C.L. Alexander Museum

Small Church Bell, first at Wesleyan Chapel, Burrawing Mine. Later Church of England Church - Lipson. The copper lode discovered on Yorke Peninsula was believed by old miners to have extended under the Spencer Gulf, with the same balance of assay, reappearing near the Tumby Bay area. Opening the Burrawing Copper Mine at Lipson enticed miners from the "Copper Triangle", and with them came their firm Wesleyan faith. A chapel built in 1872 on a hill overlooking the mine. It was also used as a school, where pupils paid for daily attendance. The Church Bell was in use until the mine closed in 1876. People moved away and the church was no longer used, but as the small township of Lipson became more established, the Church of England built a church in the town. At the time of installation, the Bell from the Chapel was hung in the new church. There was a lot of very heated discussion in the district at the time. When eventually the methodist (Wesleyan) people built their church, the church of England decided against parting with the Bell. Incidentally now the Church of England has been decommissioned and the Methodist Church is still used, and the Bell resides at the National Trust in Tumby bay.

Replica of Original Plough - scaled down model. Robert Bratten came to Australia from Ireland at the age of 20 years. He was appointed to the position of Overseer, in 1906 when the council received many petitions for new roads to be opened. Mr Bratten held this position for 20years. After initial surveys the first roads had to be made through scrub areas which were manually cleared, just tracks. Originally roads were macadamised by breaking big stones with a hammer until they were small enough to pass through a 2.5 inch ring. This sufficed until motor cars required stronger surface for speed and weight. Big sheet limestone was a problem so a special plough was designed to plough the stones to the surface, the larger ones disposed of, and the smaller ones curshed and used. First the road was formed by the grader and then rolled with a heavy roller. Geoff Ferguson patented the beams and slides that held the plough upright E.E. Excell and and Sons with A.W. Carr made a patented complete plough with beam and wheels, which made the plough more suitable for heavy work and transporting, with the capability of being towed by a tractor instead of horse drawn. This method was called Brattenising, this method of road making enabled a wide road to be made, especially in limestone country. Wide use of this system was introduced in various parts of the state, such as the Murray Mallee and Yorke Peninsula. A monument was erected on the foreshore at Tumby Bay in recognition, being constructed of sheets of stone, shaped to form a seat and at one time a water fountain. A model of the Plough is displayed on the top of the monument. The Excell Blacksmith Museum also has display and information.