Extracts from letters written by Elsie Birks, later Mrs Gilmore, whilst a school teacher at Murtho Village Settlement and later letters written in a reminiscent vein.

In the early 1890s several socialist settlements were set up around Australia, in imitation of William Lane's utopian 'New Australia' settlements in Paraguay. South Australian government sponsored several such settlements along the River Murray.

The SA Village Settlements Act of 1894 supported the development of Gillen, Holder, Kingston, Lyrup, Moorook, Murtho, New Era, New Residence, Pyap, Ramco and Waikerie mainly as a means of assistance for unemployed people.

Murtho was organised by John Birks, closely following Lane's ideals. In contrast to other village settlements, Murtho settlers paid a fee to join the settlement association in return for a government land grant, plus establishment funds which had to be repaid.

From 1894 to 1897 school teacher Elsie Birks kept diaries about Murtho and wrote letters to friends and family about her life in the Riverland community. Her writings detail her optimistic outlook about the settlement.

However, Murtho did not thrive, partly due to the poor suitability of the land for agriculture, and lack of settlers' experience in working the land - when they arrived they had little knowledge of irrigation or the climate of the land they had settled. Murtho village settlement formally ceased in March 1900.

Glenie, Pat and Brian. Murtho village settlement, 1894-1900: new Australia on the Murray, Renmark, SA: [P & B Glenie, 1994]

Mack, David.The village settlements on the River Murray in South Australia, 1894-1909: a chronicle of communal life and hardship, [Somerton, SA: DB Mack, 1994]

Mack, David. Irrigation settlement: some historic aspects in South Australia on the River Murray 1838-1978, [Cobdogla, SA: Cobdogla Steam Friends Society, [2003]

Woods, Richard Vynne. The Birks Murtho letters 1894-1900: hardship and happiness for two families on the River Murray,[Kangarilla, SA: RV Woods, 1994]