hallett brothers, and Alfred was appointed mine manager. Mining commmenced in 1849 when Captain John Richards and a team of miners were brought out from Cornwall. The Worthing Mine was never very successful with its early years affected by the Victorian gold rushes. The mine was later abandoned when the Bremer Mine was opened at Callington by the Worthing Mining Company again with Alfred as mine manager. J B Austin in his book The mines of South Australia gave high praise to Hallett's management of this mine.

Hallett entered into a partnership with his brother, John Hallett in the pastoral industry from 1842 until 1868 when John died. Alfred Hallet continued in the industry until his death in 1877. The brothers had properties in the Mid North and northern Flinders Ranges, with Wandillah and Willogoleeche runs, Caroona and Mutooroo. The extensive drought in the 1860s severly affected their operations.

Alfred Hallett was appointed a Lands Title Commissioner in 1866; he was on the Railway Commission which recommended a railway system for South Australia and a member of the Central Road Board for 15 years and was chairman at his death. The town of Hallett in the mid-north is named after the brothers.

Cockburn, R Pastoral pioneers of South Australia 2 v. Adelaide: Publishers Limited, 1925-1927 ("Reprinted from the Adelaide Stock and Station Journal.") vol. 1 pp. 52-53

Death of Mr Alfred Hallett South Australian register, 1 December 1877, p. 13, col. g

South Australia. Worthing Mine and Environs Working Party Worthing mine and environs report / South Australia Worthing Mine and Environs Working Party [Adelaide: S. Aust. Dept. of Environment & Planning], 1986

Richards, Marlene Hallett: a history of town and district Hallett, S. Aust.: The Author, 1977

Miller, Alice Pioneers, priests and people: a history of Christ Church, O'Halloran Hill [O'Halloran Hill, S. Aust.]: [A. Miller], 1980 pp. 13-14

Austin, J. B. The mines of South Australia; including also an account of the smelting works in that colony, together with a brief description of the country and incidents of travel in the bush, by J. B. Austin. Adelaide, C. Platts, E. S. Wigg, G. Dehane, J. Howell, W. C. Rigby, G. Mullett, 1863 [Adelaide, Libraries Board of South Australia, 1968]

Flinders Ranges Research: Hallett

The Worthing Copper Mine

State Library of South Australia, Factsheets Online