Tour of Historic Dutton & St Kitts Pastoral Towns
Dutton & St Kitts
You may never have heard of the tiny towns Dutton & St Kitts in remote South Australia. We hadn't heard of them either until on our travels we came across them.
We took a day trip and went on the self guided tour. The 31km tour costs nothing and is available to be completed at any time.
The earliest Dutton and St. Kitts communities were established in the 1850s by pastoralists from England and farmers from Saxony, Germany. Large tracts of land in the area were leased by pastoralists, who also tried to establish several communities, such as the township of Dutton, to attract workers. The farmers, also known as the Sorbs and the Wends in Australia, emigrated from Germany in quest of a new way of life and set up several farming operations in and near St. Kitts.
Between Truro and Eudunda, the townships of Dutton and St. Kitts are currently a peaceful farming community. Many of the old structures are still there, despite the population being significantly lower than it was at its peak. A 31km self-guided historical tour through the neighbourhoods of Dutton and St. Kitts has been developed to provide visitors the opportunity to experience life as these early settlers did.
The trip begins at the car park across from the Truro Bakery in the heart of Truro. The Eudunda Road is followed by a turn onto the gravel Valley Farm Road, where we pass the tiny town of Pine Hut. The Pine Hut Church and School (1863)'s history is explained through signage in front of the building.
A sizable agricultural complex with numerous historic, grand structures from the 1850's is just around the corner. These structures, which were previously used for church services before Pine Hut was founded in the middle of the 1860s, are now primarily used for storage.
The journey next leads us within Dutton's historic township. Francis Dutton, a well-known pastoralist from the sizable estate of Anlaby, was honoured with the name Dutton when it was originally surveyed in 1866. Most of the residences preserve as much of the past as they are able to, and many of them are well-kept and a credit to their owners. The St. John's Lutheran complex, which includes the school built in 1876, the teachers' residence also in 1876, the church in 1871, and bell tower in 1891 nearby, is likewise in good condition, with the majority of the structures remaining in use today. Although the church has had a recent upgrade, the history of the structure is still visible.
Large signs announcing that the Lavender Federation Trail now crosses through the town on its winding journey to Eudunda have recently been added to a memorial in Dutton honouring the SA Jubilee 150. The majority of the eastern side of the Mount Lofty Ranges is covered by this lengthy trail, which is accessible in some places.
The blacksmith's shop built in 1875, the former store in 1869, the post office in 1873, the telephone exchange in 1921, and the Congregational Church in 1879 are all visited during this heritage tour. Many of these structures are privately owned and have been restored to different levels.
The tour then departs Dutton and travels to St. Kitts. Pioneers heavily farmed St. Kitts' high terrain, clearing all of the ground for agriculture and only leaving trees by creeks, outcrops, and roadside. Cattle and horses could graze without wandering into agricultural areas thanks to fencing along hilltops and waterways, which increased productivity.
Numerous agricultural complexes and buildings, some still in use today and others in disrepair, support the churches in this farming region. Farm sizes have increased throughout the years as farming has gotten increasingly mechanised, leaving behind many buildings.
An historic house made of recognisable red local stone that is now used as a farmshed is visible from the drive. Another home, this one carved out of the hillside, demonstrates the creativity of the inhabitants who constructed homes 150 years ago. The journey terminates at these remains and heads back towards Truro.
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