Federation Quilt, Peterborough Town Hall
The Federation Quilt is on display in the entrance foyer of the Peterborough Town Hall in the mid-north of South Australia. It was made by the local Peterborough Patchwork Quilters group, who also put on special displays of quilts during the annual Arts and Cultural Festival every Easter.
Federation Quilt, Peterborough Town Hall
Peterborough Town Hall
Over recent days I have been sharing some photos of various aspects of Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia. We often go there to visit family. My wife grew up and went to school in the local school, and her sister and brother-in-law still live there.
One of the more prominent buildings in the main street is the Town Hall, featured in today’s photos. According to the date on the top of the façade it was completed in 1926, but the fact sheet put out by the council says 1927.
Marvel at one of the largest heritage listed Town Halls in country South Australia.
Commissioned by a very proud outgoing council in 1926, the Town Hall was
completed in 1927. The original five shop fronts are now converted into council
offices and the Mayoral chambers are situated up the ornate stair-cases. The
left hand foyer is known as the Federation Foyer and is where you can see and
hear about the magnificent Federation quilt, donated to the community from the
Peterborough Patchworkers. The right hand foyer is the Memorial Foyer where you
will find Keith Payne’s Victoria Cross display and the Citizen of the Year honour roll.
Please pop your head in to witness the grandeur of the beautiful building.
The town hall is used for many functions throughout the year. Every Easter we attempt to visit Peterborough for the annual Art and Cultural Festival, held around Easter time. Included in the festival is a huge art and photographic exhibition and competition. Every time I go I comment that I must enter some of my photos; the family is still waiting.
Peterborough Town Hall
Former YMCA Building in Peterborough, South Australia
While on a recent visit to relatives in Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia, I took time out one sunny afternoon to take a few photos of some prominent features of the town. Over recent weeks I have been sharing these photos and writing about the various features of this once well established railway town.
One of the beautiful buildings in the main street is the YMCA Building, right next to the Town Hall which I will feature in the coming days. This building no longer serves its former use and is now an important tourist attraction for what it contains.
The following quote is an extract from the local council tourist brochure:
In the middle of the town, between the Visitor Information Centre and the Town Hall, the historic former YMCA building has sprung back to life as a museum. Downstairs houses a unique display of MELDONFIELD Miniatures, created by Mary & Eldon Zimmermann. The must-see attraction is the original Petersburg Railway station, situated in the foyer of the main entrance, which has been rebuilt on a scale of 1:12 from the original stone, bricks and wood salvaged by Eldon.
Historic Cobb & Co coaches made by Eldon with Mary’s miniature people, also to scale with the coaches, are on display as well as the huge number of tools and plans which have been used to create these fascinating miniatures. It is truly a wonderful collection for those people who appreciate such attention to detail in miniature making and for those interested in the history of transportation.
Upstairs in this building the Peterborough Historic Group has painstakingly bought the “single men’s” rooms back to original condition and in each of the rooms are housed artefacts associated with the history of “Petersburg to Peterborough” and the surrounding region. Set your mind wondering to how people use to live and experience a taste of a life long gone. Open daily from 9am to 4pm except Christmas.
I have seen parts of this exhibition and can thoroughly recommend a good look – both visitors and locals alike.
Saint Cecilia Mansion Peterborough
One of the more impressive historic buildings in Peterborough, South Australia, is Saint Cecilia Mansion, shown in today’s photos. I must admit that I have never been inside, or taken a tour and not even participated in one of the renowned Murder Mystery Banquets. Such an over sight on my part.
The local council tourist site states:
Saint Cecilia is the former Bishop John Norton’s mansion, a heritage listed ‘Edwardian-style’ building dating back to 1912. It was also the convent for the Order of Nuns and boarding school for the St. Joseph’s Catholic girls up until 1973. Today visitors can enjoy a Bed & Breakfast stay in any of the beautiful themed rooms and groups can enjoy Murder Mystery nights along with selected banquet themes. Tours are available every day between 11am – 3pm.
Saint Cecilia Mansion Peterborough
Locomotive in the main street of Peterborough, South Australia
On my most recent visit to family in Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia I took the photo above of an old locomotive on display in the main street. I can’t tell you any details of the loco – but I am sure that my brother-in-law could tell me plenty about it – and how to drive it. He cut his teeth driving a range of locomotives over many years.
I have managed to find the following information from the council website:
“On display in the centre of town, adjacent to the public toilets, is an 1880’s Y Class Steam Locomotive. She was one of the first Steam locomotives operating between Silverton, Petersburg and Port Pirie hauling iron ore to the smelter and wharf for export.” (Petersburg was the pre-WW1 name for Peterborough.)
What caught my interest in particular this time, however, was the memorial plaque in front of the locomotive, show in the photo below (click to enlarge). I’ve probably seen this memorial many times in recent years but have never taken the time to peruse the inscription.
The memorial celebrates the contribution of a large number of local railway workers who died in the course of duty on the railways. I am sure that there must be other memorials like this in other parts of the world, but I know of none, nor have I seen any in my travels. Very sad, but quite fitting to pay tribute to those workers.
Railway memorial in the main street of Peterborough, South Australia