Riverland final home

1917 saw another move, this time to Berri to sink bores and work on the irrigation scheme for the Returned Soldiers Settlements planned for the Riverland. There was no actual settlement in Barmera at the time, and they lived in a location known as Puddletown, which is half way between Berri and Barmera, off the main road towards Katarapko. The site of Puddletown no longer exists, but there is a Puddletown Rd, that takes you to the general area. William and sons worked building irrigation systems and sinking bores. Around 1918 Elizabeth set up a boarding house, which she managed in different locations for some years. For those of us who know Barmera now, you have to imagine it as the lake, and scrub. Nothing else. Cobdogla, 5 kms west, was the main town for this section. The original “boarding house” was a bough shed and a series of tents set up on the shores of Lake Bonney for those who needed them. The bough shed was a shelter built out of large branches which had been stripped of small branches and bark and which formed the structure. The roof was branches with leaves and the whole was covered in chicken wire. Here Elizabeth cooked meals each night for the people working on the projects that the family were working on. By 1920 Elizabeth had an actual boarding house in Laffer street not far from the main street, Barwell Avenue. She was listed as a boarding house manager in the 1920 Sands and McDougall state directory. The family also opened the first shop in Barmera, which Frank ran, as well as managing his fruit block. Unfortunately, this was badly damaged in a fire in 1924, with the house in Laffer St also suffering severe damage. (See Francis Arthur)

Mr Bert Whitmore was one of the men working with surveyors on planning the returned service blocks at Loveday and Cobdogla, who enjoyed meals each night with the McBrides. Part of the overall irrigation scheme involved what is now the Barmera Yacht Club, which was originally built as a pumping station, taking water out of Lake Bonney and pumping it to blocks in the local region. In 1931 this was abandoned as the water was becoming saline, in favour of a large pumping station built at Loveday. Barmera was declared a town in 1921, with formal proclamation in 1928. The challenge of the new settlement, which was centred on Cobdogla and Loveday, was evident in the drought which began around 1913. The Lake is filled from the creek and the river in the north. Although the drought broke around 1915 it was 4 years before the lake began to fill again. This photo was taken in 1914 and shows men using horses to reap wheat which had been sown on the dry Lake Bonney. Although the national wheat crop was down because of the drought, the Lake was very damp even though it was empty, and so wheat could grow. An explanation of the European discovery of Barmera, the initial interactions with the Aboriginal people who lived there and the subsequent development of the area is described The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) Sat 4 Jun 1927 Page 14 LAKE BONNEY.

The fortunes of the McBride family followed the fortunes of the new area. As the new settlers built their towns and industry, the McBride members were involved in all facets of life. Being ardent Catholics, Frank McBride and Henry Danvers ( Winifred’s husband) were instrumental in raising funds and helping to manage the new Catholic Church which was opened in July 1929.

The family stayed in Barmera and prospered. John and Teresa (Jack & Triss) settled in Cobdogla and ran a block for Frank, while John also did road construction work for the Council. Frank had his shop, his blocks and several other interests. Austin (Paddy) helped Frank and was also an active member of the Cobdogla District Council. Winifred (Winnie) had married Henry Danvers and settled on a returned services block. Leo married Emilie Wilson (Queenie) initially living on a block before Queenie and the children moving to Adelaide while Leo worked for Department of Defence in various locations. Leonard (Len) worked with Frank, ran a butcher shop with Paddy, married Doris Doig and bought and built up the cool drink factory. Annie (Peg) worked in Cobdogla as a teacher before marrying Bert Wauchope and moving to the Port Lincoln area. Lucy (Sis) had married Walter Reed in 1917 in Norwood and moved back to the West Coast while Uneata (Nat) was on the West Coast with her family having stayed after marrying in 1912. Michael (Vin) stayed in Eurelia when the family went to Carrow and after discharging from the army, remained in Melbourne where he worked and married Vera Newton.