Moorundi Lifestyle

We can gauge Eyre’s daily life from the instructions he asked Scott to carry out for him while he was absent looking for CC Dutton. His list included:

The village gate was to be kept locked.

All newspapers from Adelaide were to be kept carefully.

Workmen needed to be supervised.

Timber boards were to be brought in and stacked.

Fencing needed to be continued extensively.

Supplies he was sending from Adelaide needed to be distributed.

Paddocks needed to be ploughed – Mr Ingram needed instructions.

Lucerne, wheat and maize must be planted. (He supplied details on how this should be done.)

No visitor’s horses were to be tethered inside any fences.

No visitors were to be put up in his tent in case they turned it topsy turvey, although Scott could use it.

Richard must not be given any other task besides sewing.

The embankment alongside the river was to be built higher in case of flooding.

Events at Moorundi, employment data, river heights and rainfall figures, must be recorded in his diary daily.

Flora and fauna samples were to be collected.

Besides these duties, Scott needed to troubleshoot any problems that might arise with respect to the police, troopers, settlers or Aborigines.

Oh, and the building programme needed to continue!

It is noteworthy that despite the other buildings erected successfully at Moorundi, Eyre had been too busy to build his own home and was still living in his tent towards the end of 1842.