ARTS & CULTURE
THE HISTORIC DRIVE BORDERTOWN CANNAWIGRA MUNDULLA
Cannawigra * & Mundulla Area Start at the corner of Woolshed and Crocker Streets, Bordertown noting speedometer and reading. Crocker Street becomes Cannawigara Road, Tourist Route 110, out of the town. 1. Poocher Swamp 8.2km on left Once owned by Dalton Staude, Poocher Swamp was sold to the Australian Parks & Wildlife Service for a recreation area and is now a favourite spot for picnicking, boating, fishing, yabbying and canoeing. Between the main runaway holes at Poocher is a very large tree with a hollow, belled-out base, known as the “Pinkie Tree”. The early Pinkie family once lived in this tree. There are still descendants of the family living in the district today. Following the track along the north-western side of the swamp, you will come to a “wash pool”. After a recent dredging, this is one to two metres deep. In the early days, before wool was sold in England, Aboriginal women first washed the wool in these various pools near station shearing sheds or depot sheds. Many of the big, solid Red Gums were felled for railway sleepers. The three foot high stumps can be seen. 2. Cannawigra Church / Hall 10.2km on left In 1900, Rev J. Thomas, Bordertown Congregational minister, suggested that a branch church be opened at Cannawigra for new settlers to the area. Mr John Charlton Guy donated an acre of land for the church. Local stone was quarried and the foundation stone laid on 24th July 1901 by Rev David Milne. Mr Joseph Vardon conducted the opening services in September 1901. The last service was held in 1975 and the church sold to the Cannawigra Hall Incorporated. It is now used for meetings and parties. A school was opened in the church in 1901, with Mr Leslie Edwards being the first teacher. The school remained open until September 1956 when buses took the children into Bordertown. 3. Aboriginal Burial Ground 11.5km on right (Indicated by Pine trees.) In 1910 there was once a sand hill where the burial site is now. Over the years it has eroded and some skulls and bones were found. The owner planted pine trees and erected a fence. There is still a slight rise on the ground, remnants of the hill. Restricted Access - Private Property 4. The Shearing Tree 12.3km on right The Cannawigra Shearing Shed built in 1859 was once on the left-hand side of the road. A few stones remain as evidence, and the road now passes through where sheep yards stood. The very large gum tree, which once cast its shade over the shed, is known as the “Shearing Tree”.
The shearers, in their spare time, played a kind of “darts” with the old broken shears, throwing their blades at a particular spot in the tree. A blade pierced the trunk too deeply and remained there, the handle and the curved end protruding about five metres up on the northern side. Cannawigra Swamp can be seen from this spot. 5. Gold Escort Marker 13km on right On the right is a marker signifying part of the route taken by Police Commissioner Alexander Tolmer, escorting gold from the Victorian goldfields to Adelaide. 6. Scown’s Runaway Hole 13km on left Turn left at Scown’s Road and travel 200m. On the left is the runaway hole. Scown’s runaway hole is possibly the most spectacular in the district. During extremely wet winters, Poocher Swamp overflows and surplus water is directed along drains into this depression. Despite the volume of water pouring in, sometimes for weeks on end, the water level in the hole remains constant. During massive floods in 1981, the Engineering & Water Supply Department calculated that over 1300 litres per second (1,029,000 gallons per hour) were being absorbed into the underground system. Most of the surplus water eventually finds its way down to the marine fossil bed through a series of sink holes (runaway holes). There are many along the western sections of the Tatiara Nalang Creek course and are formed through the action of the water finding its way through the upper layers of soil down to the porous limestone beneath. These runaway holes form the basis of the drainage of surplus water. By mid-summer, water has drained away or evaporated and the creeks are dry. 7. The Plaited Tree Turn left at 17km, 20km on left (at the bend) The only plaited tree in the district is situated just off the Cannawigara Road on a gravel road. The tree was plaited together, with the branches crossing over one another. This was an Aboriginal meeting point. When it was first plaited the tree was probably tied at the top and held together with sinew and used as a protection from the sun for a baby. Over the years the branches have grown together and some limbs are now quite large. 8. Buckingham Church / School 21.5km on right Buckingham was the name of the original farm of Mr David Jones, coming from his home county in England, Buckinghamshire. In 1884 Mr Jones gave one acre of land for the building of a Church and school. The school opened in 1885 and continued spasmodically until final closure in 1956 when buses took the children into the Mundulla School. The Church was then renovated and remains a place of worship. Reverse direction and travel due East toward Mundulla. Observe the devastation to the Eucalypts caused by the disease, “Mundulla Yellows”.
Walkway Gallery by Ben Quilty
qualities. The Theatre is also used for guest speakers, regional conferences and forums. Bordertown & Keith Cinemas Bordertown and Keith both screen recent release films on selected dates or for special occasions. Public & Community Art The Tatiara is proud to display a wide selection of community and public art throughout each of its towns. These works include sculpture, murals, ceramics, leadlight, incorporating local themes of water management, farming practices, vehicle and human prints and indigenous Dreaming to name a few. Walking trails have been established to take guests on a journey of discovery in appreciation of the many exciting works throughout the region. The Tatiara is also proud to boast many practising artists who have private galleries available for visitation on request.
The Tatiara Civic Centre Woolshed Street Bordertown contains: Walkway Gallery Open 9 – 5pm Mon – Fri. The Gallery was formed in the 90’s and has become an intrinsic institution supporting art and culture locally and across the region whilst supporting state touring programs. Hawke Gallery – acknowledges the birth place of former Prime Minister, Bob Hawke. A must see. His bust stands sentinel at the entrance to the Civic Centre. Bordertown Theatre/Cinema Bordertown is fond of its unique theatre which holds the aesthetics and ambience of traditional theatre spaces of old. The theatre is used for local performances and shows, community events, concerts and national and state-wide touring acts, taking advantage of the fantastic acoustic
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