How did the early Australian colonies drum up interest to get people considering a move Down Under? Through informative printed sheets known as 'broadsides'.

A broadside is a single-sided printed sheet, used to communicate a message in writing rather than through images. These two, new to our collection, are the earliest broadsides relating to South Australia. They provide unique insight into how interest for the new colony was reflected in London in response to the South Australia Act before British Parliament.

Explore the two broadsides in Trove

Published in London in 1834, New Colony of South Australia… announces a public meeting to discuss the proposed colony in South Australia.  

The meeting was held in Exeter Hall on the Strand and chaired by William W. Whitmore, who introduced the South Australia Act to the House of Commons. Formed in 1833, the South Australian Association used such events to lobby the government and actively promote the creation of the colony. The meeting provided an opportunity for the British public to hear politicians, and other speakers, discuss the principles for South Australia and the opportunities for emigration.

By Order of the Colonization Commissioner… was published in the following year in 1835. It documents the next steps in the formation of South Australia and illustrates how it was to be governed and organised and the initial allotment of land. At first, this allotment struggled to get participants due to the more affordable land prices in New South Wales. In response, 3 wealthy merchants - George Fife Angas, Thomas Smith and Henry Kingscote - formed the South Australian Company and purchased large allotments of land. The Library holds several prospectus and publications produced by the South Australian Company as well as a family album concerning Angas family and a pamphlet written by Henry Kingscote to the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1846.

These broadsides help us to understand how the ideas for the colony were received and the practical applications of its formation. They are a great addition to the Library’s extensive resources relating to the history of South Australia, which also includes information on First Nations histories and perspectives, family history resources, biographies, maps, oral histories and more.