SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 500, 19 August 1857, Page 4

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

We have News from-Adelaide via Sydney, to Julvl.

The general news is quite uninteresting, but we condense the following account of important discoveries in the North from the 'Register.' The Deputy Surveyor-General, who was despatched with a small party to the North for the purpose of establishing a trigonometrical survey in the neighbourhood of Blanchewater and the surrounding country described by Mr. Babbage, has returned, having measured his base line, and penetrated to the southern bank of Lake Torrens in about latitude 29 degrees or thirty miles north-east of St. Mary's Pool, which may be taken as nearly the northern extent of Mr. Babbage's explorations.

Mr. Goyder has made some very important discoveries with reference to Lake Torrens, the creeks flowing into it, and the probable existance of a well watered country in the northern or north-western interior.

In addition to the creeks, Mr. Goyder saw a number of very large springs,, from three to four miles north of St. Mary's Pool. Many of them are surrounded by masses of reeds. Their water is limpid, and of the purest possible character. The ground in their vicinity is covered with a white substance, conveying at first sight the idea of a recent snowstorm. This was mistaken for brine, but upon examination it proved to be salts of ammonia, which would not, of course, affect the purity of water, but will make an excellent manure. Mr. Goyder brought away some specimens; but these he will not be able to exhibit until the arrival of his baggage.

Mr. Goyder's discoveries assure us of tlie addition of an extensive tract of valuable country to the known available area of the colony. He found no difficulty in obtaining water north of latitude 30 degrees, and he ascertained that all the creeks feel towards the north. The editor sums up by saying that it appears that Lake Torrens is an extensive and permanent sheet of fresh water, communicating, to all appearance, with an island sea or river to the northward or north-westward; that it is subsidised by several large fresh water creeks ; and that there exists in its immediate vicinity a considerable extent of well watered pastured land.