Adelaide, South Australia
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is an historic township nestled on the upper reaches of the River Angas in the Adelaide Hills south of Hahndorf, between Echunga, Meadows and Strathalbyn. Macclesfield is well known for its beautiful 19th century architecture, wide streets and gas-style street lamps. Many buildings were constructed of locally hewn pink marble - the stone is still in demand today. In the 2016 Census showed an increase to 958. Macclesfield is in the District Council of Mount Barker local government area's South Ward. The town is in the state electorate of Heysen and the federal Division of Mayo.
Mulberry Cottage, 34 Venables Street, Macclesfield
Where is it?: Macclesfield is 14 km south of Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills,
On Sunday 13 October 2013 the community held an opening event for Crystal Lake Park to celebrate the return of community access to the park and the unveiling of the Yoshin Ogata sculpture. Crystal Lake Park, site of the historic swimming pool, is now a community multipurpose arts and recreation park and part of the Hills Sculpture Trail.
former Service Station, 29 Venables Street, Macclesfield
The township was established by the Davenport family who possessed a special survey in 1840. Their patron was the Earl of Macclesfield. There are still brilliant examples of wattle and daub houses. The township was a base for a famous botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, who collected specimens in the Bugle Ranges. The township of Macclesfield was used by the South Australian Film Corporation for filming "The Week-end of Shadows". Davenport Square is the village green of Macclesfield with picnic, BBQ and toilet facilities.
Day Paddock Park: The Day Paddock Park is a conservation reserve with a walking trail which contains prolific wildflowers including a variety of native orchids in spring. Location: behind Macclesfield Primary School, Vernon/Lutterworth Street, Macclesfield.
Lord Robinson Park: Named after a local person (lived in Hawthorne Cottage next to Marker s Barn in the main Street) who became an English Lord. He revisited Macclesfield and planted pine trees in this park which was then name in his honour. Crystal Lake was built and named in the 1930 s. Approx 18 ha in size, it features a grassed area, walks by the river, picnic tables. Car Park at the corner of Nunnelly Street and Strathalbyn Road, Macclesfield
Adelaide Hills Wine Region
Wine grapes were first planted in the Adelaide hills in the early 1840s. Situated east of Adelaide, the long and narrow Adelaide Hills region runs through the southern Mt. Lofty ranges. It is one of South Australia's largest wine growing regions, stretching from the edge of the Barossa and Eden Valleys in the north, to the boundaries of McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek in the South. The high altitude combines brilliantly with the favourable climate, to allow grapes to mature at a slower pace than other regions, giving the wines intense elegant flavours and characteristics.One of the earliest wineries and vineyards in the area is mentioned in the Adelaide papers for sale as follows: 1865 - Swithen Farmer - Section 6131 "Chain of Ponds". Winemakers plant complete with several thousand gallons of wine, wine presses, fermenting vats, casks, large boilers. Wine vintages 1863-1865. 16 acres of vineyard.
About Macclesfield
George Davenport was an English banker who was a director of the South Australian Company in England and together with partners Frederick Luck (quarter share) and Roger Cunliffe (1/8 share) paid 4,416 pounds for a special survey of 4416 acres (1619 ha) in South Australia. He sent his eldest son (George) Francis to select the land, arriving in Adelaide in February 1840.After initially considering land near Port Lincoln, Francis selected land on the upper reaches of the River Angas, including what is now the town of Macclesfield. This was the last of the special surveys in the area. The town of Macclesfield was named after the Earl of Macclesfield, to whom George Davenport was a steward in England. Francis Davenport returned to England in 1841, leaving Henry Giles to manage his affairs.
Francis Davenport and his wife Sarah returned in February 1843 along with Samuel Davenport, his wife Margaret (married 1 June 1842) and their other brother Robert Davenport. Francis died on 8 April 1843 (probably of typhus); later Samuel and Margaret moved to Beaumont and Robert lived at Battunga near Macclesfield and managed the survey.
The first hotel, The Goat's Head Inn, was established in 1841.[5] It was later known as the Macclesfield Arms, Davenport Arms, and now Three Brothers' Arms after the three Davenport brothers. The brewery next door to the hotel was opened by 1851, but converted to a butter and cheese factory around 1903 and abandoned in favour of a new factory in 1937.[6]
