This website from the historical perspective

It was a chance meeting. My wife and I were visiting "Murphys Haystacks" in August of 2002 for a series of photographs we needed when, by chance, Denis Cash turned up at the site. We were talking about our Eyre Peninsula website project, and what it was all about. We were writing a series of articles, we call them "Special Features" and we wanted to include the Haystacks and the Calca region as a tourist destination. Denis kindly provided some history and later mailed photographs of Denis Murphy and a book on the Calca region.

We created the Murphys Haystacks Special Feature and posted it to the net. It included a very brief history and a few photos that we are able to shoot, beg, borrow and steal. Obviously an idea had formed in Denis's mind at that stage - in addition to some minor "cajoling" by his offspring from what we are led to believe.

When See Eyre was "unofficially" launched (now shutdown) we offered some small free websites to Eyre Peninsula residents. Denis considered that given the importance of the Haystacks and the region that he would take up the "offer" of a free website. As would have it, to set up a dot com site like the one you are currently viewing requires a little more than a "freebie" so we were commissioned to construct this site. Some 2 months, 20 pages and many hours later, www.murphys-haystacks.com was born.

And the rest they say, is history...

From the developers perspective it was an absolute pleasure to work on the site and with the people involved. If we have erred in fact or "fiction", please email us and we'll make the correction as soon as humanly possible. If we have forgotten to acknowledge you, also let us know via an email. Above all, we hope you enjoy the site.

Steve & Michelle Wade : December 2002

website : a little finesse web design

From the historical perspective

While building this site, we decided to provide reasonably detailed information on the man himself, Denis Murphy, as well as a historically correct account of The Mail Run during that era. Both are obviously intertwined in how the place got it's name. It was very easy to get sidetracked on the history of the region as the more research we did, the more fascinating it became. If brevity is a victim on this website, we offer our apologies.

HISTORICAL SOURCES

Some of the information for the historical aspect has been supplied by Denis Cash, the current owner of the land around Murphy's Haystacks, and family. A big thank you to all. As it was in the late 1800's, the hospitality shown on our visits to the area was just as friendly.

A large portion of the black and white photographs and historical information was sourced from the "History of Calca 1885-1991" book. 

Research was conducted for this book by the Calca Book Committee and compiled by Lisa Baker.

Portions of text were also extracted from "The Streaky Bay" - ISBN 0 7316 4188 4 - Compiled by The History Committee of Streaky Bay & District - Don Amey, Betty Bebbington, Lance Beck, Dawn Benson, Joe Taylor and John Wharff [Chairman]. Edited by Neil & Val Thompson. October 1988.

From the geological perspective

In addition to the historical information, we sought [and received] very detailed information on the "natural creation" of the Haystacks and to this end we owe an absolute debt of gratitude to Dr. Rowl Twidale [D.Sc. (Bristol), Ph.D. (McGill) and D.Hon.,Causa (Madrid)], whom, with another geologist, Dr Elizabeth M. Campbell [Ph.D. Adelaide] compiled the original report in the Technical Geology page on this site.

Dr. Twidale also assisted in keeping the geology reports factual and in context during website creation and another thank you is offered to that end.

GEOLOGICAL SOURCES

Dr Twidale is an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Adelaide University. He can be reached via

Department of Geology & Geophysics
University of Adelaide
ADELAIDE   5005
South Australia

phone   :  Int + (618) STD (08) 8303 5392
fax       :  Int + (618) STD (08) 8303 4347
e-mail   : rowl.twidale@adelaide.edu.au

website : http://oliver.geology.adelaide.edu.au/staff/rtwidale

Dr. Campbell is a Research Associate, also at the Adelaide University. She can be reached

Department of Geology & Geophysics
University of Adelaide
ADELAIDE   5005
South Australia

 

phone   :  + (618)  STD (08) 8303 5323

fax        : + (61 8) STD  (08) 8303 4347

e-mail   : elizabeth.campbell@adelaide.edu.au

website : http://oliver.geology.adelaide.edu.au/staff/lcampbel

 

End of Story.........