The fourth of September 2017 Marks the 160th anniversary since the first meeting of the Town Council of Gawler, which incorporated into a municipality in 1857. Previously, the town of Gawler fell within the Barossa West council jurisdiction. However, the distance between communities made Gawler difficult to service, causing great public dissatisfaction. The movement to secede from the Barossa West council was largely lead by James Martin and John Rudall, both men who lead lives of great community contribution. Martin was a local businessperson, engineering agricultural, mining and railway implements and machinery. Later he went on to become a longstanding Mayor of Gawler (1861-1864, 1868, 1877 and 1887), Member of the House of Assembly and Member of the Legislative Council. Rudall was a local lawyer who, in 1857, was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court and was also appointed as first Town Clerk of the Town of Gawler. In 1881, he assumed the role of the resident Magistrate at the Cowan Street Courthouse here in Gawler.Within the first council served nine aldermen and councillors, who were responsible for either the north, south or east wards. Those first members are as follows: Name Position Ward From To Cotter, Dr Barry Councillor South Ward 1857 1857 Fotheringham, James Councillor East Ward 1857 1857 Harrison, J H Councillor East Ward 1857 1859 Jones, Thomas Oliver Alderman and Councillor North Ward 1857 1857 Martin, James Alderman and Councillor South Ward 1857 1860 Turner, Frederick Foote Councillor East Ward 1857 1857 Turner, Richard James Mayor 1857 1860 Warren, George Alderman and Councillor North Ward 1857 1857 Wilcox, Thomas Councillor North Ward 1857 1860 The Council was granted 150 pounds by the Government to cover preliminary expenditure. Headaches for Gawlers early councils included a lack of fences. Ephraim Henry Coombe, who was a politician and former editor of the Bunyip Newspaper, explained in his History of Gawler that ‘horses, cows, pigs, and goats wandered without let or hindrance throughout the town’ as if in a Western film set. Moreover, deforestation to allow for urban development, resulted in exposed and loose top soil. Now, dust storms and flooding were common destructive occurrences. James Martin describes in writings the ‘enormous quantity of sand and mud, usually leaving a sand bank in Murray Street.’ Consequently, improving the drainage system in Gawler was a priority to prevent damage to private and public lands. Hence, underground drains from Murray Street to the South Para were constructed. An upgrade to the surfacing of Murray Street was also of importance as Gawler was situated along the main route between the Adelaide and the agricultural and mining communities of the north. As these travellers supported the local economy, accessible roads were of great importance. The early streets of Gawler Title: Hotel, Gawler [B 10591] Creator: Sweet, Samuel White Date: Approximately 1875 Source: State Library of South Australia