Lameroo Walk Four - covers remainder of south side

Lameroo Heritage Walks | Walk One | Walk Two | Walk Three | Walk Four | Visit Lameroo

Covers the remainder of the south side - approx. 50 minutes

Exit the Craft Shop and turn right, walk down to the roundabout, cross the road going south and walk across the railway line. Go to the corner of Chandos Terrace and Railway Terrace South (the service road on the right) …

104 Christie Bros Private Home and Office

WH Batten started as a general agent on Railway Terrace North and later moved to Chandos Terrace. The house was moved in from a farm at Bews and one of the front rooms utilized as an office. In 1949 the business was sold to JW Kelly and WL Christie. After Jack Kelly retired Don joined his brother Bert in the business and it was renamed Christie Bros. When Bert retired Don continued on but has now retired and the agency is closed.

Continue up the service road …

105 no: 67 Chandos Terrace (corner Oval Terrace)

This was formerly a farmhouse at Marama and was brought into Lameroo in the late 1940s transported on a jinker pulled by a team of horses. One of the big water bores is in the right hand corner of the back yard.

Cross the main Chandos Terrace on an angle to Needs Road on your left …

106 Bowling Club and Senior Citizens Rooms

Both croquet and bowls have been played on this site.

The ladies croquet club began in 1922, in 1950 a joint croquet and bowling club was formed. Croquet was abandoned in 1956 and the old croquet rooms donated for use at the netball courts. Around 1978 the name was changed to the Lameroo Women’s Bowling Club.

The mens club was formed in 1928 and rinks were put down. In 1931 a booth was moved from the old showgrounds and enclosed to use as a clubhouse, it was replaced in 1955.

In the early 1980s the current clubhouse was erected in conjunction with the Senior Citizens Club.

Note the small plaque at the pedestrian entrance to the greens.

Continue along Needs Road past the Bowling Club to …

107 Extension to Oval (marked by narrowing of the road)

When established the oval was very close to the southern boundary and congestion occurred on the adjacent road. In 1970 the Needs Brothers gave a strip of land on their northern boundary which was included in the oval complex and a new road established for public use.

Look to your right …

108 Austin Village

These are independent living residential units for the aged and built as a joint venture between the SA Housing Trust and the Lameroo community. The first units were opened in 1983. Now the ownership has transferred to Lameroo Homes for the Aged.

Walk back along Needs Road …

109 nos: 7 and 6 Needs Road

In this vicinity Mr Shearer mined and sold building sand. The shaft was 6ft x 3ft and went down about 100ft and then there was a horizontal tunnel going north under the site of the recreation ground. A small railway track conveyed the sand and loads were lifted by cable.

110 no: 2 Needs Road

This house and office (the old office entrance is off the front verandah on the left) was built by the government in 1934 for use as the Land Titles Office. Later it was used by different banks and by Telecom. It is now a private house and has been beautifully renovated inside back to its original style. It has American Oregon timbers in the roof, white pine on the floor and red pine supports. Red pine is now extinct in the wild. Another feature is the cellarette in the kitchen floor.

111 no: 1 Needs Road

This beautifully symmetrical timber and iron dwelling was bought by the Bank of Adelaide on April 6th 1911 for the use of the branch manager. The building is heritage listed because of its unique design.

Turn left into Lehmanns Road and walk to the corner of Louisa Street …

112 Louisa Street

The street is named after the youngest daughter of Mr W Lehmann who originally owned the land before it was sub-divided.

Turn round, cross the main Chandos Terrace, go through the white gate in the wire fence by the trees and then cross the service road to …

113 nos: 79 and 77 Chandos Terrace

This new home sits on the site of the original Harvey family home. The Harveys were pioneers of the district. The first Post Office was in the home and when it was moved to the P O’Connor store Miss Harvey was retained as the postmistress.

Around the late 1980s the house was moved to Old Tailem Town as part of the tourist history complex.

Continue north (towards the main street area) and then turn left into Oval Terrace. Walk down this road to …

114 no: 11 Oval Terrace (on your right)

This house was transported into Lameroo from a farm.

115 no: 15 Oval Terrace

Note the galvanised iron and wood window awnings on the side windows of this old cottage.

Look opposite, right and left …

116 School Housing

These houses and units were built by the Education Department for teacher housing.

Continue on, turn right into Spicer Street, walk to the end and turn left into Railway Terrace South. Stop at …

117 Maynards Delicatessen

In 1956 Mr HAM Maynard and his family moved from the farm to Lameroo. Mr Maynard became the agent and had the depot for Nettlebeck egg grading floor from Springvale in Victoria. He took the eggs to Walkers at Pinnaroo who then took them to Victoria. Mr Maynard then started paying cash for the eggs and taking them to Adelaide himself. After that he expanded his business to sell cool drinks, then added fruit and vegetables and other delicatessen lines. In 1966 he transferred the business to his daughter Fay, the current owner, who built a new shop fronting the road in 1967 which soon had to be expanded. Now the business has a pizza outlet, rents videos and DVDs and Miss Maynard also sells refreshments at the Cinema in the Memorial Hall.

The old building, with some sign writing still visible on the walls, is at the rear of the present shop.

Retrace your steps back along Railway Terrace South, cross Spicer Street and walk towards the town. Stop at …

118 no: 43 Railway Terrace South

On this vacant block is a lovely old pepper tree. These trees are often found growing in old farm gardens.

119 Anglican Church

From 1907 to 1909 services were held in private homes and some in Ratcliff’s Hall on Butler Terrace. In 1908 the congregation bought some land and in 1910 a timber and iron mission hall was opened. At the back of the hall was a room for the lay preacher to live in. In the late 1920s the room at the rear was no longer required for accommodation and was used as a meeting room. In approx. 1930 the building was recognised as a church rather than a mission and dedicated to St John the Baptist. Later the building was extended. In June 1962 the foundation stone was laid for the new church and it was opened in November.

The original church was retained as a hall and for meetings and is currently used as Lameroo’s Opportunity Shop. This is staffed on a rotational basis by different churches within the town with profits being split equally.

Continue to …

120 no: 55 Railway Terrace South, Christie Bros Shed and Storage Area

The large shed was the site of Hammatt’s Engineering Works established in 1935. Mr Hammatt made hydraulic bag lifters for farmers, much appreciated during the days of grain handling in sacks and he also made gas producers for cars and tractors during WWII. The business closed in 1954 and then Mr ID Blenkiron opened as Lameroo Engineering Service and traded until the 1960s.

If you look closely you can still see very faintly New Holland painted on the front of the shed.

Walk to the end of the road, turn left and cross the railway line, go left around the roundabout, past the baker to …

33 Dolly’s Golden Raintree Craft and Heritage Centre

This was built in 1911 and designed as a shop and dwelling with both doors opening onto the footpath. The shop door is recessed and has glazed display windows, there is a cellar under the floor (now unused) and the bullnosed verandah has horse hitching rails attached to the posts. The building was first used as a greengrocery then was vacant until Mr R Thamm commenced as a saddler and leatherworker in 1925. His wife taught piano and also accompanied the silent pictures shown at the Institute. Mr Roberts took over from the Thamms as a saddler and besides mending harness sold push bikes and motor bikes. (Mr Roberts son Jack later became the District Clerk). Later the building was bought as a private home by Mr and Mrs W Vandepeer. After Mr Vandepeer died his wife “Dolly” lived alone and was in the house for a period altogether of 52 years before moving to Pinnaroo.

Early in 1997 the Southern Mallee District Council bought the building to be made available to the Lameroo & District Historical Society. It has been extensively renovated in keeping with the original construction. The front section is rented by the Lameroo Craft Club and the back section houses a permanent display by the Historical Society and leads out to the new museum.

The beautiful old golden raintree in the garden is a feature.

The centre was officially opened by the late Roy Koch, life member of the Historical Society, on Sunday 15th Oct 2000.

This is the end of Walk Four. Please take time to explore the Lameroo Museum (Entry is by gold coin donation) and then perhaps enjoy a Devonshire Tea in the Craft Shop.

Lameroo Heritage Walks | Walk One | Walk Two | Walk Three | Walk Four | Visit Lameroo