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PENNESHAW
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Housed in the
old school house on the site of the original 1865 Hog Bay school,
in the picturesque seaside village of Penneshaw on unspoiled Kangaroo
Island, the highlight of the National Trust Penneshaw Maritime and
Folk Museum is the wonderfully detailed model of Captain Matthew Flinders'
ship the Investigator. |
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The voyages of both Captain Flinders, who discovered and named "Kanguroo" Island, and Post Captain Nicolas Baudin, the French navigator and explorer who circumnavigated and named many geographical features on the south coast of the Island, are commemorated in the Museum, as are the lives and adventures of the many seamen, whalers and sealers who landed on these dangerous shores. A dramatic depiction of the perils of this coast is the large map detailing the many ships wrecked on these shores, together with numerous artefacts salvaged from some wrecks. The early school days, students and teachers, are described in the centre section of the Museum and indicate that times were hard for teachers who had to travel long distances to outlying schools. They often had to provide their own horse and trap or bicycle. An instructional pamphlet issued by the Board of Education and held in the Museum reads "Rules for Teachers 1872" includes such gems as "Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls or gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty." No Teachers' Unions in those days! The front section of the Museum tells of the development of Kangaroo Island from the pre-colonial settlers in the 1820's to colonial settlement in 1836. Pre-colonial settlers include Nathaniel Thomas and his Aboriginal partner Betty, who first settled as sealers at Antechamber Bay with others such as William Walker and George "Fireball" Bates and their Aboriginal partners, women who were brought to the Island from both the mainland and the then Van Diemens Land. When official settlement began, these older settlers were of great help to the newcomers both on the Island and on the mainland to which they had made many trips across Backstairs Passage in small boats many of which were made on the Island. Much of the
history of the Island is that of the agrarian settler families.
Their interesting profiles of these families and the impact they
had on the growth of the Island culture and economy are shown together
with many items of considerable historical importance. Descendents
of the pioneer families are well represented on the Island, some
being volunteers in the Museum with interesting personal tales to
tell. |
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Penneshaw Maritime and Folk Museum
Howard Drive, Penneshaw
Kangaroo Island SA 5222
Phone/Fax: (08) 8553.1340 or Phone (08) 8553.1109