Harold Ernest Gallasch - Completed course in Geology at the Adelaide University (Top Distinction). Completed a Degree in Agriculture (Adelaide University) in Agronomy and Soil Science. Established the business ‘Australian Minerals’ which collects and buys mineral specimens and sells to collectors, museums, universities and other research institutions, Australia wide, but also overseas. Discovered a new mineral species in Australia (outback South Australia). Completed M.AgrSc degree (Adelaide University). Australian Minerals established at Hahndorf, South Australia. Instrumental in establishing the Mineralogical Society of South Australia, Inc.
Because of my experience in the field I was nominated by the South Australian Museum and accepted as a Valuer of Minerals, Gemstones, Meteorites et al under the Federal Government’s Cultural Gifts Program. Have continued as a Valuer under the ‘Cultural Gifts Program’ and regularly do valuations for all the major museums in Australia, for universities and other institutions, for various insurance companies, some legal firms and for many private collections. Australian Minerals has continued to expand so that it now has available the largest range of mineral species in Australia. I personally know and liase with and have business dealings with a majority of the major dealers around Australia. I travel to international mineral shows in the United States of America to meet dealers from all around the world, and buy and sell and import mineral specimens.
I continue my association with the Museum, the various State Mineralogical Societies, geologists from several mining companies and collectors around the world.
Via catalogues and the internet I keep in touch with sales at auctions, and with dealer prices in Australia, North America and Europe.
This broad background and involvement over a period of 50 years has given me the experience and knowledge to do a wide range of valuations, at both the retail and wholesale level.
Bukartilla Investments.
Bukartilla is the name given by the local Peramangk Aborigines to a swimming hole in the Hahndorf Creek, just opposite our property. The Gallasch’s have had a long association with Hahndorf, arriving on board the Catarina, ex Hamburg, which berthed at Port Adelaide (Port Misery) swamps in 1839. By 1840 the family was established in the Hahndorf area, actually just over the hill at Verdun, at that time called Grunthal. As Hahndorf was the main town in the vicinity it was often visited by the Gallasch’s, and before long, directly or by marriage they became associated with many of the properties in the Main Street (in excess of 30 I believe).
In 1973, while still resident in Papua New Guinea, I purchased No 77 on the Main Street of Hahndorf. This was to be my home when I returned to Australia.
Frederick W.Wittwer had, in 1847, purchased a long section of land facing to the East on the Main Street. A small, one roomed cottage, capped by a stringy bark shingle roof and with an outside baking oven was soon established on this property. In 1849 the block was sub-divided lengthwise and in 1854 the southern portion sold to Johann Jaensch, a butcher. The Jaensch homestead was at the corner of Main Street and Pine Ave (Echunga Road), and behind that, facing on what became known as Auricht Rd, were their stock holding yards. Johann built a substantial butcher shop on the site of 77 Main Street. The original large window with solid, hand hewn, red gum lintel is still in place. The ceilings, some of which still survive, comprised stringy bark slats nailed under thick wooden beams, and then topped by pug (straw/mud mix) to a depth of 15cms : certainly good insulation.
Johann Jaensch operated a butcher shop from the premises for a number of years and at some stage in the late nineteenth century it became a ‘Haberdashery’. For many years in the early 20th century, No 77 was operated as a Barber shop, before reverting to a private residence. It stayed as such until 1979 when I opened it’s doors again as the retail outlet for Australian Minerals.
Over the past 30 years the business has grown and evolved into a five pronged enterprise, collecting and retailing a wide range of natural history specimens, gemstones and traditional tribal art from Australia and Papua New Guinea.
These businesses are summarised as follows :-
Australian Minerals Est. 1968
Australian Minerals supplies both the casual and dedicated collector, as well as Universities, schools, museums and research establishments.
Gemstone Mine
(Operated in Rundle Street, Adelaide for a number of years prior to 1982, and then moved to Hahndorf)
Gemstone Mine stocks a complete range of gemstones and manufactures jewellery to order.
A1 Specialty Timbers Est. 1996
A1 Speciality Timbers collects both in Australia and other countries which has resulted in a selection of some 140 different timber species.
Tineriba Tribal Gallery Est. 1982
Tineriba Tribal Gallery was established to showcase and retail tribal art and artefacts which had been collected over a period of 50 years from many different cultures.
Tineriba Fine Art Est. 2000
Although Tineriba Fine Art Gallery specialises in fine, investment quality Aboriginal art, it is also building a stable of good, contemporary Australian artists.
Valuations
Harold Gallasch has been registered for over 20 years with the Federal Government as a valuer, under the Cultural Gifts Program.
Such is the diversity of Bukartilla. Above all it is an education in a wide range of natural history and in the tribal, traditional arts of many cultures.
77 Main Street
Hahndorf, 5245
Phone: (08) 8388 7218
Email : [email protected]
(Information Supplied by Harold Gallasch - Sept 2009)
Oral History Interview with Harold Gallasch
A transcription of the Oral History Interview with Harold Gallasch which was undertaken on 12 August 2010 by Birgit Heilmann contains much interesting information re the development of the tourism industry in Hahndorf and aspects of early history of the town.
