Following on from the rededication of Garnet Kelly Reserve in May 2018, the Yankalilla Council is investigating the creation of a walk into the Great Gorge following the old bullock track to the remains of the Two Storey Inn. We are working with the Council and the Yankalilla and District Historical Society to have this in place for the Heritage Fleurieu Coast Festival in 2020.
We are also interested in the early transport of the area. We can forget that for the early settlers it would take a day to travel from Adelaide to Second Valley, and the transport means and tracks/roads were not as comfortable as we enjoy now. We are interested in finding remaining evidence of the old roads and to illustrate the endeavours taken in the road making and stone work that was required to open up the Fleurieu by road transport.
The weir, dry stone wall and irrigation system were identified for State Heritage listing in a review in 1985 and we are planning to pursue the processes to have them formally listed.
The discovery of ruins of a chimney, probably the remains of a shepherd’s hut intrigues us. We are thinking at the moment that the hut would have been built for use while the land was still being managed from the Kelly family home at Bald Hills until Edgar took over full lease and then ownership of the land. We are continuing our research on this and hope to organise an archaeological dig to find out more. A picture of a wooden hut near Yankalilla provides very similar size and chimney.
Updated 11 Jul 2019