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Historic Timeline

 

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​Prior to 1800 – Aboriginal people had inhabited Australia for millennia. The area around present-day Penola was home to the Pinjunga tribe, a subgroup of the larger Ngarrindjeri people, who occupied much of the land south of the Murray River. The last known member of the Pinjunga tribe, “Yallum Jacky,” passed away in Adelaide in 1900. He had worked for John Riddoch, assisting with farming activities, and lived at Yallum with his wife, Kitty.

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1840 – Solomon, Josiah, and Thomas Austin established a 117-square-mile squatters' run, constructing a stone house using materials gathered from the paddocks.

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1851 – The Austin brothers sold the lease to Thomas and Harry Wells, who built a second house on the property in 1857.

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1861 – John Riddoch purchased the property and constructed the third house in 1863.

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1878 – Riddoch began building the grand main homestead at Yallum Park, completing it in 1880.

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1881 (June) – Yallum Park hosted royal guests: Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence (1864–1892), and Midshipman Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert, Duke of Cornwall and York. Prince George would later ascend the throne as King George V.

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1890 – A total of 1,147 acres, located six miles north of Penola, was subdivided into 10- and 20-acre lots to create the Penola Fruit Growing Colony, which would later become known as Coonawarra.

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1891 – The first commercial grapevines were planted in the Coonawarra region, marking the beginning of its renowned winemaking tradition.

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1896 – John Riddoch constructed stone cellars in Coonawarra, which are now part of Wynns Coonawarra Estate.

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1901 (July 15) – John Riddoch passed away at Yallum Park. His wife had predeceased him in October 1881.

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1906 – The government acquired 17,182 acres of Yallum Park for closer settlement initiatives.

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1912 (December 4) – The remaining 13,636 acres of Yallum Park were offered for sale by auction. Some blocks, including the one with the main homestead, were passed in (unsold).

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1914 (June) – W.A. Clifford purchased 2,258 acres, including the Yallum Park homestead, from the trustees. Today, 900 acres of the property remain in use for beef breeding and cropping.

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