Plate 44: Lake Albert. Part of the text accompanying the illustration reads 'The view from this spot, which is situated on the South Eastern shore of Lake Albert upon the borders of the extensive scrub that is known as the "Desert", commands a prospect of the greatest portion of the Lake, with the distant country beyond, and Mount Barker visible above the horizon. To the right, where the Lake sweeps, round to the N.W., are situated Bonney's Wells ... The Scrub forming the foreground of this illustration, stretches along inland from the Coorung for a distance of from forty to fifty miles, and consists of dwarf eucalypts, xantharaea, and a great variety of small shrubs and other plants that delight in a sandy soil'.

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 JW Giles from Angas' original painting. The date assigned is assumed to be approximately when the lithographs were created; the original paintings were done in earlier years.

George French Angas (1822-1886), naturalist and painter, was born at Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He was the eldest son of George Fife Angas, one of the men behind the establishment of the new colony of South Australia. The young Angas repudiated his father's world of commerce and determined upon a life involving art and nature, studying natural history art and lithography before embarking on his travels. He sailed for Australia in 1843 in the Augustus, reached Adelaide in January 1844.

In July 1844 Angas left the colony for New Zealand. He returned to South Australia in January 1845 and remained for six months. During the visits to South Australia, Angas travelled with William Giles to the area in the vicinity of the mouth of the River Murray, and accompanied Governor (Sir) George Grey to the south-east of the province, Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln. Angas recorded these journeys in water-colour drawings which were shown in the Legislative Council Chamber in Adelaide in June 1845.

Angas, George French, 1822-1886

Giles, J.W.

Colwell, M and Alan Naylor. Adelaide: an illustrated history [Joslin, S. Aust.]: McP, 1981

Insights into South Australian history vol. 2: 'South Australia's German history and heritage', Harmstorf, Ian A. ed. Adelaide: Historical Society of South Australia, 1992-

Kwan, Elizabeth Living in South Australia: a social history Netley, S. Aust.: South Australian Government Printer, 1987

Tregenza, John George French Angas, artist, traveller and naturalist, 1822-1886 Adelaide: Art Gallery Board of South Australia, 1982