07. Reilly’s Boot Shop
This allotment was one of the earliest sold after Mintaro was subdivided in 1849, which suggests that the core of this building could date from the early 1850s. The 1857 rate assessment described the building as a shop and two rooms, occupied by Hugh Riley (sic), and owned by John Gurry. Hugh Reilly is known to have purchased the property in 1870, and although the land transaction lists his occupation as farmer, he was also listed in the almanacs of 1870 and 1871 as a shoemaker.[1] Hugh Reilly, a shoe and bootmaker from Cross Keys, County Cavan in Ireland, emigrated to South Australia at age 18 on the Lady Ann, arriving in Adelaide 2 October 1859 with his parents and siblings. Two older siblings had arrived two years earlier and had purchased land near Mintaro in their fathers name, allowing the family to emigrate on an assisted passage. Records suggest that Hugh opened a boot and shoe making business at the Blinman Mines in 1864.[2] Clare rate assessment records from 1865 to 1868 show that he operated a bootmakers in Mintaro alongside saddlers John Gurry and Philip Lane[3], and then purchased the title over Lot 34 from Dymphna Lester in November 1871.[4] He ran his boot and shoe making business here until 1876 when he sold up the ‘very Valuable Business Premises situated on Allotment No. 34, consisting of substantial Stone House of four rooms, and commodious Shop, Coachhouse, Stable, and Outbuildings, the whole of which are excellently finished and in thorough repair.’[5] It is possible that he may have travelled to London in 1877. The South Australian almanacs of the time list Hugh Reilly as working at Monarto in 1878 and 1879 but this may be a misspelling of Mintaro. He married Mary Lee and in 1880 opened a bootmakers shop in Yongala, where they raised a family of five children. Tragedy struck the family twice in 1894, first in May when the shop was destroyed by fire, and again in November when 10 year old daughter Eliza fell down a well and drowned. Hugh’s father, Michael Reilly, died 20 August 1885 at Farrell’s Flat and is buried in the Mintaro general cemetery. Hugh and Mary Reilly later removed to Adelaide, about 1900. Hugh died in 1919 and Mary in 1926. They are both buried in the Catholic section of Adelaide’s West Terrace Cemetery. After leaving Mintaro the property was sold to Michael Tobin, who also owned the general store on the adjacent corner on Hill street. The title transferred to his four unmarried daughters on his death in 1883, who later sold it to Richard Mortimer, stone cutter, in 1885. Purchased by Justin and Julie Ardill in 1993, today Reilly’s Cottage is home to Reillys Wines Cellar Door and Restaurant.
09. Flour Mill
This once important steam flour mill, constructed in 1859, is a tangible reminder of Mintaro’s role as an agricultural service and supply centre. It was first owned by John Smith, a substantial property owner in the town and district who purchased the adjacent Mintaro Hotel (now the Magpie and Stump) in 1858. The mill was used for grinding and dressing grain. The four pairs of grinding stones and two sets of rollers were driven by a twenty horsepower steam engine. It ceased operating in the mid 1870s and the machinery was transferred to the Jacka brothers’ mill at Morgan. The mill today has been substantially restored, including the reinstatement of its barrel-vaulted roof. Unfortunately the distinctly square chimney, which the mill had originally, has been lost.[1]
10. Wakefield Cottage
This building started as a simple four roomed cottage with rear skillion roofed lean-to. The projecting southern gable front was added some years later. The northern wing, attached by a breezeway was added in 2016. The original owner was John Smith, who also owned The Magpie and Stump Hotel and the adjacent Flour Mill. The properties were advertised for auction in February 1900 and described as ‘Allots. 76, 77, Township of Mintaro, containing 2 Acres, with 6-roomed Stone House thereon, known as the Mill House.’[1] Following Smith’s death in 1876, the house had a number of owners, including James Torr, the owner/publican of The Devonshire Arms, who donated the land on which the playground and bowling green sits today to the community. Another owner was William Skuse, an early Mintaro settler. Both Torr and Skuse are buried in the local cemetery. Their headstones reflect their differing wealth and station in life. Initial conservation work was carried out in the 1980s, and this included restoration of the shingled roof, some internal modifications and external consolidation work. The cottage was modified for its role as a restaurant in the 2000s and operated as such for a number of years. It has been a private residence undergoing ongoing extension and conservation since 2011.
17. Old Primitive Methodist Chapel
The building is locally known as the first Primitive Methodist Church this fact has not been established (see below). The Anglicans were the first to purchase the property in June 1856 and the small structure could well have been erected soon afterwards to serve perhaps as a combined residence and church. The Gothic windows at the front as well as this building’s location in Church Street tend to suggest ecclesiastical function. Reference to an Anglican place of worship in Mintaro are scant but relevant snippets of information which appear in the official Church of England Year Books are worth repeating here. Mintaro’s Anglicans were under the clergy of Reverend W. Wood of St. Barnabas, Clare, and first mention of Mintaro was made in the 1856-57 Year Book. In the 1869-70 issue the remark was made that there was a lack of church attendance in the whole district and by 1876 schoolmaster James Fry became the new owner of the property. In the 1889-90 Year Book first mention was made of a building in Mintaro with a seating capacity of 30. Four years later it was noted that greater efforts were being made to re-establish Sunday services at Mintaro but response was low and a suitable building was not feasible. Rosina Mortlock of Martindale was instrumental in resurrecting Anglicanism in Mintaro and as a result of her persistence and financial backing the former Primitive Methodist complex across Young Street in Lot 23 was purchased by the Anglican Church in 1905. This is a simple hip-roofed sandstone cottage with charming lancet windows to the front elevation, …[1] The property, Lot 22 Mintaro, was sold by Joseph Gilbert to The Right Reverend Augustus Short D.D. Lord Bishop of Adelaide in 1856, also with Lot 9 Mintaro.[2] Locally known as the first Primitive Methodist Church, this is recorded in Ian Paull’s 1961 book ‘Methodism in Auburn and district’ where he states ‘The original meeting place of the Primitive Methodists is now the home of Mrs. Albert Grace whose late husband was a Methodist local preacher.’[3] The certificate of title for the property confirms this as it transferred to Ruby May Grace (nee Midwinter) in 1933.[4] It should also be noted that on the earliest map of the Mintaro subdivision allotment 22 is designated as ‘Church.’ After only a few years the Primitive Methodists found the property too small and in 1858 it was reported in the South Australian Register of 15 October that they ‘are now about to erect a chapel as their present room is not large enough.’[5] This new chapel was opened on December 23, 1860[6] and the old chapel is thought to have reverted to a schoolroom. James Fry, licensed teacher, purchased the property in 1876 and it remained in the Fry family for 64 years, transferring to his wife Lucy Stewart Fry and son-in-law Albert Lionel Clayer after his death in 1909. After Lucy Fry died in 1929 Albert sold the property to Mrs. Grace. During her ownership it appears to have been a rental property for some of the time with names such as Laskey, Marston, Fisher and Pearce being associated with it.[7] Ian McDermid, in partnership with Luis Mendoza, obtained the property in 1997 and set about restoring and renovating it as bed and breakfast accommodation to complement their adjoining property, Lot 10, which they had acquired in 1990.[8] A key feature of the restoration was removal of the verandah on the eastern face of the building and the reinstatement of the original peaked portico and the gothic windows.
18. Mintaro Primary School
In 1853 the licensed country schools return listed a school at Mintaro with Edward James as teacher and an enrolment of 36 pupils (15 boys and 11 girls). The licensing of teachers and inspection of schools was under the charge of the Central Board of Education at this time. Thomas Gibson took over in 1854 and taught in Mintaro until 1860 by which time the enrolment had increased to 44 and the curriculum extended. There is no record of where this early school was located but it continued until a Government primary school building was erected in 1872 on Lot 11. The new school building which cost £445, could accommodate 76 pupils and may well have been constructed to counteract the competition of the Jesuit sponsored school established by James Horan in 1867. James Fry, who was the teacher of the licensed school in 1872 and as such had instigated the approach to the Central Board of Education for the new building, was appointed headmaster of the primary school. He remained in that position until 1902. The original school building consisted of a schoolroom (34 ft x 18 ft) with an attached residence. The residential section was enlarged some time during the 1890s presumably as Fry’s family increased in size. In 1922 when the school enrolment reached 105 pupils modifications were undertaken and the residential section converted to classroom use. A new residence was built a short distance from the school at this time. The number of pupils enrolled at the school has continued to fluctuate, the peak was 106 pupils in 1923, but the average number has been between 30-40 children. The building is well maintained and survives substantially intact apart from later unsympathetic corrugated iron lean-to additions. It retains a simple belfry and a well detailed stone and slate chimney.[1] With the closure of the school in 2006 it was sold into private hands as a residential property.
19. Miller’s House
Thomas Miller purchased Mintaro Lot 21 as well as the adjoining Lots 20 and 40 in February 1853 and … the choice of construction materials and general form of the house suggest it was built shortly after his land purchase. Inspection of the house indicates that there were at least two building stages and the original timber shingle roof was a lower hip and valley arrangement. The present pyramidal roof on the northern wing evolved when the house was re-roofed and the four ridges were continued to the present height. This building at the top of the hill forms a major landmark in Mintaro and is of great significance. It typifies an early domestic building which changed and evolved through a number of years of alteration. The stone walling associated with the house and the slate paving to verandahs is also significant.[1] ‘Thomas Miller with his devoted wife Rebecca and one son arrived in Adelaide, SA, on the Fairlie on 7th July 1840.’[2] By 1853 they had moved to Mintaro and bought the property on which they built their house. A newspaper notice in 1956 suggests he owned four sections of land near Mintaro, in the hills to the west and northwest of the town.[3] This is confirmed in the Clare Council Rate Assessment book for 1866-67 where Thos. Miller snr., of Burra St, Mintaro is recorded as having rateable properties in sections 187, 337, 344, 329 and 330. Thomas Miller and his wife were devout Wesleyan Methodists and were, among a number of early residents, instrumental in having the original chapel built in 1853 and the ‘mission house’ in 1858. As well as a trustee for the church Thomas was also a trustee for the Mintaro Institute Incorporated. In 1873 Thomas acquired two new sections of land adjacent to his original holdings (on the left as you leave Mintaro for Sevenhill) and then in 1892, not quite ten years later, he sold most of his holdings to South Australia’s Chief Justice, Samuel James Way. ‘Thomas died on 26th November 1895 while visiting son Charles at Yongala, and was buried in the Yongala Cemetery. Rebecca remained in Yongala with her family, dying on 9th March 1907. They had eleven children, nine sons and two daughters, all surviving to adulthood.’[4] The house and properties in Mintaro transferred to Rebecca in 1896. She then transferred them to widow Agnes Brinkworth (nee Nelson) who, a year later in 1897, married Walter Norris Rowe, blacksmith, son of William Matthews and Jane Rowe. Rebecca Miller died at age 88 on 9th March 1907. The house has changed hands numerous times since then. Recent work undertaken includes repairs to the dry stone walling on Young Street and the sympathetic construction of a small studio facing Burra Street. Remains of an old cellar unearthed during construction were thoughtfully incorporated into the new studio.
03. Devonshire Hotel & Stables
The Devonshire Hotel was built in 1856 on two levels, the upper floor at street level having several rooms, the rear one being 60 feet (18 mtrs) long and was used for public meetings and concerts until the Institute was built in 1878. The level below is divided into two longitudinally and was used as a skittle alley and shooting gallery. The hotel was originally owned by James Torr who was the first licensee from 1856 to 1864. In 1898 the hotel was de-licensed and became a temperance hotel (a term for boarding house), reflecting the influence of the temperance movement in late nineteenth century South Australia. A large stone building incorporating the hotel’s stables, coach house and barn can be seen at the rear from Wakefield Street. It has been converted to a dwelling, an example of how a “change of use” has seen many of Mintaro’s buildings conserved, renovated and hence survive. The Devonshire was the home of the Jacka family for many years until they sold it in 1980 for $26,000. After renovations, “Devonshire House” became the first heritage building in Mintaro to operate as Bed and Breakfast accommodation.
20. Blacksmith’s Shop
After the opening of the Railway Line to Gawler in 1857, the resultant change of route for the ore delivery by bullock wagon from Burra then bypassed Mintaro. The district entered a further phase of agricultural development and the blacksmith became a vital part of the facilities of the town. William Rowe was one of the two blacksmiths working in Mintaro during the 1860s (the other was Frederick Leighton). Rowe purchased Lot 17 and the northern half of Lot 44 from Joseph Loader (a labourer) in 1858 and the southern half of Lot 44 from Levi Parker (a shoemaker) in 1860. The blacksmith’s shop was built on the northern section of Lot 44 facing the Burra Road some time between 1858 and 1861. By 1861 Rowe was mentioned in the Register Report… “At a ploughing match in Auburn Mr. Rowe, an active competitor received the following prizes: best colonial made plough, best colonial made harrow, best plough on the grounds. The judges said this plough was not only unrivalled but unequalled by any which had come under their notice. Also at a Clare ploughing match the prize winner used a plough made by Mr. Rowe of Mintaro.” William Rowe continued as blacksmith in Mintaro until the 1890s. It is possible that he hired other men to assist him at times; and in the 1888 Directory there were 6 blacksmiths working in Mintaro. Rowe died in 1906 and his widow Jane sold the property to Mary Hunt, wife of Mintaro builder John Hunt. The building was no longer used as a blacksmith’s shop and has had various uses since then. For some time it was a mechanics workshop and then after 1955 became an agricultural storage shed. Some time during the early 1960s the main door was enlarged and the attractive arched opening and adjacent window were lost. This simple stone building with red brick coping is in poor condition. The ridge register to the roof has deteriorated with sections missing. The walls are still in sound condition but the building will deteriorate dramatically if maintenance and restoration works are not undertaken soon. The rear stone wall enclosure was probably a stable or holding area for horses. The walls to this area are in poor condition and deteriorating fast. There is a fine slate rain water tank attached to the side elevation.[1] The course of the Blacksmith Shop changed yet again in 1991 when Denise Klemm fell in love with this captivating old ruin. She expressed, “It is my deepest passion to breathe life back into a sleeping historical giant … to rekindle the energy, the hustle and bustle, the activity and creativity of old which once was driven by the sheer grit and determination of our pioneers … it is my wish to provide a place that ‘tweaks’ people’s zest for life, stops them in their tracks for a short moment to be lost in the ‘wonder of old’ – the skills, the sounds, the smells, the crafts, the memorabilia and historical story – just for the fun of living! At this point in time we are in danger of losing all of this.” She progressively achieved just this over a 20 year period and today it is a magnificent marriage of ‘old’ with ‘new’, now encompassing many functions; residence, B&B, seminar venue, live-in retreats and central to community events. The process began in 1998 with the reinstallation of the massive arched timber doors. The original keystone and cut stones were rescued from a creek bed 10 miles to the east of Mintaro. All can be seen today reinstated in their glory at the Blacksmith Shop entrance. The original 9 metre rough-sawn Oregon trusses were levelled and retained. The ‘lost’ loft was enlarged and a mezzanine bedroom and ensuite installed allowing grand views down into the now slate-floored Blacksmith living area. The Blacksmith’s substantial Redgum bench today features as the kitchen island cupboard. Mintaro Slate Quarries fashioned the bull-nosed kitchen bench tops from slate – 900 million years old!! The Butcher and Cobbler’s spaces are today a luxury bathroom and bedroom/study. The 13 metre long, 4 metre high slate and stone back wall was painstakingly ‘stood up straight’ from a dangerous lean, now repointed and stabilised to endure many more years.[2]
05. General Store
A store has occupied this property from as early as 1872. The original two-storey building on the site “burnt to the ground” on August 28, 1896. The current building was probably built shortly afterwards on the remains of the previous store. Early photographs indicate that the shop was a general store, and that for more than 50 years (at least) it was run by the same family. Photographs dated 1901-1906 show the ‘Pulford Bros. General Cash Traders’ as occupants, while the trading sign in a 1951 image shows the proprietor as ‘C.G. Pulford General Cash Trader’. Some sources suggest that poet C.J. Dennis may have lived in this dwelling for a short time in his youth, with his grandfather M. Tobin.[1] By the 1990s it was operating as an antiques shop. In 1991 the shop was fitted out and used during the shooting of the 1993 film ‘Hammers over the anvil’ starring Charlotte Rampling and Russell Crowe, and directed by Ann Turner.[2] Notes Mintaro State Heritage Area. Dwellings, stores, workshops and offices. State Heritage Places entered in the South Australian Heritage Register. Department for Environment and Heritage, 2006. IMDb, Hammers over the anvil (1993), https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101996/, accessed 1/9/2024.
21. William Hunt’s Workshop & Barn
This allotment was purchased in 1850 by R Morris a Yoeman. Three years later Peter Brady, who owned the slate quarries and much other land in and around Mintaro purchased the property for 52 pounds and 10 shillings. In 1856 Brady sold the property to William Hunt for 145 pounds. Once the workshop for carpenter William Hunt, the building is now sensitively renovated. For many years, a long ‘saw pit’ in the forecourt existed for sawing logs lengthwise into planks. This building is associated with Mintaro’s early development as a service centre for the Burra Mine, and is a rare South Australian example of an early carpenter’s workshop. William Hunt owned the four-bedroom house, a workshop, timber house and garden. He also constructed the stables at the rear, originally used the building as a carpenter’s workshop. These buildings then became a fuel storage depot. The floor was originally just dirt and has been replaced with Australian native Cypress Pine Boards. From 1999 this old building was restored. It is of stone construction with sapling rafters. The original shingle roof has been concealed by corrugated iron. A stone fence encloses the property and is an important feature along Burra Street.[1] William Hunt (1811-1902) was born in Button, Somerset, England, he was the youngest of 15 siblings. Arrived in Australia in 1854 on the ship Fortune at the age of 42 with his wife Elizabeth Anne (nee Hutfield 1819–1909). Elizabeth was born in Somerset England, married William in 1841 and they had eight children. Henry (1845—Deceased), Mary (1848-1878), George (1850—1911), Elizabeth (1855-1943), William (1854-?), Henry (1856-1927), Joseph (1859-1950) and John (1861-1946). After arriving in South Australia in 1854 they stayed in Adelaide for a short time before moving to Mintaro. William was a carpenter, miner and undertaker. He was a Primitive Methodist and lay preacher. William and Elizabeth are buried in Mintaro Cemetery.