Penola, South Australia

Town in southern South Australia, Australia

For other uses, see Penola.

Penola
South Australia

Penola town centre

Penola

Coordinates| 37°22′43″S 140°50′10″E﻿ / ﻿37.378605°S 140.83623°E﻿ / -37.378605; 140.83623[1]
Population|

* 1,376 (town centre) (2021 census)[2]
* 1,622 (locality) (2021 census)[3]

Established| 1867 (town)
13 December 2001 (locality)[1][4]
Postcode(s)| 5277
Elevation| 65 m (213 ft)
Time zone| ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)| ACST (UTC+10:30)
Location| 388 km (241 mi) SE of Adelaide
LGA(s)| Wattle Range Council
Region| Limestone Coast[5]
County| Grey[1]
State electorate(s)| Mackillop[6]
Federal division(s)| Barker[7]
| Mean max temp | Mean min temp | Annual rainfall

|
|

20.0 °C
68 °F | 8.3 °C
47 °F | 708.5 mm
27.9 in
| Localities around Penola:

Maaoupe | Coonawarra | Dorodong
Monbulla | Penola | Dorodong
Lake Mundi
Krongart | Nangwarry | Lake Mundi
Footnotes| Adjoining localities[1][8][9]

Penola (/pəˈnoʊlə/ pə-NOH-lə) is a town in the Australian state of South Australia located about 388 kilometres (241 mi) southeast of the state capital of Adelaide in the wine growing area known as the Coonawarra. At the 2021 Australian Census, the town of Penola had a population of 1,376. [10]

It is known as the central location in the life of Mary MacKillop (St Mary of the Cross), the first Australian to gain Roman Catholic sainthood, in 2010.[11] In 1866 McKillop and a Catholic priest and geologist, Julian Tenison-Woods, established a Catholic school in the town.

## History

[edit]

The Aboriginal Australians living in the area when Europeans arrived were the Bindjali people,[12] although this meaning has also been ascribed to Coonawarra by the same source. A different source reports that the Bindjali expression, pena oorla means "wooden house", which referred to the first pub in the district, the Royal Oak.[13]

The first Europeans to the area were the Austin brothers, who arrived in 1840 and established a run of 109 square miles (280 km2). The first settlers were Scottish-born Alexander Cameron and his wife Margaret in January 1844 after obtaining an occupation licence. In April 1850, Cameron obtained 80 acres (0.3 km2) of freehold land (his station was on a pastoral lease) and established the private town of "Panoola", later known as Penola.

By 1850, he had built the Royal Oak Hotel and was doing much business supplying liquor to the many travellers passing through to the Victoria goldfields.

Penola Post Office opened around 1852.[14]

Religious services in the town were first conducted in a converted shop,[15] before St Joseph's (Catholic) Church was built in 1859.[16] This was replaced on the same site by a new one designed by Adelaide architect Herbert Jory in Romanesque Revival style[17] and opened in 1924.[15][18]

John Riddoch purchased Yallum in 1861. Riddoch grew up in poverty in the highlands of Scotland and in 1851 emigrated to try his luck on the Victoria goldfields. Within a few years he was a successful shopkeeper and wine merchant on the Geelong goldfields. He acquired 35,000 acres (142 km2) on which he ran 50,000 head of sheep. It was Riddoch who planted the first grape vines and helped to diversify the pastoral economy of the area with an agricultural industry. In 1890, he established the Penola Fruit Growing Colony which was renamed Coonawarra in 1897.[citation needed]

### Mary McKillop

[edit]

Main article: Mary McKillop

Mary McKillop was a Roman Catholic nun, who was beatified on 19 January 1995 at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, in a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II; and became the first Australian to be named as a saint in 2010.[11][19] In 1866 McKillop and Julian Tenison Woods established a Catholic school, St Joseph's School,[20] and developed the Woods/MacKillop Catholic education system in Australia,[21][22] They also established in Penola a congregation of religious sisters, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Also known as the "Josephites" or "Brown Joeys", they continue to work with the poor and needy communities throughout the world today.[23]

### Railways

[edit]

Penola was on the Mount Gambier to Wolseley railway line, which opened in 1887, until its closure to freight on 12 April 1995 and then to Limestone Coast Railway tourist passengers on 1 July 2006.[24]

## Heritage listings

[edit]

Penola has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

* 31 Arthur Street: St Andrew's Presbyterian Church[25]
* 23 Arthur Street: Penola Public Library and Mechanics Institute[26]
* Bowden Street: Ulva Cottage[27]
* Church Street: National Bank Building[28]
* 28 Church Street: Bank of South Australia Building[29]
* 31 Church Street: Heyward's Royal Oak Hotel[30]
* 31 Church Street: Penola Post Office and Dwelling[31]
* 118 Church Street: Bushman's Inn[32]
* Clarke Street: Penola railway station[33]
* off Penola Road: John Shaw Neilson's Cottage[34]
* Portland Street: Woods MacKillop Schoolhouse[35]
* 58 Riddoch Street: Penola Butter and Cheese Factory[36]
* 136 Wilson Street (Petticoat Lane): Sharam's First Cottage[37]
* 136 Wilson Street (Petticoat Lane): Sharam's Second Cottage[38]

## Climate

[edit]

In 2010, a strong tornado ripped through the township destroying at least four buildings and damaging many more.[39]

Climate data for Penola State Forest Reserve, Nangwarry, South Australia

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 44.0
(111.2)  | 44.1
(111.4)  | 41.3
(106.3)  | 34.6
(94.3)  | 28.5
(83.3)  | 20.4
(68.7)  | 22.0
(71.6)  | 24.5
(76.1)  | 31.2
(88.2)  | 33.6
(92.5)  | 39.5
(103.1)  | 42.9
(109.2)  | 44.1
(111.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 26.3
(79.3)  | 27.3
(81.1)  | 24.5
(76.1)  | 21.0
(69.8)  | 17.0
(62.6)  | 14.0
(57.2)  | 13.6
(56.5)  | 14.7
(58.5)  | 16.6
(61.9)  | 19.2
(66.6)  | 21.8
(71.2)  | 24.5
(76.1)  | 20.0
(68.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 11.8
(53.2)  | 12.0
(53.6)  | 11.2
(52.2)  | 9.0
(48.2)  | 7.2
(45.0)  | 5.2
(41.4)  | 4.5
(40.1)  | 5.2
(41.4)  | 6.5
(43.7)  | 7.4
(45.3)  | 9.0
(48.2)  | 10.7
(51.3)  | 8.3
(46.9)
Record low °C (°F)  | 3.0
(37.4)  | 2.3
(36.1)  | 2.8
(37.0)  | 0.0
(32.0)  | −0.5
(31.1)  | −2.2
(28.0)  | −3.2
(26.2)  | −1.0
(30.2)  | −0.4
(31.3)  | 0.1
(32.2)  | 0.2
(32.4)  | 1.3
(34.3)  | −3.2
(26.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches)  | 25.2
(0.99)  | 20.8
(0.82)  | 33.2
(1.31)  | 52.9
(2.08)  | 71.2
(2.80)  | 81.6
(3.21)  | 101.9
(4.01)  | 91.7
(3.61)  | 76.6
(3.02)  | 61.0
(2.40)  | 46.3
(1.82)  | 40.2
(1.58)  | 702.6
(27.65)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) | 7.5  | 6.0  | 8.6  | 11.9  | 15.7  | 16.3  | 18.7  | 19.6  | 16.6  | 13.7  | 11.6  | 10.8  | 157
Source: Bureau of Meteorology[40]

## Tourism

[edit]

Stained glass window at Mary MacKillop shrine, Penola South Australia

The Mary MacKillop Interpretive Centre is located in Penola. It is in close proximity to the two State Heritage sites of Petticoat Lane and the original stone schoolhouse developed by Mary MacKillop in conjunction with Father Julian Tenison Woods in the 1800s.

## Governance

[edit]

Penola is located within the federal division of Barker, the state electoral district of MacKillop, and the local government area of the Wattle Range Council.[7][1][6]

## Sport

[edit]

The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League, the Penola Eagles.[41]

The Penola Racing Club holds thoroughbred horse racing at its track located near the town.[42]

The town also has a cricket team that competes in the Mount Gambier & District Cricket Association with both a junior and senior team.

## Media

[edit]

The primary local newspaper of the district is The Pennant,[43] published weekly since July 1946, while The Border Watch (also part of the Scott Group of Companies) and rival The Naracoorte Herald, also publish local and regional news.[44]

## Notable people

[edit]

Penola has been home to some notable and interesting people. Among them were Saint Mary MacKillop, poets John Shaw Neilson and Adam Lindsay Gordon, Julian Tenison-Woods, Scottish-Australian bush poet Will H. Ogilvie (1869–1963), Sara Douglass, Michael Graham (footballer) and John Riddoch.

It was The Border Watch that published Ogilvie's first poem in Australia on 22 April 1893, when he was at nearby Maaoupe Station.[45]

The Antarctic explorer John Riddoch Rymill was born in Penola, named his ship Penola and later successfully farmed the Old Penola Estate.[46]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "Search result for 'Meningie, Locb' with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and Localities', 'Government Towns', 'Counties', 'Hundreds', 'Local Government Areas', 'SA Government Regions', 'Gazetteer', 'Railways' and 'State Maintained Roads'". Location SA Map viewer. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
2. ^ "Penola 2021 Census". Retrieved 2 August 2023.
3. ^ "Penola 2021 Census". Retrieved 2 August 2023.
4. ^ Lawson, R. (13 December 2001). "GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES ACT 1991 Notice to Assign Boundaries and Names to Places (in the Wattle Range Council)" (PDF). The South Australian Government Gazette. South Australian Government. p. 5365. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
5. ^ "Limestone Coast SA Government region" (PDF). The Government of South Australia. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
6. ^ a b "District of Mackillop profile". Electoral Commission SA. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
7. ^ a b "Federal electoral division of Barker" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
8. ^ "West Wimmera Shire town and rural districts names and boundaries" (PDF). Locality names and boundary maps. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, State Government of Victoria, Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
9. ^ "Glenelg Shire town and rural districts names and boundaries" (PDF). Locality names and boundary maps. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, State Government of Victoria, Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
10. ^ "Penola 2021 Census". Retrieved 2 August 2023.
11. ^ a b Thorpe, Osmund, "Cultural Advice", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 21 July 2021
12. ^ "Map of Indigenous Australia". AIATSIS. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
13. ^ "Penola, SA". Aussie Towns. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
14. ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 11 April 2008.
15. ^ a b "Saint Joseph's Church, Penola". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
16. ^ "St Joseph's Church". Mary MacKillop Penola Centre. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
17. ^ East, John W. (2016). Australian Romanesque: A History of Romanesque-Inspired Architecture in Australia. University of Queensland (Report). pp. 163, 165. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
18. ^ Davis, T. P. (18 January 1924). "Penola Mission and St. Joseph's Old Church". Southern Cross. Vol. XXXVI, no. 1782\. South Australia. p. 4. Retrieved 22 January 2021 - via National Library of Australia.
19. ^ "MacKillop to become Australia's first saint". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 December 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
20. ^ "Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart – South Australian Province – History". n.d. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
21. ^ Foale, M. T. (2006). "Background to the Foundation of the Sisters of St Joseph & the Establishment of the Woods/MacKillop System of Catholic Education" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
22. ^ "Mary MacKillop's Story". n.d. Archived from the original on 1 December 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
23. ^ "Sisters of St Joseph – About Us". n.d. Archived from the original on 3 December 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
24. ^ "Welcome to the Limestone Coast Railway". Archived from the original on 22 July 2008.
25. ^ "St Andrew's Presbyterian Church". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
26. ^ "Penola Public Library and Mechanics Institute". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
27. ^ "Dwelling ('Ulva Cottage')". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
28. ^ "National Bank Penola Branch". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
29. ^ "Dwelling (former Bank of South Australia Penola Branch)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
30. ^ "Heyward's Royal Oak Hotel". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
31. ^ "Former Penola Post Office and Dwelling". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
32. ^ "Bushman's Inn Restaurant (former Bushman's Inn)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
33. ^ "Dwelling (former Penola Railway Station)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
34. ^ "Dwelling – John Shaw Neilson's former cottage". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
35. ^ "Woods MacKillop Schoolhouse". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
36. ^ "Former Penola Butter & Cheese Factory". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
37. ^ "Dwelling & Shop – Sharam's Cottage (First)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
38. ^ "Sharam's Cottage (Second)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
39. ^ "'Wicked' tornado rips through Penola". ABC News. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
40. ^ "Penola State Forest Reserve". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
41. ^ Full Points Footy. "Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara". Archived from the original on 13 May 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
42. ^ "Naracoorte Limestone Coast". Country Racing SA Inc. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
43. ^ "Pennant". Country Press SA. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
44. ^ "Penola local newspapers". Newspapers.com.au. Australia Gday. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
45. ^ "Kings of the earth". The Border Watch. Vol. XXXII, no. 3065\. South Australia. 22 April 1893. p. 4. Retrieved 9 December 2018 - via National Library of Australia.
46. ^ "Perennial Pastures on Old Penola Estate". The Chronicle. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 9 December 1954. p. 23. Retrieved 8 January 2013.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Hanna, Cliff. Corartwalla: A History of Penola, the Land and Its People (Magill Publications, 2001); 382pp ISBN 0-9579652-0-6

## External links

[edit]

* South Australian History
* Wattle Range Council

* v
* t
* e

Towns and localities of the Wattle Range Council

* Beachport
* Bool Lagoon
* Bray (part)
* Burrungule
* Canunda
* Clay Wells (part)
* Comaum
* Coonawarra
* Furner
* German Flat
* Glencoe
* Glenroy
* Hatherleigh
* Kalangadoo
* Kangaroo Inn (part)
* Koorine
* Krongart
* Maaoupe
* Magarey
* Millicent
* Moerlong
* Mount Burr
* Mount McIntyre
* Monbulla
* Nora Creina (part)
* Nangwarry
* Penola
* Rendelsham
* Rocky Camp
* Sebastopol
* Short
* Southend
* Tantanoola (part)
* Thornlea
* Wattle Range
* Wattle Range East
* Wepar

Former localities|

* Trihi

* v
* t
* e

Limestone Coast, South Australia

Cities|

* Mount Gambier

Towns and localities|

* Allendale East
* Beachport
* Bordertown
* Cape Jaffa
* Carpenter Rocks
* Coonawarra
* Donovans
* Furner
* Glencoe
* Greenways
* Kalangadoo
* Kingston SE
* Keith
* Kongorong
* Lucindale
* Millicent
* Moorak
* Mount Benson
* Mount Burr
* Mundulla
* Nangwarry
* Naracoorte
* OB Flat
* Padthaway
* Penola
* Port MacDonnell
* Rendelsham
* Robe
* Southend
* Tantanoola
* Tarpeena
* Wandilo
* Wolseley
* Wrattonbully
* Yahl

Governance|

| Federal division|

* Division of Barker

|

State electoral districts|

* Electoral district of MacKillop
* Electoral district of Mount Gambier

Local Government|

* City of Mount Gambier
* District Council of Grant
* District Council of Robe
* Kingston District Council
* Naracoorte Lucindale Council
* Tatiara District Council
* Wattle Range Council

Hills, mountains and volcanoes|

* Mount Benson
* Mount Gambier
* Mount Schank

Caves, sinkholes and freshwater lakes|

* Blanche Cave
* Blue Lake
* Cave Gardens
* Engelbrecht
* Ewens Ponds
* Fossil Cave
* Lake Bonney SE
* Little Blue Lake
* Piccaninnie Ponds
* Valley Lake

Islands|

* Baudin Rocks
* Penguin

Coastal features|

* Cape Banks
* Cape Jaffa
* Cape Northumberland
* Discovery Bay (part only)
* Guichen Bay
* Lacepede Bay
* Margaret Brock Reef
* Rivoli Bay

Protected areas|

| National parks|

* Canunda
* Coorong (southern end only)
* Naracoorte Caves

|

Conservation parks|

* Aberdour
* Baudin Rocks
* Bangham
* Beachport
* Belt Hill
* Big Heath
* Butchers Gap
* Calectasia
* Carpenter Rocks
* Christmas Rocks
* Custon
* Desert Camp
* Dingley Dell
* Douglas Point
* Ewens Ponds
* Fairview
* Furner
* Geegeela
* Glen Roy
* Gower
* Grass Tree
* Guichen Bay
* Gum Lagoon
* Hacks Lagoon
* Hanson Scrub
* Jip Jip
* Kungari
* Lake Frome
* Lake Hawdon South
* Lake St Clair
* Little Dip
* Lower Glenelg River
* Mary Seymour
* Mount Monster
* Mount Scott
* Mullinger Swamp
* Nene Valley
* Ngarkat
* Padthaway
* Paranki Lagoon
* Penambol
* Penguin Island
* Penola
* Piccaninnie Ponds
* Pine Hill Soak
* Reedy Creek
* Talapar
* Tantanoola Caves
* Telford Scrub
* Tilley Swamp
* Vivigani Ardune
* Woakwine
* Wolseley Common

Game reserves|

* Bool Lagoon
* Bucks Lake
* Lake Robe
* Poocher Swamp

Conservation reserves|

* Desert Camp
* Bernouilli
* Hardings Springs

Marine parks|

* Upper South East
* Lower South East

Related and uncategorised|

* Limestone Coast zone
* Coonawarra
* Mount Benson
* Mount Gambier
* Robe
* Padthaway
* Wrattonbully

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

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