Plate 46: Interior of the principal crater of Mount Gambier. Part of the text accompanying the illustration reads '... the accompanying illustration presents the interior of the principal crater, sketched in May, 1844. It is thus described in my journal at the moment. 'After toiling up the upward slopes of the mountain, at the most accessible place we could find, the sudden view of the interior of the largest crater burst upon us, and called forth our rapturous admiration. It was indeed a glorious and enchanting scene; a vast hollow basin, shut out from the world as it were, by the walls of lava that surround it, ... with a few blackwood or mimosa trees ...'.

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

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online EditionSee: Angas, George French

Pictures Catalogue National Library of Australia

PictureAustralia

SA Memory Water, Land, Sky - Natural environment of South Australia website