Kimba and Gawler Ranges Historical Society Museum

Eight separate buildings: The historic pioneer house, the one teacher school, the blacksmith shop, the Government Shed are equipped. Sheds house the farm machinery, stationary engines and fir engine, while a separate museum centre contains a library, photographic and interpretive displays, taped histories and various documents relating to social history. All in bushland setting.

Address: 
Eyre Highway, Kimba, SA
Tel: 
0886272349
Hours: 
1.30-4pm Sat Feb-Dec, also by appointment all year, contact Secretary
Admission: 
Adults $2, children 50c
Facilities: 
Toilets, guided tours, some disabled access, picnic and barbeque facilities; refreshments may be arranged
Collection: 
Kimba's local history museum includes pioneer domestic and farming items, stationary engines, harness vehicles and equipment, vintage trucks and tractors, a water conservation model, schooling and communication equipment together with supporting documents, maps, tapes, photographs and ephemera.

Subject:

Items

Historic building

Pioneer House

Creator:
Sam Haskett (reconstructed by Historical Society)
Description:
Native pine and plaster two roomed house with verandahs, stone chimney and hearth, authentically furnished with pioneer equipment
Date:
1908-1940's
Item Id Number:
185KM

Was built by the Haskett family, pioneer farmers of the Kimba District. Members were instrumental in gaining earliest services e.g. post, water, rail (supporting documents). Descendants still resident.

School building

One Teacher School

Creator:
Architect in Chiefs Dept, SA Government (reconstructed by Historical Society)
Description:
Portable timber (weatherboard) 15' x 15' with 6' x 6' porch.
Date:
1919-1946
Item Id Number:
263KM

Twenty three small schools like this one with their one teacher educated children from grade one to seven (sometimes eight) in far flung and isolated farming districts around Kimba. Generous regulations allowed up to 24 students a minimum of 10 on the roll and attendance could fall to 8 before the school closed

Grain Pickler

Wet Wheat Pickler

Creator:
Alfred Hannaford of Riverton, South Australia
Description:
Steel construction. This machine stirred grain in a solution of copper sulphate of formalin prior to planting or seeding.
Date:
1915
Item Id Number:
4km

Devised by Alf Hannaford this was the first wet wheat pickler in South Australia. It floated off the balls of "smut" (a fungal disease) and thereby gave healthy seed and crops. Alf Hannaford improved his graders and picklers over the decades and his units fit in today's world of technology.

Tackle

Whip Pole

Creator:
Unknown
Description:
20ft pole, ten inch diameter with 40ft of cable and metal pulley at top. Mounted at government shed.
Date:
1915-50
Item Id Number:
10km

This whip pole is an example of those commonly used at railway sidings wheat stacks for lifting bagged grain to the top of the stack. This is the Drekurmi Siding Pole.