Alma, South Australia

Alma is a small town in South Australia halfway between the Wakefield River, to the north, and River Light to the south. Alma, Alma South and Alma Plains were named for the cadastral Hundred of Alma in which they lie, which was in turn named after the Battle of the Alma, the site of an allied victory in the Crimean War.^[2]

Alma South Australia
Farmland in Alma
Alma
Coordinates	34°16′S 138°38′E
Population	66 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)	5401
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Location	7 km (4 mi) E of Owen
LGA(s)	Wakefield RC Clare & Gilbert Valleys DC
State electorate(s)	Goyder
Federal division(s)	Grey
Localities around Alma: Balaklava Salter Springs Giles Corner Owen Alma Tarlee Stockyard Creek Hamley Bridge Stockport

Alma is located approximately 74 km from Adelaide and covers an area of 102.786 km². It has a recorded population of 75 residents.

Local government

For about five years from the mid-1860s the township and surrounding locality was governed at the local level by the Stockport and Rhynie councils, seated to the southeast and northeast of Alma, respectively. The District Council of Alma Plains was proclaimed in 1870, severing portions of Stockport and Rhynie, to provide dedicated local government to Alma.^[3] The Alma Range to the east of the township formed a natural boundary with Rhynie and Stockport.

The council was amalgamated with Dalkey in 1932, bringing Alma under local governance of Owen Council. From 1983, Alma came under the local governance of the much larger District Council of Wakefield Plains when that council was formed by the amalgamation of Owen with Balaklava and Port Wakefield councils. The regional councils further coalesced in 1997 when Wakefield Plains amalgamated with Blyth-Snowtown to form the Wakefield Regional Council which presently governs Alma at the local level.

Former Congregational Church

Churches

There are no longer any churches operating in the Alma area. There are or have been churches and cemeteries associated with several denominations:

• Church of Christ (1862–1938),^[4] corner of Branson Road and Alma South Road^[5]
• Congregational Church at Alma Plains (1865–1928), corner of Almond Tree Road and Freebairn Road^[6][7]
  • Replaced by new building in Alma township (corner of Alma Road and Almond Tree Road), 1928–1972^[8]
• Primitive Methodist Church (corner of Owen Road and McKenzie Road)^[9] original building 1866^[10][11] replaced 1878^[12]

Notable people

Notable from or who have lived in Alma include:

• Robert Caldwell, farmer and politician
• James Gilbert Woolcock, metallurgist, mining consultant, mining engineer

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Alma (SA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. "Manning index of South Australian placenames". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
3. "Proclamation by the Governor. District of Alma Plains" (PDF). South Australian Government Gazette. 1870 (56 ed.). Government of South Australia: 1573. 23 November 1865. Retrieved 22 October 2020. Messrs. John Laurie, David Smyth, James Day, John Connell, and Gavin Freebairn shall be the first District Councillors for the District of Alma Plains
4. Taylor, H. R. (January 1950). "The History of Churches of Christ in South Australia 1846-1959". Stone-Campbell Books. 389.
5. "Alma South Christ Church/graveyard". BillionGraves. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
6. "Alma Plains Congregational Cemetery". BillionGraves. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
7. "Centenary of Alma Congregational Church". Monument Australia. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
8. "A New Church at Alma". The Chronicle. Vol. LXX, no. 3, 813. South Australia. 28 January 1928. p. 58. Retrieved 25 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "Alma Plains Primitive Methodist Cemetery". BillionGraves. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
10. "The Week's News". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XXIV, no. 1290. South Australia. 23 June 1866. p. 1 (Supplement to the Adelaide Observer.). Retrieved 26 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "The Week's News". Adelaide Observer. Vol. XXIV, no. 1317. South Australia. 29 December 1866. p. 4. Retrieved 26 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "Lower Alma, July 9". South Australian Chronicle And Weekly Mail. Vol. XXI, no. 1, 038. South Australia. 13 July 1878. p. 4. Retrieved 25 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.

External links

• Flinders Ranges Research: Alma