Mannum

History

The Aboriginal inhabitants and traditional owners of the vicinity now called Mannum were the Nganguruku (Nganguruga), part of the larger Ngayawung community. In 1830 the Sturt expedition passed through the area by boat. No Europeans visited again until 25 January 1838 when the expedition of Dr George Imlay and John Hill, on horseback from Adelaide, became the first to reach the Murray overland within South Australia. They noted that the thriving Indigenous population were very keen fisherfolk. The first European settlement in the area was in 1840. The first ship (a side-wheel paddle steamer) built on the Murray River was launched at Mannum by William Randell in 1852. A shipbuilding industry continued in Mannum until into the 20th century. William Randell is memorialised by the preservation of the rectangular boiler from the paddle wheeler Mary Ann in the town's recreation park. His dry dock held the Marion, an 1897 built paddle wheeler; managed by the National Trust of South Australia as a museum. The Marion left active service in 1950 and spent until 1963 as a boarding house. The Marion was recommissioned in 1994 and currently operates as a daytrip and overnight cruising vessel along the Murray. A number of other manufacturing industries were established in the town, and some continue; although not as large as they once were. The largest heavy manufacturing company was David Shearer (later Horwood-Bagshaw) which made farm equipment. Mannum apparently has the distinction of having lost more men per head of population in both World Wars than any other town in South Australia. There is a song, called Year of the Drum, written by Wendy Joseph which describes the tragic effects of the World Wars on several generations of the people of Mannum and the use of music to…

Most-observed species

• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  751
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  704
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  615
• Singing Honeyeater

  Gavicalis virescens (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  483
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  476
• White-plumed Honeyeater

  Ptilotula penicillata (Gould, 1837) · Aves
  446
• Whistling Kite

  Haliastur sphenurus (Vieillot, 1818) · Aves
  420
• Red-rumped Parrot

  Psephotus haematonotus (Gould, 1838) · Aves
  388

Most recent

• M 3 — 2022-03-29
  3 km ESE of Macclesfield, Australia
• M 4 — 2022-03-05
  3 km SW of Mount Barker, Australia
• M 3.2 — 2018-08-08
  11 km WNW of Mannum, Australia
• M 3.9 — 2017-02-01
  9 km NW of Murray Bridge, Australia
• M 3.3 — 2011-10-18
  3 km ESE of Hawthorndene, Australia
• M 3.8 — 2010-04-16
  2 km N of Macclesfield, Australia