A place for making poison
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325594)
Rockingham, Australia
July 14, 2018 6:58am CST
While in Adelaide, South Australia, we visited Old Government House which was formerly the summer residence of the state’s early governors. It was built in 1860 on land originally acquired as a government farm.
A feature of the building was the colony’s first indoor plunge pool. This was a luxury as public bathing was frowned upon in polite society. When it was replaced by a much grander residence at Marble Hill, the house had various occupants including a German chemist, Max Bernbaum, who lived there from 1879-1885.
In the 1870s, rabbits were in plague proportions. Bernbaum converted the servants’ cottage into ‘The Bi-sulphide of Carbon Manufactory’ and began to manufacture thousands of gallons of poison which was used to poison rabbits. Work at the factory was hard and dangerous but it earned substantial bonuses for Bernbaum and his nine employees.
Today the building and grounds are maintained and preserved as part of the State’s heritage by the Friends of Old Government House. The photo is of the servant’s quarters and shows the lovely brickwork.
11 people like this
12 responses
@rakski (112925)
• Philippines
20 Jul 18
@JohnRoberts oh okay, so it is like rabbits invasion. My son likes watching a cartoon name rabids invasion
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325594)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jul 18
What @JohnRoberts says is absolutely correct. They are an huge menace here and almost impossible to control.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Jul 18
Because the rabbit population reached epidemic proportions in Australia and were destroying the natural habitat. They were out of control in the millions.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Jul 18
They may look cute but rabbits are rodents and pests destroying crops and vegetation for other animals.
3 people like this
@sol_cee (38223)
• Philippines
14 Jul 18
@JohnRoberts I didn’t know that. Rabbits are sold in my country as pets. They don’t destroy crops here.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
18 Jul 18
interesting history.... and I love the way that the different ways of laying the bricks changes the whole look of a property... we have many different examples of using bricks to enhance the look of a property... as it has changed throughout history...
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118421)
• Gainesville, Florida
22 Jul 18
Wouldn't it have been easier to just hunt all those rabbits for food, instead of poisoning them? Or were they carriers of some kind of disease back then?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118421)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Jul 18
@JudyEv With a population of so many, how did they survive? It looks to me like overpopulation, but they must have had a steady food source for their numbers to get so high like that.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325594)
• Rockingham, Australia
31 Jul 18
@moffittjc They just ate the pasture and native grasses till there was nothing left. They breed like - well, rabbits (boom boom) so their numbers escalate very quickly.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169880)
• United States
14 Jul 18
Poor bunnies! That's the best thing about traveling..going to places you wouldn't ordinarily see.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325594)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jul 18
We've seen all sorts of things and learnt about a heap of things we knew nothing of.
@JudyEv (325594)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jul 18
Most of the places are new to us. A few we've been to before but not for some years.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Jul 18
Fascinating bit of history. Didn't know poison was greatly used to curb the rabbit population.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325594)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jul 18
Many of our old buildings are now being 'adopted' by various groups who try to look after them.
@Jessabuma (31700)
• Baguio, Philippines
14 Jul 18
I love this picture. Beautiful and lovely brickwork..
