Person

Poeppel, Augustus (1839 - 1891)

Born
16 April 1839
Germany
Died
4 July 1891
Occupation
Surveyor

Summary

Augustus Poeppel was a government surveyor and in 1879 marked the corner boundary of Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. Unfortunately his initial work was at fault due to his 'chain' being one inch too long and was redone in 1884.

Details

Augustus Poeppel was a surveyor with the South Australian Government from 1879. He surveyed the eastern boundary line for the province of South Australia from Cooper Creek to the 26th parallel of latitude for the, then the 26th parallel of latitude from the 141st meridian to the 138th meridian. He re-chained the line on the 26th parallel after a discrepancy was discovered, due to the chain he used having been an inch (2.5 cm) too long. A post at the point where South Australia meets the Northern Territory on its eastern side ("Poeppel Corner") initially erected by Poeppel in December 1880, was relocated after the second survey had been made. Poeppel moved to Victoria in 1890.

Archival resources

State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana

  • Augustus Poeppel - Records, 1880 - 1885, PRG 143; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details

Published resources

Resources

McCarthy, G.J.

EOAS ID: biogs/P001202b.htm

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