Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Sights & Activities
Mary MacKillop Interpretive Centre
MUSEUM
(
www.mackilloppenola.org.au
; cnr Portland St & Petticoat La; adult/child $5/free; 10am-4pm)
The centre occupies a jaunty building with a gregarious entrance pergola (perhaps not as
modest as Saint Mary might have liked!). There's oodles of info on Australia's first saint
here, plus the Woods MacKillop Schoolhouse, the first school in Australia for children
from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
John Riddoch Centre
MUSEUM
(
www.wattlerange.sa.gov.au/tourism
; 27 Arthur St; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun)
F
In the visitor centre building, this museum casts a web over local history back to
the 1850s, covering the local Pinejunga people and original Penola pastoralist Riddoch,
who 'never gave in to misfortune' and was 'steady and persistent'. Closed for a refur-
bishment when we revisited.
Petticoat Lane
STREET
One of Penola's first streets. Most of the original buildings have been razed, but there are
still a few old timber-slab houses, redgum kerbs and gnarly trees to see.
4
Sleeping & Eating
See
www.coonawarradiscovery.com
for B&B listings. Many local Coonawarra wineries
also have restaurants.
Must@Coonawarra
MOTEL $$$
the way up the winery strip, plush Must is a newish option with jaunty roof curves re-
miniscent of a certain opera venue in Sydney. Accommodation ranges from studios to
apartments, with sustainable features aplenty: rain-water showers, double glazing and in-
sulation, solar hot water, natural cleaning products etc. Bike hire costs $20 per day.
Heyward's Royal Oak Hotel
PUB $
( 08-8737 2322;
www.heywardshotel.com.au
; 31 Church St; s $55, d & tw $88)
The Royal Oak
− a lace-trimmed, main-street megalith built in 1872 − is Penola's community hub. The
rooms upstairs are a bit tatty and share bathrooms, but they're good bang for your buck.
Downstairs the huge tartan-carpeted dining room (mains $20 to $33, open 11.30am to
