On Thursday October 22, I am privileged to have been invited as guest speaker at the SA  Murray Irrigators’ AGM being held at Banrock Station from 4 pm.

I have chosen to speak about the stages of lock construction, giving an insight into the type of labour required of the men who toiled along the River Murray and also built lives for their wives and families.

Image State Library of SA collection. Lock 9 during weir construction.

By examining some of the images of lock/weir construction, one can get a feel for the tenacity and strength these workers displayed in building the great structures which allow irrigation of our precious crops.