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Port Price has just celebrated its Centenary Year, having been proclaimed on 3rd August, 1882. The township takes its name from Florence Anne Price who married a son of Major-General Sir Wm. Francis Jervious*.
*Price Centenary 1882-1982.

The causeway, which extends from the township through the mangrove swamps to Wells Creek, a tidal inlet, is about 1600 metres (1mile) long. It connects to the 78.6 metre (258 feet) long wharf where the ketches from Port Adelaide moored when they brought provisions for the township. In the early days the ketches back-loaded with the mallee roots for the fires of people in Adelaide.

Farmer, in hard times, sold the stumps for 56 cents (5/6d) a dray load. Pioneers recalled seeing up to 12 ketches waiting to load*. *Price Centenary 1882-1982.

Fresh water was always scarce on the Peninsula and local people had to obtain and carry their water the 14 kilometres from Tiddy Widdy Well, situated in the sand dunes, between Port Price and Ardrossan.

When water eventually arrived at Port Price from Beetaloo Reservoir in 1914 it was conveyed in pipes made of wood. These were later replaced by concrete pipes.

Because of the shortage of water many of the earlier houses were built of mortar made from salt water. As can be imagined salt damp was quite a problem*. *Price Centenary 1882-1982.

The Ocean Salt Company here employs 70 people and their product is marketed under the "Crown" brand label.

Harvesting of salt commenced here on 1st October, 1917, when the Gulf Salt Company took out the first lease. In those days the salt was harvested manually, providing casual work for labourers for five months of the year.

In 1919 the company harvested 700 tonnes of salt. In 1982, 70,000 tonnes were processed.

Known as the Solar Process, it is begun by pumping sea water into large embanked paddocks. Sun and wind evaporate most of the fluid and the resulting heavy brine gravitates through sluices to other paddocks until it reaches the crystallizing area. Here the bottom of the lake of paddock has been covered with a layer of specially washed fine sand which has been heavily rolled and levelled. The walls are timbered. As the remaining liquid in the brine evaporates, the salt is deposited in a crust about 16 centimetres thick. A special machine picks up the crust and stacks it into heaps. When required it I crushed, washed, sieved, sterilized, graded and packed.

Said to be the largest salt refinery in the Southern Hemisphere it produces over 1000 tonnes of refined salt per week. This is transported all over Australia and overseas*. *Pamphlet of the Ocean Salt Company.

On both the approach and departure sides of the main roads to Port Price are plantations of native trees. These were planted by public-spirited citizen Eric Gianakos who has a small farm in the area. It has been estimated that in 18 years he has planted 30,000 trees and shrubs in the vicinity of Port Price. At his own expense he has obtained seeds and seedlings from Western Australia, North Australia and the far north of South Australia. These were planted in an endeavour to re-afforest this area which has been denuded of its natural She-oak, native pine and mallee over the last 100 years.

In 1981 he was awarded an O.A.M. in the Queen's Birthday Honours List*. *"The Advertiser," 27th January, 1981.

State Library of South Australia - PRG 280/1/7/373

Distant view of the main street at Price, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

GA1012 - State Records of South Australia

Price Primary School Date Range: 1885 - 2000 Inventory of Series Description

The town of Price was proclaimed in 1882, and just three years later in 1885 the Price Primary School was opened.

Price School was a provisional school, as were many other schools in small country towns. Provisional schools were conducted in rented premises and were staffed either by certified or an uncertified teacher. The residents of the town were responsible for supplying a suitable building, for which the Education Department paid a rent of 10 shillings per annum up to a maximum of 12 pounds per year. Suitable premises were those having a water tank and toilet facilities available. The school came under the jurisdiction of the Greens Plains Board of Advice which had a similar role to that of the present day School Council.

In 1945 a shelter shed in the school grounds was completed. In 1948 the enrolment of 11 Grade One children made a total of 38 children in all for that year. 1948 also saw the commencement of the school bus service for secondary students to attend Maitland Area School. Enrolments rose to 44 the following year. Wiring of the school electricity commenced in 1952, and part of the school grounds were asphalted.

In 1992 school commenced with 22 students. By July of that year there were 28 students and the school reverted back to two classes, Reception - Year 3 and Year 4-7. Play centre also recommenced at the school for the 3-5 year old children. Many local children did not previously attend kindergarten due to the travelling involved.

In 1994 the school had 26 students. In 1995 there were 26 students and by the end of September this had grown to 39. By 1996 the year ended with 45 students in attendance, the highest number since 1980. By 1999 the year commenced with 11 students in the Reception - Year 3 class and seventeen Year 4-7 students. Approval was given for the Pre school - Junior Primary program which became known as ABC - Activity Based Curriculum.

In 2000 the school year commenced with 24 students. In Term 2 of that year an investigation was conducted into the Partnership 21 Scheme which the school had opted to join in 2001, and through which it had been hoped would ensure the School's continuation in the future. By Term 3 it became eviden by the expected number of students in 2001, that it would be in the best interests of students that a larger school would better cater for their social and academic needs.

Many factors had affected the decline in the number of students at the school, although the school had an excellent reputation for providing a quality education. The local population was aging and employment possibilities were declining.

On the last day of Term 3, official approval to close the school was granted by the Minister for Education, Mr Malcolm Buckby. Most parents opted to send their children to Ardrossan Area School.

On 4 November 2000 the school celebrated the heritage of the School, and on 15 December 2000 the doors officially closed on Price Primary School.

For a full list of teachers posted to the school and some reminiscences of old scholars, see publication cited below:

Source: GRS 10437/1, Published histories of schools - "No Stronger Bond: Price, Dowlingville, Port Clinton, Clinton Centre, Clinton - Primary Schools", 1985.

Creation Abolition Legislation Education Act, 1972 Superior Agencies Date Range Title Agency Id

1885 - 1994 Education Department GA300
1994 - 1997 Department for Education and Children`s Services I (DECS) GA604
1997 - 2000 Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) GA814

Subordinate Agencies Date Range Title Agency Id Related Agencies Agency Id Title Description

Inventory of Series

Contents Date Range Series Date Range Number of Units Public Access Series Id Series Title

1885 - 1998 1885 - 1998 1 Part Open GRS/7888 Admission registers - Price School
1923 - 1972 1923 - 1972 1 Part Open GRS/9314 Inspector`s register - Price School
1933 - 1946 1933 - 1946 1 Open GRS/8977 PRICE PRIMARY SCHOOL LESSON REGISTER FOR MONITORS AND JUNIOR TEACHERS
1942 - 2000 1942 - 2000 1 Part Open GRS/7886 School journals - Price School
1946 - 2000 1946 - 2000 2 Part Open GRS/7890 Price Primary School - School Council Minutes and Correspondence
1947 - 1971 1947 - 1971 1 Open GRS/7887 Teacher`s examination registers - Price School
1956 - 2000 1956 - 2000 1 Part Open GRS/7889 WELFARE CLUB MEETING MINUTES
1977 - 2000 1977 - 2000 1 Restricted GRS/7891 STAFF MEETING MINUTE BOOKS
1983 - 1983 1983 - 1983 1 Undetermined GRS/8976 SCHOOL POLICY
1992 - c 2000 1992 - c 2000 1 Restricted GRS/7896 Photographs and ephemera - Price School
1993 - 2000 1993 - 2000 0 Not Applicable GRS/7892 Financial records - Price Primary School
1996 - 1998 1996 - 1998 1 Open GRS/8975 Annual reports - Price Primary School
1997 - 1997 1997 - 1997 1 Open GRS/14084 Newsletters - Price Primary School
1998 - 2000 1998 - 2000 0 Not Applicable GRS/7885 Miscellaneous records - Price Primary School

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