Poonindie was established in 1850 by Adelaide Archdeacon Matthew Hale as a ‘training institution’ for young Aboriginal families. Land outside of Port Lincoln was chosen because it was relatively isolated at that time.

At first Poonindie was only to take young people who had some basic schooling and Christian education. The first group of residents (originally from the Adelaide Plains and River Murray region) had been educated at the Adelaide school, and at Poonindie they were expected to live a Christian lifestyle, form nuclear families and learn domestic and agricultural skills. When the Adelaide school closed in 1852, Poonindie lost this pool of future residents, and soon they were persuaded by the Protector of Aborigines to accept people from across South Australia, including unaccompanied children.

Living conditions at Pooninidie were basic - there was no running water, and there were problems with poor health, over-crowding and a lack of essentials - but once established Poonindie was almost entirely self sufficient, thanks to a successful farming enterprise.

The Anglican church closed Poonindie in 1894 and the land was divided and leased. Many former residents moved to Point McLeay or Point Pearce, but some stayed on the land, or on the Aboriginal Reserve that had been established nearby, hoping to secure a parcel of land for their family to run. Only one Aboriginal resident of Poonindie was successful in obtaining a lease on ex-Poonindie land, whilst a few were granted leases to work land on the Aboriginal Reserve.


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