This is Chris — and we honestly can't believe what he found.
Armed with a metal detector and a passion for history, Chris paid us a visit to explore the ground beneath Colonel William Light’s tree — the very spot where Light is believed to have camped in 1837, under the now-iconic gum tree at the front of Kies.
Chris volunteered his time purely out of kindness, wanting to help us uncover more of the rich history surrounding this special place. What an incredible human being.
While he didn’t uncover anything directly linked to Colonel Light himself, Chris did strike gold in another way: with rare and fascinating artefacts that shine a light on the everyday lives of those who came after.
Among the discoveries:
- A dog registration tag from 1888
- A shotgun cartridge dated 1901
These might seem like small items, but they're significant windows into the past. Here’s a fun (and slightly shocking) fact: back in the 1800s, failing to register your dog could land you with a 90-day prison sentence. Suddenly that modern $50 registration fee doesn’t seem so bad!
We also want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our efforts to honour and preserve Colonel Light’s Tree. From the media outlets like The Leader and 5AA, to our amazing local community and supporters from further afield — including the 200+ people who’ve already signed our petition to help get the site heritage listed — we are incredibly grateful.
If you’d like to learn more or add your name to the petition, you can find the link below.
And if you’d like to show your appreciation for Chris and his efforts, give this post a like or share it with someone who loves local history as much as we do.
Thank you again, Chris, and thank you to everyone who continues to help us bring this piece of South Australian history to life.
Petition link:
