Dartmoor Heritage Trail
A 6km long walk or drive following marker posts which explores the heritage of Dartmoor.
1. Aboriginal Meeting Place
The Glenelg River formed a natural boundary between two tribes, the Bunganditj to the west and the Gunditjmara to the east. The vicinity of Dartmoor was known as 'Pokar' meaning 'big place' but little is recorded of their early habitation apart from references to sheep stealing and a camp behind the Village Green in the mid-1840s.
2. Fort O'Hare
On 18 August 1836, Major Thomas Mitchell on his exploration of 'Australia Felix' camped above the junction of the Glenelg and Crawford Rivers on a rounded hill which he named Fort O'Hare. From here he went to Nelson by boat and later journeyed to Portland where Mitchell was astonished to find the Hentys in residence.
3. The Ford
The pastoral land to the west of the river, first leased in 1845 by the Scott brothers, was named 'Woodford' and they ran cattle and sheep. The 'Woodford Inn' ran by Conway Ferrers existed from 1846 at the fording place for traffic on the wool route from Penola to Portland. The other early pastoral runs meeting at Dartmoor were `Pieracle', `Kinkella', 'Snizort' and `Glenaulin'. Later, large areas of these leases were made available for purchase.
4. Police Station
Police patrolled the Dartmoor area from the 1860s, without always residing here. The first residence was close to the existing station which opened in 1892. Resident action in the 1980s saved the building from demolition, it was added to the State Heritage Register in 2006!
5. First Permanent Residence
George Spencer, blacksmith and wheelwright, shopkeeper and hotel proprietor, built the first permanent residence in Dartmoor in 1860 after moving here from Portland.
6. Conole's Store
Darby Conole operated a general store on this site from 1878 until his death in 1917. He was the Deputy Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for most of that period as well as the recorder of rainfall.
7. Dartmoor Hotel
Originally known as the 'Dartmoor Inn' and built about 1861 probably by William McKay. Many licensees have operated since then, the longest serving being the Healey family through the 1920s. The original hotel building with slate roof and later extensions burned down in 1983 and was replaced by the current complex.
8. Uniting Church
A temporary bark but preceded the first Presbyterian Church built here in 1880 utilising pit-sawn hardwood timber and shingles for roofing. It was replaced in 1961 by the present Mount Gambier stone structure.
9. Catholic Church
First built in 1889 by Mr Farley on land donated by Darby Conole. It was replaced by the current building in 1959, built over and around the old one without Mass being missed! The brick-facing on the church was completed in 1977.
10. Church of England The first church in 1864 was located near the police station; the current structure of field limestone was built in 1885 on private land by George Greenham. In 1952 the new owner, James McIntyre, donated the land to the Diocese of Ballarat.
11. Dartmoor Primary School No.1035
Residents collected subscriptions totalling 85 pounds to build a school in 1864 which doubled as the Anglican Church (see 10). It was officially recognised in 1871 with Janet Dunbar as Head Teacher. A new building on the current site was erected in 1878. In 1914 Premier Sir Alexander opened a replacement building that forms the central core to the current complex.
12. Dartmoor Post-Office Postal services began from I January 1860 with a loose service to determine the need for a post-office. Subsequently an office was established on 2 April 1860. Telegraph services were available from 2 April 191 I .The post-office and residence has been located on this site since December 1947.
13. Coach-house (Museum), Store and Residence
Built late 1870s by George Greenham, following surveying of this area of town west of the hotel in 1872. The store, which incorporated the post-office until 1947, was operated by several families until the 1970s.The coach-house has a history of uses including blacksmiths, rendering house, motor-repairers and hardware store. It opened as a museum on 26 January 1993.
14. Railway Bridge
The Mount Gambier - Heywood railway was mooted in 1900, and decided upon in 1912. By May 1914 work had reached Dartmoor and the 968 feet (300 m) long wooden bridge was completed in April 1915. The line was on 30 November 1917 and passenger trains operated until 1942. Resident action could not save the unique bridge from demolition in the mid-1980s.
15. Weighbridge
The collection of wattle-bark was an important early industry and following the opening of the railway a weighbridge was emplaced for the trade. Restored by the Dartmoor District Progress Association for the district '150th Celebrations' in 1986.
16. Village Green
Unofficial meeting place and playing field for people prior to the railway construction; the area also has a permanent spring that was used as a watering facility for horses and the later 'iron horses' [steam trains]. Area beautified as a public project for the '150 Celebrations' in 1986; since then a playground & B.B.Q have been added, trees sculptured with appropriate themes, with the Historic Horse Troughs and Flume restored.
17. 'Neslo' Possibly the oldest wooden building in the town, this was the residence and store of Ingel Olsen at the turn of the century, whose only child was killed in a railway accident during construction.
18. Avenue of Honour Seventy Cedar atlantis trees were planted in September 1918, to honour the service of sixty local men and women in World War One. A plaque naming those commemorated is located outside the Dartmoor Memorial Hall and replaces original copper nameplates lost prior to WW2. In the late 1990s, nine trees in the main street were sculptured by chainsaw-carver Kevin Gilders with relevant local WW1 themes.
19. Dartmoor District Memorial Hall
The first hall on this site was built in 1914, possibly by Israel Lovell, of hardwood timber and weatherboards; it cost 200 pounds, including the piano! It was later extended but burned down in the 1950s. The current stone building was opened in 1958 and dedicated as a memorial to local war veterans.
20. Saleyards
The first saleyards were located opposite the Uniting and Catholic Churches at the turn of the century but moved later to this site for access to the railway yards. Used mainly by the agents 'Dennys Lascelles', the yards were closed by the 1970s.
21. Bartlett's Mill and Box Mill
Before and after the Second World War two mills using hard and softwoods operated at this site. The box mill products were in great demand for ammunition boxes and fruit cases.
22. Lions' Hall
Originally the R.A.O.B. ('Buffs') Hall, it was also utilized by the Brownies (formed locally 1929) before the 'Lions' were chartered in 1976.
23. Recreation Reserve
The first 'Showgrounds' were in the vicinity of the railway yards; the current site was gazetted later and became the home of football and cricket teams and the Dartmoor District Show Society from the I 900's.Tennis and netball have since been played here, but the Show moved to the Mumbannar Reserve in the 1980s.
24. Softwood Timber Mill
The first planting of radiata pines occurred in 1927 just north of the mill site. The original owner was the Forestry Pulp and Paper Company. Throughout its subsequent history and operators it has remained a state-of-the-art milling facility until closure in 2008.
25. Dartmoor Cemetery
Gazetted in January 1870, possibly on a site that already had a grave present. Interesting graves are: those of three McQueen children who drowned in a swamp at Drik Drik in 1871, and Frederick Bucknall who arrived in Dartmoor from South Africa in 1888. He built a house at Running Creek [The Waterfall Gardens] and grew wattle trees for the tanning industry. He lost his money in the bank crash of 1890 and left for the Coolgardie goldrush. He returned five years later with 5000 pounds, paid off his farm and enlarged it!
Location
Greenham Street, Dartmoor 3304 Map
