[Old Noarlunga] (Watercolour)

Rural scene of cattle drinking in a stream below a church on a hill in the distance; this has been identified as the Anglican Church of St Philip & St James at Old Noarlunga. Painted 15 December 1904.

Thomas Wood was born in England in 1854 and chose a career in the Church of England. He was curate of St Paul's, Blackburn, from 1878 to 1880. From 1880 to 1883 he was Railway Chaplain at Podanur, Madras, in India then travelled to South Australia where he became the incumbent at Robe (1884-1887). Wood was rector of Wallaroo (1887-1902) and at Willunga (1902-1921). He lived in retirement at Walkerville, and died on 12 November 1937, aged 83. Wood's record group in the State Library's collection features scenes of Hahndorf, Port Augusta, Salt Creek near Port Lincoln, Port Lincoln, Calicalinga (Carrickalinga), Mount Barker, Wallaroo, Willunga and Noarlunga.

The Anglican Church of St Philip and St James was for many the familiar landmark on the hill as they travelled south along South Road towards Victor Harbor. It was built in 1850 of ironstone quarried from the cliffs of the nearby Onkaparinga River and laboriously hauled up the hill by bullock teams. The church remains in use, looking down upon the village built in the loop of the river called the Horseshoe Bend. Before the bridge was built across the river, a ford below the hill was the crossing point. It seems to be this viewpoint that Wood has used for his painting.

Noarlunga was founded in 1841 after land was offered for sale by the South Australian Company. Once the dense wattle and peppermint scrub was cleared, sheep and cattle could be grazed and crops planted. A flour mill was built several years later and the bags of flour taken downstream by barge to vessels waiting at Port Noarlunga. Renamed Old Noarlunga in 1978 after it was by-passed by the new South Road, the town has retained much of its original character, despite now being an outer suburb of Adelaide.

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