A History of South Australia

by Paul Sendziuk, Robert Foster

A History of South Australia investigates South Australia's history from before the arrival of the first European maritime explorers to the present day, and examines its distinctive origins as a 'free' settlement. In this compelling and nuanced history, Paul Sendziuk and Robert Foster consider the imprint of people on the land - and vice versa - and offer fresh insights into relations between Indigenous people and the European colonisers. They chart South Australia's economic, political and social development, including the advance and retreat of an interventionist government, the establishment of the state's distinctive socio-political formations, and its relationship to the rest of Australia and the world. The first comprehensive, single-volume history of the state to be published in over fifty years, A History of South Australia is an essential and engaging contribution to our understanding of South Australia's past.

Genres: History

330 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2018

About the author

Paul Sendziuk is an Associate Professor in the School of History and Politics at the University of Adelaide.

Sendziuk has particular expertise in the history of Australian immigration, public health and disease. He is the author of Learning to Trust: Australian responses to AIDS. They are currently writing a history of South Australia.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

If one wants to read a single volume survey history of South Australia, from its colonial foundation through to the end of the second decade of the 21st Century then this Cambridge Uni Press Australia title written by Paul Sendziuk and Robert Foster will more than adequately fit the bill. Comprehensive yet relatively succinct, learned without being too academic, inclusive and informative, this book achieves what one would expect from such a tome. Whilst it is for the most part a political and economic history of the state, there is sufficient material on the social elements and cultural aspects of South Australia for neophytes and those familiar with the state to both garner new understanding and expand previous knowledge. That the book confirms the unique status of South Australia as a separate entity within Australia's boundaries, with perhaps less in common with other states than they do with each other is readily apparent, and there is so parochial pleasure (and perhaps pain) to be had at such a reading.

Sendziuk and Foster take a traditional approach to the subject of South Australian history, chronologically discussing and analysing the key issues, events, people and policies from the pre-invasion First Nations' period, through the first faltering steps at the establishment of a nominally 'free' colony, followed by the invariable struggles of a province-cum-state that has had a somewhat schizophrenic personality. In a physical environment that is perhaps the least conducive to large scale settlement on the Australian mainland, where agricultural and mineral wealth is not as financially productive as neighbouring states, South Australia is seen in this text to be an historical paradox. Wary of the vagaries of economic and political trends South Australia and its people have been both incredibly staid yet also welcoming of societal advances other Australian states have struggled to deal with.

Through the consideration of several political, economic and social challenges faced by South Australians the authors establish a cogent understanding of this complex historical state identity. Focused mostly on Adelaide, due in no small part to the dominance of the so-called 'Athens of the South' over the state, Sendziuk and Foster time and time again illustrate how South Australians have had to find a balance between fragility and stability. This may be seen in the discussions of the early colonisation years, post the landing of HMS Buffalo in 1836, through the era of growth generated by the copper mines of Little Cornwall, into the progressive years up to and immediately after Federation, then into the World Wars and the Great Depression, followed by the remarkable decades of prosperity and cultural growth seen under Premiers Playford and Dunstan before the most recent decline in the state's manufacturing industries. Whilst this is not a chronicle of cyclical booms and slumps, there is a definitive tradition of South Australia being both sure and unsure of itself and this book captures that historical truth.

As this is a modern history the authors have made sure that they have tried to give due diligence to those historical perspectives that in the past might have been considered marginal or on the periphery. There is plenty of informative coverage given to the history of First Nations South Australians, and women and non-Anglo-Saxon migrants are also provided with attention in the narrative. The previously noted focus on Adelaide is understandable, however it does mean that to some extent regional South Australian history is left under done. Heavy on political history, and with men in power invariably being the subject of more paragraphs than those outside those spheres of influence there may be cause for some criticism of the text for such a focus. Yet the authors acknowledge this issue in the early pages of the text. This is after all a relatively concise general history of South Australia and the reader looking for more specific or narrow areas of concern should look elsewhere.

Ultimately this book must be judged on whether or not it presents the history of South Australia in a valid end engaging manner and for the most part it succeeds admirably. It is a little 'dry' but that is understandable. Personally this reader would've liked to have seen more about regional South Australia as well as the experiences of the German immigrants to the colony, and perhaps more on the popular culture of the state. However these preferences are arguably extraneous to the function of the published book. In summary this is a most suitable one volume history of South Australia and it will undoubtedly both inform and challenge its readers on the uniqueness of my home state.

[Amanda Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book with a subject and title that I know will appeal to a very small audience. But if you are one of those who is interested in the history of my home state, I highly recommend it. It tells a story of South Australia that is grounded in academic rigor, but is imminently readable for a mainstream audience. It also manages to weave the often brushed aside story of Indigenous peoples into the story of South Australia. I would have liked to have seen the implementation of policies that saw the children stolen from Country and family covered within the chronology of the book, but Sendziuk and Foster do give it decent time in the later chapters when this travesty came to be publicly acknowledged after the Bringing Them Home report.

As someone who is seeking to research history from environmental and social lenses, I did notice the heavy emphasis on economics and politics for the mid-late 20th century. Given the way that most of us experienced public life in the 20th century, I think this isn't a bad choice - this is how we tend to think of themes and events due to the accessibility of information from news sources. This framing does, however, hint at space to tell more of the story of South Australia from different frames of reference. The story of so-called South Australia from an Indigenous perspective is one; an environmental history; a migrant history; a gender history... lots of space to fill out histories of this vast place that is often overlooked by national historians in favour of the very populated east, and maverick west.

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard the authors speaking on the radio about this volume both work at Adelaide Un9versity . I have never actually read a history of South Australia. This is despite living in south Australia most of my life. Its a chronological history which centres on european settlement and is not unsympathetic to aboriginal people. I found the earlier history up until about 1900 more interesting.
According to the authors there were about 700 Kaurna people living on the Adelaide plains when the english settlers arrived in 1836. What is remarkable is that by 1840 there were nearly 15000 european settlers in South Australia and they had already settled across the colony.
Money and farming seem to have been the drivers for settlement. South Australia did not have a penal colony. The authors paint South Australia as a contradictory place of innovation and conservative social values which fluctuate over time.
I think it's well written and worth reading if you in South Australia or are just curious.

[Einzige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in an information flooded age of globalism were an embryonic global culture is roughly emerging means that it is difficult enough to give national histories their fair share let alone regional histories. Yet if you do so you will find a wealth of interesting stories, colourful characters and episodes and still walk away with a better understanding of the world. I feel its un untapped treasure trove.

As for this book specifically its a brief but well researched overview of the Australian equivalent of the US's mid west. Whilst it doesn't go into a large amount of detail in any one era it does it also offers a nice starting point for anyone wishing to get an overview before going deeper.

Also gets strangely polemical and emotional at the end regarding nuclear power.

[Bryce Galloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

After promising a book that necessarily faces the issues of first nations Australians, the writers visit their plight infrequently. Being a book about changes in party politics, law, resources and land use means that first nations people only appear when their plight is debated at the top, as in, by colonial power.
The book is otherwise thorough and well-written regarding socio political life of white South Australia, but in being thorough it’s also a little too even handed, without the dynamics of selected events receiving greater and lesser attention.
Reading the penultimate chapter about the neo-liberal 80s/90s is like a detour to hell. After decades of incremental improvements and reforms it’s like a great leap backwards into some sort of fucked up feudalism. Depressing.

[Pete Gervais · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive, really well researched and a pleasure to read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!