Adam Lindsay Gordon: Ron researches the history of the Limestone Coast in the South East region of South Australia

Not far from the picturesque fishing village of Port MacDonnell on the Limestone Coast sits a tiny cottage, a shrine of sorts to one of Australia's great literary figures.

Once regarded as the nation's greatest poet, Adam Lindsay Gordon purchased the quaint little hideaway as a holiday retreat for himself, his wife Maggie and their daughter Annie. Wander around the grounds of the first house to be placed on the South Australian Heritage Register and you can see why it brought out the romantic side in this daredevil poet.

Adam Lindsay Gordon left England in 1853 as a 20 yr old. In the years that followed he established an amazing reputation as a flamboyant parliamentarian, a cavalier horseman and a bush poet. And much of his poetry was inspired by his life in the southeast of South Australia and his time here in this idyllic setting which he called Dingly Dell.

Gordon's life reads like one of his own galloping pieces of verse. Described as a riotous youth, he was shipped off to Adelaide by his parents. On arrival he signed up as a horse breaker with the South Australian Police and was later posted to Penola as a trooper.

It proved to be the ideal posting for this most unusual policeman. His equestrian feats became legendary especially at the Gordon's Leap monument which immortalises his death defying jump down the steep slopes of the Blue Lake - and all for a bet.

From the property at Dingly Dell you can see Mount Schank and Mount Gambier and it was out here in the paddocks of the southeast that Adam Lindsay Gordon would hone his riding skills. He went onto win many steeplechase races including three on the trot at Flemington in Melbourne. His poetry is full of swashbuckling themes - midnight rides and epic tales of brave horsemen.

Inside the cottage is Adam Lindsay Gordon's writing desk and it was here that he may well have refined some of his poetry. Gordon's poetry really struck a chord with the Australian public because it said something about how they wanted to see themselves. His poetry was about mate-ship and self reliance and one stanza in particular really sums it up - 'life is mostly froth and bubble, two things stand like stone, kindness in another's trouble, and courage in your own'.

The old photos at Dingley Dell reveal the extent of his fame well after his death. In the 1930s the cottage became a shrine for the many devotees of his bush balladry with hundreds gathering for broadcasts of Gordon's poetry. Over time his fame extended overseas and on May the 11th 1934 a bust of the balladeer was installed in Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey - the only Australian poet to receive such an honour.

Allan Childs, Dingly Dell: "He became hit in England because they didn't know anything about Australia. His poetry opened up the romance of Australia, of the bush, the birds and the bees. The 'Sixth Stock Rider' was really the one that took that off. So he captures the Pommies imagination about Australia. He's the man that opened it up to the world."

But the pilgrimages to Dingly Dell and all the other posthumous celebration belies the tragedy of his later life. He moved from Dingly Dell to Ballarat and bought into a livery stable but that burnt down. And then his eleven month old baby died.

Allan Childs, Dingly Dell: "After the death of his little daughter at Ballarat, he got melancholic. He started to drink heavily and got into barbiturates."

His wife Maggie left him and the slide into depression continued. No longer allowed to compete in steeplechase races because of head injuries suffered in previous falls, Gordon took up a sports reporting job in Melbourne. But faced with financial ruin when his claim to Esslemont Castle in Scotland failed, Adam Lindsay Gordon shot himself on Melbourne's Brighton Beach.

It's a tragic tale of one of Australia's giants. Many of his personal belongings are on display at Dingly Dell Cottage. After visiting the house make sure you take time out to stroll through the surrounding bushland. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au

Dingly Dell Cottage
Dingly Dell Road
Port MacDonnell
Open Daily 10am - 4pm
Ph.8738 2221

Published 19th September 2010