Yankalilla Regional News March 2020 Issue

Early wayside inns go by the wayside …

Big Gorge Inn

On the long coach trip from Adelaide, Normanville was the final changing station on the way to Cape Jervis, before tackling nearly 20 miles of rough road, that was little better than a rugged bullock track, with many stony creek crossings. Heading south from Normanville, the track through the Big Gorge (or Great Gorge) was the main road to Rapid Bay in the 1850s. A two-storey inn was built along this adventurous track through the gorge to provide for the travellers. However, this road to Finniss Vale, Rapid Bay, Glenburn and the Talisker mine fronting Backstairs’ Passage became almost impassable and was soon abandoned in favour of a preferable route. In 1857 William Randall, chairman of the Rapid Bay Council, wrote to the Central Road Board requesting a survey to determine the best route for a road to Rapid Bay. Government Surveyor Hargraves’ initial assessment examined both a Big Gorge route and a new route via Little Gorge. The Big Gorge required only one bridge, 400m of side cutting and then a ‘somewhat formidable hill to be encountered’, the other route required a bridge over the river at the entrance to the Big Gorge then followed a level path across the foot of the hills along the coast to the entrance of the Little Gorge where extensive side cutting and another bridge would be required. He recommended the Little Gorge route which decision prevailed despite some considerable conjecture from some members of the Board who preferred the Big Gorge route. McLaren Vale contractors T Collinson and J Hornal completed the road and bridge through the Little Gorge by May 1859. With monies left over, a bridge of timber superstructure carried on stone abutments was built, also by Collinson and Hornal, across the Yankalilla River at Big Gorge by 1860. After a number of repairs this bridge was replaced by the current concrete arch bridge in 1919. As traffic increased, the road was realigned in 1954 and then, in 1970 a new bridge was built 100 metres downstream, named Putland’s Bridge after a local landholder, and bypassed the previous bridge which is now in Garnet Kelly Reserve. When the main road was changed in 1859 to go through Little Gorge, the inn at Big Gorge was no longer needed, and the building has since deteriorated. The last licensee was T Jack in 1858. The stone was reused to build farm houses near the relocated road. James Quinn, whose home was in the Great Gorge, metalled the road from Yankalilla to the Great Gorge and constructed a ford at the Bungala River by 1860, which was replaced by a bridge in 1869.

Finnis Vale Hotel

Top: Finnis Vale Hotel, Second Valley c.1850 (SLSA B 4735)

In the mid-1850s William Randall purchased a property from H Jones and named the estate Randalsea. On 29 July 1857 the official private subdivision of a town following the name of his estate was declared. Over the years the town was called Finniss Vale, Rapid Bay, Second Valley and sometimes Randalsea. Some of the town's buildings were erected prior to 1857. One such building was the two-storey hotel erected in 1851 and first licensed as the Farmer’s Arms in 1856, then renamed the Farrier’s Arms in 1857-8. From 1859 it was known as the Finnis Vale Hotel, a stone building with corrugated iron roof, a front verandah supported by wooden posts and an ornate wooden balustrade surrounding, with a stone chimney on an end wall. John Gill was the licensee from 1918 to 1920 until he took over as licensee of the Bush Inn Willunga in 1921. From 1920 to 1922, Desmond Graham Carlsson, formerly of the Aldinga Hotel, Aldinga, was licensee of the Finnis Vale Hotel, Second Valley. In 1927, the license was transferred to the Hotel Victor, Victor Harbor. During the early hours of Friday 2 March 1928 the then de-licensed hotel was destroyed by fire. A baker returning from his round to Delamere noticed the fire and alerted nearby residents but nothing could be done to save the premises. The fire appeared to have started in the cellar on the southern side of the building and was fanned by a southerly breeze. Under the iron roof was the original shingle roof which probably fed the flames. Shortly after, the roof collapsed. A quantity of furniture and effects were also destroyed. The site now contains a private single -storied dwelling.

Big Gorge Inn ruins c.1938

The Yankalilla & District Historical Society Inc. meets on the second Monday of the months of September, October, November, February, March (usually on the Tuesday in March as Monday is Adelaide Cup Day) and April. We meet at 8pm at the Council Chambers. Also, on Wednesday mornings (10am-12noon) there is usually a member of the Society at the library to assist people who have local history enquiries. The next meeting will be on 10 March 2020 (AGM).

– Lorraine Day