Penola - Places to See

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This was published 15 years ago

Penola - Places to See

AROUND THE TOWN

There is an excellent pamphlet, 'Walk with History at Penola', which is available free of charge from the Tourist Information Office. It covers all the major buildings and locations in town (a total of 33 destinations) and provides interesting information about the most significant buildings). Some of the buildings mentioned include:

Tourist Information Centre & John Riddock District Interpretive Centre
Located in Portland Street and housed in the Old Mechanics Institute (built 1869) The John Riddock District Interpretive Centre, which traces the history of the area through well-captioned pictures and illustrations, is an excellent introduction to the history of Penola. Unfortunately there are some errors particularly in the text relating to the early Aborigines in the district. The claim that a number are buried in the town cemetery is simply not true.

Bond Store
Built between the Old Mechanics Institute and Ulva Cottage, the Bond Store was used to hold liquor and goods in the pre-Federation days when goods coming across from Victoria attracted state taxes.

Ulva Cottage
Located on Bowden Street, Ulva Cottage was built in the 1850s by Alexander Cameron, the founder of Penola. The house was built for Cameron's daughter, Margaret and her husband, Dr Bayton. Sadly Margaret died in childbirth in 1863. Does this reflect on her husband's ability as a doctor?

Church of St Mary the Virgin
Located on the corner of Arthur and Queen Sts (1873) this church takes third place behind the Catholic and Presbyterian buildings. Historically the town has strong Presbyterian traditions (John Riddoch built the town's Presbyterian Church) and Roman Catholic traditions. This building was completed by Michael Harris and William Blight. The bell turret and bell were added in 1889. Of particular interest are the floor made from adzed logs and the memorial window which was installed in 1886.

Lynn's Market Place
Lynn's Market Place was used in the 1870s by Christopher Sharam as a bootmaking premises. Later it was used as a barbershop and billiard room.

Balnaves Store
The Balnaves family have lived in the Penola-Coonawarra district since the 1890s when they set up a General Store in the main street. They continued to operate the store until the 1970s. In 1972 Doug Balnaves became manager of Hungerford Hill's vineyard outside Penola. He was with Hungerford Hill until 1988 when he decided to go out on his own. He now owns Balnaves of Coonawarra - a producer of fine local wines.

Royal Oak Hotel
Located in Church Street, the current stone building was completed in 1873, it replaced an early slab hut hotel (one of the first buildings in the district) which had operated on the same site since the 1840s. The building is now part of the town's main streetscape.

Cobb & Co
Dated 1857 and located in Riddoch Street this small, unassuming booking office still stands virtually unaltered since it was used as the town's 'bus stop' for the Cobb & Co. coaches. Today it is a good quality restaurant which perfectly complements the local wines.

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Woods - MacKillop Schoolhouse
Located on the corner of Portland and Petticoat Lanes, this was the first Josephite School House. It was built in1867 and is the site of the original Josephite Stables School. Inside there is a lot of information pertaining to Sister Mary McKillop although much of this has been moved to the McKillop Centre which is nearby.

Petticoat Lane
This is a remarkable area which is well worth visiting and exploring. A number of very old single storey cottages have been maintained. Some are still lived in and others have been purchased by the National Trust. The masterpiece is Sharam Cottage which dates from 1850 and is the oldest extant cottage in the town. Other cottages of interest include Gammon Cottage (early 1860s) with its distinctive detached kitchen and its pressed metal tiles and Wilson Cottage (1860s).

Sharam Cottage
Reputedly Penola's first house, Sharam Cottage was built in 1850. It is located, and clearly signposted, in Petticoat Lane. Sharam's Cottage (built by Christopher and Ellen Sharam in 1850 and now owned by the National Trust) is a reminder of how the whole Coonawarra wine region started. In 1890 John Riddoch divided the terra rosa soil area up into smaller blocks of land which he sold to people known as 'blockers'. There was a covenant on the land that the 'blocker' had to plant one-third cabernet sauvignon to two-thirds shiraz. One of these blockers was Christopher Sharam and his family kept producing grapes until they Sharam 'block' was sold to Penfolds in 1957.

Sarah's Cottage
It is possible to book into one of the old cottages. Sarah's Cottage, which is located at 24 Julian Street West, is a delightful cottage which dates from the 1870s and which has been meticulously restored so it has all the mod-cons as well as a superb Victorian bathroom with spa bath, delightful old style kitchen and open fire place. Contact (08) 8736 3309 for bookings.

National Trust McAdam Slab Hut
The National Trust McAdam Slab Hut in the school yard, Penola. It was built in the 1850s by David McAdam. It is signposted off the main road on the Naracoorte side of town. It is interesting for its smallness. The concept that you could live in a house which was nothing more than a single room was an adequate dwelling. It seems so low and so small by today's standards.

Yallum Park
Owned by Glen and Gay Clifford who have written 'The Grass is Green - The story of Yallum Park' (a very comprehensive history of the house) Yallum Park is a glorious old Victorian Classical Revival sandstone house, with lots of Italian additions, which was built in 1878-1880 for John Riddoch, eight kilometres out of Penola. It was from this base that Riddoch established his Coonawarra vineyards planting some 95,000 vines in 1891.

Riddoch was one of those larger-than-life characters who seem to squeeze five lives into a single lifetime. He grew up in poverty in the highlands of Scotland (a result of the Highlands clearances) and in 1851 emigrated to try his luck on the Victorian goldfields. Within a few years he was a successful shopkeeper and wine merchant on the Geelong goldfields. He borrowed £23,000 and paid £30,000 for Yallum Park where he promptly built his mansion.

Today it is still a wonder to behold with its original William Morris wallpapers, it's beautiful gardens and arboretum, its cavernous 15-feet high ceilings, its eleven Italian marble mantelpieces, its gold leaf cornices and its sense of history. It was here that the English novelist Anthony Trollope stayed and where a passing parade of Governors and Princes (including King George V when he was still the Duke of Cornwall) spent the night. And out the back is the old Yallum Park house where Adam Lindsay Gordon used to stay when he visited John Riddoch.

Behind the main Yallum House are two smaller residences. One called Gordon House and the other Austin House. These were the original houses. It was in the place now known as Gordon House that Adam Lindsay Gordon came to stay. Yallum Park is now a private home which is open by appointment. Contact (08) 8737 2435.

A Modern Folly
The idea of people in the 1990s building follies is rather quaint. They were essentially 19th luxuries full of pointlessness and grandeur. However in Penola, if you take the Dergholm Road out of Penola and turn into Shepherd's Lane you will come across David Abbey's folly which is a combination of mausoleum, church and brick frippery.

Majella Wines
Located on Lynn Road south of Coonawarra this family winery was established in 1990 and specialises in red table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8736 3055.

Katnook Estate & Riddoch
Located on the Riddoch Highway north of Penola this large winery was established in 1978 and specialises in red and white table wines and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, chardonnaysauvignon blance, merlot, and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2394.

Highbank Wines
Located on Main Penola/Naracoorte Road north of Penola this family winery was established in 1986 and specialises in premium red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Merlot and cabernet franc grapes. It is open during the holiday period, other times by appointment for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8736 3311, toll free 1800 653 311.

Leconfield
Located on Main Penola/Naracoorte Road north of Penola this family winery was established in 1974 and specialises in premium red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, chardonnay, Merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2326.

Bowen Estate
Located on the Riddoch Highway north of Penola this family winery was established in 1972 and specialises in premium dry red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2229.

Balnaves of Coonawarra
Located on the Riddoch Highway north of Penola this family winery was established in 1991 and specialises in premium red wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Merlot, cabernet franc and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2946.

Haselgrove Wines
Located on the Riddoch Highway north of Penola this family winery was established in 1966 and specialises in dry and sweet white wines and dry red wines derived from cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2734.

Hollick Wines
Located on the Riddoch Highway north of Penola this family winery was established in 1966 and specialises in dryred and white table wines and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, chardonnay, Merlot, pinot noir, cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc, petit verdot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2318.

Wetherall Wines
Located on Main Road north of Penola this small family winery was established in 1966 and specialises in red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon chardonnay, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2104.

Parker Coonawarra Estate
Located on the Riddoch Highway just north of Penola this select winery was established in 1988 and specialises in red table wine derived from cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and cabernet franc. The retail outlet and tastings is located at the Bushman's Inn, PenolaI. For more details contact (08) 8737 2946.

Punters Corner
Located corner of Riddoch Highway & Racecourse Road just north of Penola this small winery was established in 1994 and specialises in red and white table wines derived from cabernet, chardonnay, Merlot and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2007.

Lindemans Coonawarra Estate
Located on the Riddoch Highway just north of Penola this famous winery was established in 1965 and specialises in premium red and white table wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec and shiraz grapes. It is open seven days for tastings and sales. For more details contact (08) 8737 2613.

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