Harry
Bates was born in 1846. He came to
Adelaide with his family aboard the ship "
Melbourne," on which at the age of 12years, was given the job of a Cabin boy. The family moved permanently to
Kangaroo Island in 1860. Harry worked for his father on this land, then in 1866 he married and later on had a defacto relationship.
The property remained in the
Bates family until 1985, when the last member of the family died without leaving a will. It was then purchased by the Government and became the
Baudin Conservation Park.