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SUMMARY: S. T. Gill was in the Barossa sketching for the Angas family from 29 October to 4 November 1844. I identify some works as well as influences on Angas publications: "South Australia Illustrated" and "Barossa Range and its neighbourhood".
Article type: NARRATIVE, ANALYSIS & CATALOGUE
In this article ...
S. T. Gill was in the Barossa sketching for the Angas family from 29 October to 4 November 1844.
Grandison in his paper Art and enterprise : images in the Barossa Valley in the mid 1840s by S.T. Gill (1991) referred to the diary of John Howard Angas ("JHA" below), brother of George French Angas the artist, and son of George Fife Angas.
With the Angas estates so prominent in South Australian settlement, it was no surprise to discover that they were visited by Gill to produce possible promotional paintings. The diary of JHA records on the 29th October 1844, "Out with Mr Gill the artist who has come from town to take some sketches – took Angaston, View of the Plains, "Wheal Sally", sheep washing and flat below Mr E.'s [Evans']."
On the 1 November 1844, JHA recorded, "Left the Valley for Rhodes, thence to Tanunda Creek, Bethany, Schlinkes Mill, Jacobs and Lyndoch Valley to Mr Warren's where we stopped all night. Mr Gill made sketches." The next day he added, "Went to Mount Crawford, the Springs, the South Rhine and home to Angaston." Then on 4th of November 1844, he recorded that, "Mr Gill left for town."
The likely purpose of Gill's visit was either to sketch scenes for George Fife Angas in England, perhaps for promotion of South Australia, or as material for George French Angas's South Australia Illustrated.
Fife had just had a new copper mine (Wheal Sally) opened up in the Barossa.1 He was also reported to be lecturing in the north of England promoting South Australia (reported in Adelaide 26 October 1844).2
At the time of Gill's visit, French was away from South Australia. John had expected him to be away for a while and was surprised at his brother's return (in his diary on 22 January 1845).
Jan'y 22. The "Emma" came in from Sydney & by her my brother George. I was much surprised to see him as I had thought he was in the S. Sea Islands, but has delayed his trip for 3 years.
Gill's pictures – almost certainly to be watercolours – may have gone to England in December 1844 aboard Symmetry with George Fife Angas' agent Anthony Forster. Or they may have stayed in South Australia pending French's return.
There are Gill watercolours of Rhodes' station on the Gawler River, Tanunda Creek, Schlinke's Mill and Mount Crawford. And there are two interesting Angas watercolours of Evans' sheep station. And other subjects – Angaston, Bethany and Lynedoch – appear in South Australia Illustrated and in an 1849 Angas afterthought in London, the illustrated book "Barossa Range and its neighbourhood" by "Agricola". (See "List of Works" below.)
The Barossa plates in South Australia Illustrated are:
Agricola's Barossa Range plates are:
Gill's field subjects of October-November 1844 seem to be some basis for these Angas' lithographed plates, but in the absence of any original watercolours, it is hard to be confidence about the extent, if any, to which Angas may have depended on Gill. We know Angas personally sketched the event illustrated in plate 6, but it is just a landscape with people added (in the manner of Angas' "staffage")! Some of the plates echo Gill's style.
For more on Angas' "staffage" and Gill's possible hand in the Bethany views, see:
Agricola, 1849. Description of the Barossa Range and its neighbourhood, in South Australia / by Agricola ; illustrated with maps and coloured plates, from original drawings made on the spot by George French Angas. London. Smith, Elder, 1849. Partially digitised: <https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/820>.
You can scroll down to see all pictures along with detailed notes or click a link to jump to a specific work from the list. Detailed notes each include a link to the map location for the view (where available).
Rhodes's Cattle Station on the Gawler, Section 471, November 1844 | Art Gallery of South Australia 986P53
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1844-11 | Appleyard cat. 23 | 27(H) x 38(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill at Angas' Barossa 1844
The scene is of a pool on the Gawler River with a stream winding behind the trees. At middle right are cattle, a dwelling and post and rail fence.
Reverse inscriptions: Rodes's [sic.] Cattle Station / Secn 471 (u.r.) and Rhodes's Cattle Station on the Gawler, Section 471 ... November 1844 (u.l.).
Appleyard (26) thinks this work is a pair with AGSA 795HP30 and that both scenes are on the Angas' Section 471 on the Gawler River. Gill was known to be sketching in the area at the time for John Howard Angas, the brother of George French Angas.
Unsigned. See Appleyard, 54 for a full page monochrome reproduction of this picture.
Map | S. T. Gill - South Australia
37
The Gawler River | Art Gallery of South Australia 795HP30
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1844-11 | Appleyard cat. 22 | 26.2(H) x 37.8(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill at Angas' Barossa 1844
The scene is of a pool on the Gawler River. At middle left are cattle and beyond them a dwelling and post and rail fence. This is one of Gill's earliest self-dated colonial paintings – November 1844. Signed STG/Nov//44.
Appleyard (26) thinks this work is a pair with "Rhodes's Cattle Station on the Gawler, Section 471, November 1844" (private collection) with both scenes being on the Angas' Section 471 on the Gawler River. Gill was known to be sketching in the area at the time for John Howard Angas, the brother of George French Angas.
The AGSA link is not available but the image can be viewed at https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/galleries/australian-sketchbook-st-gill.
Map | S. T. Gill - South Australia
36
Mount Crawford, S.A. | National Library of Australia NK2042
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1844~ | Appleyard cat. 20.1 | 12.6(H) x 20.5(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill and John Napier Magill
The view is just off a track before it bends and drops on approach to the hill, Mount Crawford, about 30 miles northeast of Adelaide. A bullock cart and people are on the road. There is a prominent gum tree at right, and of interest are the honeysuckle trees at left. Gill identifes this tree in his captioning of "Honeysuckle tree & native dog" (NLA NK7073/4). It is Banksia marginata which occurs in the Mount Crawford area, although Gill's renditions are more artistic than botanical.
It's possible Gill may have sketched this while out for J.H. Angas in October 1844.
The view is almost identical to Approach to Mount Crawford (AGSA 744HP4). James White (or Whyte) and Robert Rankine were dairy and agricultural farmers at Mount Crawford.
This work matches the description of a Gill entry in the Adelaide February 1847 exhibition: "163. Mt. Crawford, Vignette". (However if this work was for J.N. Magill, he had left by then and it would not be this example that was exhibited.)
For more detail see the catalogue / main entry.
Map | S. T. Gill - South eastern South Australia
42
Tanunda Creek, South Australia | National Library of Australia R241
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1844~/1847~ | Appleyard cat. n/a | 22(H) x 34(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill and E.C. Frome (1844-1845)
A waterfall on Tanunda Creek in the Barossa. It's possible Gill may have sketched this while out for J.H. Angas in October 1844. Gill exhibited a painting of this title at both the 1847 (no. 68) and 1848 (no. 39) art exhibitions.
For more detail see the catalogue / main entry.
Map | S. T. Gill - South eastern South Australia
110
Old Watermill S.A. | Art Gallery of South Australia 688P9
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1868~/1872~ | Appleyard cat. n/a | 17.3(H) x 26(W) cm
Main listing: S.T. Gill - South Australia Retrospectives
A water wheel attached to a single storey building - a flour mill - and fed by water from an elevated race coming from the top of a waterfall. This work is titled on the reverse "Water Mill, Tanunda Creek S.A." (and signed STG?). It was titled "Mill, Tanunda Creek (S.A.). 1844" in a 1930 newspaper where it was reported to have been once in the collection of Louis Buvelot.
This is the mill of Daniel Schlinke, built in 1843. "A water-mill has recently been erected for Mr Schlinke, baker, Grenfell-street. It is situated at the foot of the Barossa hills, on the Tannunda creek, just under a water-fall. The water, instead of being allowed to fall, is led by a trough to the water wheel, and thus derives an increase of power." Southern Australian, 18 August 1843: 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71617716.
Daniel G Brock reported "Comparatively near to this village [Bethany], up one of the ravines, an enterprising German has erected a substantial stone mill, which is driven by water, conveyed in a trough three hundred feet to the water-wheel. The building reflects great credit on the builders, who have shown great skill in the erection. The mill is romantically situated up the gorge, and the water is seen breaking out in the different refts of the broken range." South Australian Register, 18 October 1843: 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27445758.
Dated around 1869-72 from the signature style, this is a retrospective. It is on card. Based on the reported 1844 date, Gill would have originally sketched this scene in October 1844 when visiting the area for the Angas family - diary of John Howard Angas, 29 October 1844.
Map | S. T. Gill - South eastern South Australia
242
Mr Evans' higher sheep station with Stone Hut Creek [...] sec. 376 | National Library of Australia NK11310
Artist: Angas, G.F. (after Gill?) | Date: 1844~/1845~ | 16(H) x 24(W) cm
A scene with a shepherd watching his flock. Up the slope is a house and a tent.
Captioned below the image: "Mr Evans' higher sheep station with creek near Gawler". "Near Gawler" crossed out and "Stone Hut Creek" added. "[?] Sec. 376 [or 375]" added.
This scene may correspond with Gill's visit in October 1844. J.H. Angas wrote in his diary: "out with Mr Gill the artist who has come from town to take some sketches – took Angaston, 'Wheal Sally', sheep washing and flat below Mr Evans".
Although currently attributed to George French Angas, there are aspects of this unsigned watercolour that are very like Gill, and others less so. The composition, eucalypt detail and sheep backsides are all characteristic of Gill. The sky and clouds are unlike Gill. The sheep seem out of proportion.
This work was shown in the 2021 Angas exhibition.
576
View from sec. 376, taken from Mr. Evans' higher sheep station | National Library of Australia NK304
Artist: Angas, G.F. (after Gill?) | Date: 1844~/1845~ | 16.7(H) x 23.7(W) cm
This scene may correspond with S T Gill's visit in October 1844. J.H. Angas wrote in his diary: "out with Mr Gill the artist who has come from town to take some sketches – took Angaston, 'Wheal Sally', sheep washing and flat below Mr E's. [Evans]".
This image has a German hay wagon in exactly the same profile as "Klemzig" in "South Australia Illustrated". However, here it seems an integrated part of the picture, whereas in it appears to be dropped in to "Klemzig" as staffage.
This work is not listed in the Angas books: Tregenza, 1982 and Jones, 2021. Nor was it shown in the 2021 Angas exhibition.
594
Angaston. Evening | State Library of South Australia B 15276/28
Artist: Angas, G.F. (after Gill?) | Date: 1847-01~/1847-06~
Plate 28 of Angas' "South Australia Illustrated". See also in book context with letterpress: https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2598#idx133445.
Angas attributes this picture to himself. It may be based on a Gill landscape from October-November 1844.
578
Bethany, a village of German settlers at the foot of the Barossa Hills | National Library of Australia NK54
Artist: Angas, G.F. (after Gill?) | Date: 1847-01~/1847-06~ | 29.7(H) x 34(W) cm
Plate 60 of Angas' "South Australia Illustrated" (SAI). See also in book context with letterpress: https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2598#idx133531.
All staffage from Angas' figure studies NLA R6481 are included except the gummer, and in particular there are three goats. See Jones (2021) 96-97 on this work and Angas' use of "staffage". Staffage includes three goats, German hay wagon, and two chickens and a rooster.
The only images in "South Australia Illustrated" showing fowl pecking on the ground are "Klemzig" and "Bethany".
Angas attributes this picture to himself. It may be based on a Gill landscape from October-November 1844.
Further examples of plate 60 in other collections:
* SLSA B 15276/60 https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+15276/60
* NGA 66.7.10.6 https://searchthecollection.nga.gov.au/object/43891
* SLNSW https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/74VvrkvwbmPd/gDxWM4J85yXwJ
* SLSA (within SAI context) https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2598#idx133531
602
Lynedoch [i.e. Lyndoch] Valley, looking towards the Barossa Range | National Library of Australia NK725.B
Artist: Angas, G.F. (after Gill?) | Date: 1849 | 19.6(H) x 24.2(W) cm
Plate 1 in "Description of the Barossa Range and its neighbourhood in South Australia" by "Agricola", published London 1849. Captioned "From Nature and on Stone by G.F. Angas".
In October 1844 S.T. Gill sketched for the Angas family including the copper mine "Wheal Sally". However Tregenza notes this image is just Angas adding the Kapunda mine workings (from plate 31 "South Australia Illustrated") into the previously rural Lyndoch picture, plate 14 "South Australia Illustrated". (Tregenza 1980, 49)
The sheep backsides are characteristic Gill and the shepherd boy leaning on the rock with a dog at this feet is very reminiscent of Gill's sketchbook "FINIS" (1838) (AGSA 659D34).
This George French Angas drawing on stone is possibly from an original (untraced) watercolour.
It may be based on a Gill landscape from October-November 1844.
575
Terraworta on the Gawler River | National Library of Australia NK725.C
Artist: Gill, S.T. (after?) | Date: 1849 | 17.4(H) x 25.1(W) cm
Plate 2 in "Description of the Barossa Range and its neighbourhood in South Australia" by "Agricola", published London 1849. Captioned "From Nature and on Stone by G.F. Angas".
The picture is much like Gill's other landscapes at the time, such as "Rhodes's Cattle Station on the Gawler, Section 471, November 1844" (AGSA 986P53). The composition featuring the tree at left is almost identical to the Gill watercolour "The City of Adelaide from Mr. Wilson's Section on the Torrens, June 1845" (AGSA 721HP1).
This George French Angas drawing on stone is possibly from an original (untraced) watercolour. It may be based on a Gill landscape from October-November 1844.
545
Salem Valley from the road to German Pass, Lindsay House in the distance | National Library of Australia NK725.D
Artist: Angas, G.F. (after Gill?) | Date: 1849 | 19.6(H) x 24.2(W) cm
Plate 3 in "Description of the Barossa Range and its neighbourhood in South Australia" by "Agricola", published London 1849. Captioned "From Nature and on Stone by G.F. Angas".
This George French Angas drawing on stone is possibly from an original (untraced) watercolour. It may be based on a Gill landscape from October-November 1844.
577
Sheepshearing in the Barossa, sunset | National Library of Australia NK725.E
Artist: Angas, G.F. (after Gill?) | Date: 1849 | 19.6(H) x 24.2(W) cm
Plate 4 in "Description of the Barossa Range and its neighbourhood in South Australia" by "Agricola", published London 1849. Captioned "From Nature and on Stone by G.F. Angas".
Shearing sheep under canvas; sheep penned.
Angas has a detailed sketch of shearing that seems to be the source for this larger scene - NLA PIC Volume 171 #R6473 https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2966310714/view.
In October 1844 Gill sketched for the Angas family including sheep washing, a description that seems to correspond well with this scene.
574
David Coombe. 2025. Original 23 July 2025. Updated 17 October 2025. | text copyright (except where indicated)
CITE THIS: David Coombe, 2025, S.T. Gill at Angas' Barossa 1844, accessed dd mmm yyyy, <http://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_at_Angas'_Barossa_1844.htm>