George French Angas' artisitc interpretation of Rivoli Bay before sunrise (top) and Penguin Island off Rivoli Bay (bottom). Part of the text accompanying the top illustration reads

'Rivoli Bay is situated in S. latitude 37 degrees 30'; although open to the S.W., a natural breakwater is formed by reefs that stretch across the entrance to the bay ... The accompanying sketch represents the moon setting in the rose-coloured reflection thrown by the rising sun upon the western sky'.

For Penguin Island (bottom) Angas noted

'... Penguin Island, so named for those birds which inhabit it, and breed amongst its rugged and sea-worn shore. The entire island is perforated with thin burrows ... The seaward extremity of this rocky island is so perforated and fretted away by the action of the elements, as to present a very curious appearance. The circumference of Penguin Island does not exceed three quarters of a mile'.

Both these sketches were completed during April/May 1844.

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.

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Robinson, Tony... [et al] South Australia's offshore islands, Canberra: Australian Heritage Commission, 1996

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PictureAustralia