Anlaby Station near Kapunda 8 October and Barossa Valley 9-15 October 2016

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Saturday 8 October 2016 - Anlaby Station



Anlaby or Anlaby Station is a pastoral lease located about 12 kilometres south east of Marrabel and 14 kilometres north of Kapunda. We decided to visit the Station at the invitation of Tom’s sister Kathy as there was an open garden during the weekend. We packed up our vans then drove them down to Kapunda and headed north to the Station along a dirt road.



There was about 10km of dirt road but we had got a report that the road, which was involved in the flooding and heavy rains a week earlier, had been grade 2 days ago. It was an excellent road.



We arrived in Kapunda first and had coffee there. Whilst parked in one of the side streets of the town, Tom came across his brother-in-law TC who had parked between our 2 vans. We caught up with Tom’s 2 sisters, Kathy & Lib and his other brother-in-law, Dean. They were all going to visit Anlaby Station.



We visited the old mine at the edge of the town to have our coffee. We spotted a Clydesdale horse made of metal. This model was built in memory of all the Clydesdales who worked on the mine.



We headed for the Station. Arriving at the main gates we drove the 2km driveway and parking was in one of the paddocks so we had plenty of room to park our vans.



I found the history of the Homestead interesting so will share it with you.



The locality was first explored by Europeans in March 1838 by the party of Hill, Wood, Willis, and Oaken, who were scouting an overlanding route from the Murray. The station is the oldest merino stud in Australia and was settled in 1839 by Capt. John Finnis, who called it "Mount Dispersion" (the Aboriginal name was Pudna), and stocked it with 12,000 sheep. The property was acquired in 1841 by Frederick Dutton, at which time it was at the frontier of European settlement.



In the early days Anlaby extended for 64,750 ha. Aboriginal depredations on sheep resulted in a two-man mounted police station being established at Julia Creek 1842-46 to protect the Anlaby and Koonunga flocks. The property ran as many as 70,000 sheep and shearing lasted nine months employing 70 people.



In 1843 a log hut was constructed for the manager Alexander Buchanan. The name of the run was also changed by Dutton to Anlaby, the name of the Yorkshire village that his sister's husband hailed from. By 1851 the property had been reduced to 28,330 ha with the loss of another 9,710 ha so closer settlement could be made. Another 12,140 ha from Anlaby was subdivided for wheat farming up until 1917. Returned servicemen were allocated another 8,000 acres (3,237 ha) between 1918 and 1922.



Frederick Dutton died in 1890 and left Anlaby to his nephew Henry Dutton who carried out extensive improvements. He married the accomplished musician and socialite Emily Martin on 29 November 1905. On Henry's death in 1932 she took over management of the station and cattle stud. The Anlaby Pastoral Company was formed in 1960 and took over control of the property. Partners were Emily Dutton (manager), John H. Dutton, Geoffrey P. Dutton, Helen Blackburn and Leonie Dutton.



By 1968 the stud and property were acquired by the Mosey family and in early 2009 Andrew Morphett acquired Anlaby. We saw the Anlaby Shearing Shed, Slaughter house, Shearers’ Quarters and Managers house as well as the homestead, all of which are now separately listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.



We saw a sheep shearing demonstration, fashion made out of wool, and walked all around the beautiful garden. There were many people dressed in period fashion which added to the whole experience. A light lunch was available in the garden and after that, we headed for Freeling.



On arriving in Freeling we drove out to Sheryl, Ben & Sarah’s farm to wash the salt off our car and vans as they were sprayed by salt water in the storm while we were parked at Moonta Bay. We had also collected a bit of mud so it was great to see the rigs clean again.



I then got Tom to drop me off in Freeling and popped into see my 91year old Dad who had moved into a home for the elderly. I then walked to my brother Daryl and his wife Kerry’s home before walking to my sister Sheryl’s home. The caravans were neatly parked in Sheryl’s circular drive which was well done. We say down with cheese, biscuits and Champaign and was lovely to catch up.



Sunday 9 October to Tuesday 11 October 2016







We had a slow start to the morning, to catch up with some domestic duties. My brother Daryl then bought our Dad around to Sheryl’s place for lunch. It certainly was good to catch up with the family. We were also looking forward to catching up with Tom’s family soon. Our aim for the next few days was to see the Barossa Valley so after lunch, we started to work on our ‘’must see’’ list.







During that afternoon we visited Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop which is on the edge of a beautiful dam and surrounds. Maggie is a local and national ‘’cook-hero’’ developing many different locally produced chutneys, sauces, spreads, drinks etc. She also offers lunch, coffee and cake. We were just in time for a cooking demonstration which helps people with ideas on how to use Maggie Beer’s products. It was very well done. There has been a new function centre built of the property as well as a lovely farm walking path. Unfortunately, the weather was a little damp and cold so we didn’t walk around the property. However, it was a lovely afternoon.







Sheryl’s daughter Toni and her 2 sons, Charlie and Harry joined us. After Maggie Beer we visited Sheppeltsfield Winery which is a beautiful building and surrounds. We certainly saw results of the previous week’s floods and bad weather with trees down by the sever winds.







After that we drove to Mengler Hill Sculpture Park which is east of Tanunda. The stone sculptures are very startling and beautiful. However, it was very cold and windy so we drove back to Toni’s home at Gomersal, a little village on the west side of Tanunda. Toni & husband Craig put on cheese and biscuits as well as drinks in their beautiful home. We saw so many fantastic changes they had made to their home and large block surrounding their home.







It was then back to Freeling.







The following day on Monday, in 2 cars, Doug, Leura, Sheryl, Tom, Harry & Charlie and I all visited many different wineries, a couple of breweries and had lunch at the South Australian Country Kitchen.



The list of wineries & Brewery were:



· Seppeltsfield



· Wolf Blass



· Sultrum



· Yallumba



· Peter Lehman



· Pindarie



· Barossa Brewery



· Stein Taphouse



We were having a very good look through the picturesque Barossa Valley.



In the Barossa Valley the evidence of the original German settlers can be seen in the steeply sloping roofs of the older buildings. The local cuisine is very heavily influenced by Germanic culture. For example, meats such as Mettwurst, Bratwurst and a range of other tasty and old-fashioned sausages are found throughout the region. On the dessert side, heavy cream cakes are very popular, including Bienenstich and cream buns of all sorts of forms.



There is also an Anglo influence in the Scottish Angaston region. We saw the differences between this town and the surrounding Germanic towns, in the architecture and even by the family names that can be found on war memorials etc.



Religion in this region is predominantly Lutheran, so we saw many churches made from stone, with beautiful silver spires reaching to the sky. The quality architecture is testament to much loving care and fine masonry skills lavished on the building of the churches in the past 150 years.



It is now possible to say with truth and pride that the Barossa is one of the finest wine producing regions in the world. It has great soils, family farms where the wine-growing traditions have been passed down through the generations and local oenologist courses at such places as Roseworthy College are ensuring that winemakers are highly educated and skilled in their winemaking. Many of the local schools also include winemaking courses as part of their agricultural studies curricula.







We visited Roseworthy Agricultural College (RAC)) as Tom spent 3 residential years there completing his Diploma in Agriculture. Advantageously for girls who lived in Gawler which was around 12 kms away, this was the only supply of ‘decent’ guys so I had great pleasure in making sure I got to know the guys of the College – Tom being one of the main ones!!!!!.



We drove through the College after talking to the present Principle of the College who spoke to Tom about the advancement of the College since he left in 1968. He even unlocked the Chapel where Tom and I were married. Leura held a mock “re-marriage” for Tom & I. It was a great but of fun.







Many memories flooded back for both Tom & I. This was memories we had together as well as through separate memories and such great and funny events. We both had such good time at the College. The Administration building was old and gracious and its walls displayed graduated of the College since 1929.







The RAC became a part of the University of SA and now is predominantly Veterinary Science and other animal related tertiary programs. It is also no longer male students only. In fact, it is now 75% female students.







We then drove to the town of Roseworthy and popped into my brother’s business to show Doug & Leura Daryl’s workshop.







It was then time to return to Freeling. For the next few days, Doug and Leura went to Adelaide to stay with their 2 sets of friends while Tom and I caught up with my side of the family before going to Kangaroo Island. We would be looking forward to catching up with Tom’s side of the family after we got back from Kangaroo Island and driving around Fleurieu Peninsula.

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Photos

81 Anlaby Homestead (4)
Lunch with Cathcarts, Ushers and and Family

92 Dinner at Freeling 11 October
This was the 2nd anniversery of Brian's passing (my brother-in-law) who died suddenly of a severe heart attack

92 Dinner at Freeling 11 October
This was the 2nd anniversery of Brian's passing (my brother-in-law) who died suddenly of a severe heart attack

91 Roseworthy Agricultural College
Tom & My "re-marriage conducted by Leura!!!!

91 Roseworthy Agricultural College - the corridor
Tom outside the window of his old bedroom of the College which is now an office.