Tarlee

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This was published 15 years ago

Tarlee

Tarlee
Tiny historic township on the main road from Adelaide to Burra.
Located on the Gilbert River 79 km from Adelaide, Tarlee is a tiny town at the beginning of the Gilbert Valley. It probably derived its name from the Aboriginal word for the local water hole although this has been the subject of much dispute. There is a body of opinion which says it was originally named 'Tralee' by Irish workers and another opinion claims it was from an Aboriginal word 'Tarralee'. It was a rural centre which came into existence in the 1860s as a stopover point for the early traffic moving to and from the Kapunda and Burra mines. Many of the town's most attractive historic buildings date from that period. It was around this time, in 1868, that a number of blocks of land in the town were sold with a prime block next to the railway station fetching £30.

Perhaps the town's greatest claim to fame is that during the late 19th century the local stone quarries provided the foundations for the Adelaide Museum, the Adelaide GPO, the Legislative Council Building and Adelaide Railway Station.


Things to see:

Historic Buildings
To the traveller there are a number of interesting historic buildings which are all located around the junction of the roads from Burra and Kapunda. It is here that the old Tarlee Hotel (known as the Sir James Ferguson Hotel) still stands. Nearby is the Tarlee Institute which seems to have been built to stand for a thousand years. And next door is the gracious Roman Catholic Church of St John and St Paul. Over the road, behind the war memorial, is Elizabeth Henry House.

The Old Creamery
At first you look at the building and think that it is a modern roadhouse which has been designed to look vaguely Shakespearian. In fact this roadhouse (it serves petrol and general supplies) dates from the 1860s when it was built as the town's creamery.


Hotels

Tarlee Hotel
1 Hallett Rd
Tarlee SA 5411
Telephone: (08) 8528 5217


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Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses

Elizabeth Henry House Bed & Breakfast
86 Gilbert St
Tarlee SA 5411
Telephone: (08) 8528 5309
Rating: ****

Tarlee Antiques Guesthouse
Main North Rd
Tarlee SA 5411
Telephone: (08) 8528 5328, 018 836 543
Rating: ****


Farm & Eco Holidays

Ryelands Farm Retreat
Gum Park
Tarlee SA 5411
Telephone: (08) 8528 5262
Rating: ****


Restaurants

Tarlee Antiques Guesthouse
Main North Rd
Tarlee SA 5411
Telephone: (08) 8528 5328

Tarlee Hotel
1 Hallett Rd
Tarlee SA 5411
Telephone: (08) 8528 5217


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