TOWN OF GAWLER ...to which the prize of twenty guineas was awarded by The Gawler Institute on the occasion of its Second Anniversary, 1859 Gawler Public Library Institute Building, 91 Murray Street Gawler SA 5118 Phone (08) 8522 9213 Fax (08) 8522 9212 Email:
[email protected] Website: www.gawler.sa.gov.au 2. This year, 2009, marks the 150th Anniversary of the writing of The Song of Australia . The inspiration behind the concept of holding a competition to find a ‘national song’ is now lost in the annals of time but the Committee of the Gawler Institute exhibited considerable foresight in considering the production of a patriotic song to encompass the whole of ‘Australia’ when Australia still consisted of six independent colonies. The Gawler Institute had been founded in October 1857 and it quickly became an important part of the Gawler community. The first anniversary was celebrated with a two-day ‘exhibition of works of art and natural curiosities’. 1. For the second anniversary, the Institute Sign next to Gawler Institute Committee decided to offer prizes of ten guineas building, Murray Street, Gawler, commemorating The (£10 10s which today would be worth approximately Song of Australia. (Town of AU$1560 2. ) for the words and music for a patriotic Gawler, Gawler Heritage song. Collection) A public notice calling for entries for The Song of Australia competition appeared in The Advertiser on October 1, 1859. The judges were listed as John H Barrow MP, John Brown, John Howard Clark, Hon A Forster MLC, W C Wearing and E J Peake MP.