Watervale, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Watervale is a town located in the Clare Valley
, South Australia
, approximately 9 kilometres north of Auburn
and 15 kilometres south of Clare
. It is surrounded by a number of small wineries and several B&Bs. The Riesling Trail
runs past the town to the west, between the Main North Road
and the Skilly Hills
. The town has a number of 19th century heritage buildings, including the former Stanley Grammar School
, which is now a private residence.
. The area on which the town was settled was originally granted to a pioneer named David Davies in 1847 by Governor Robe
, and he named this section of land Watervale.
The area was settled by a number of Protestant families who founded a Bible Methodist Church in the township. The current Uniting Church and accompanying hall are examples of such colonial constructions in the area.
unit, Anglican
and Uniting
churches, a garage, a small number of local businesses (nursery, antique shop, wineries, artist studio) and a variety of recreational facilities (oval, tennis courts and a bowling green). Several Bed and Breakfast and Holiday Cottages are available for rent, including Watervale Retreat, Battunga B&B, Quince Cottage. The town can be readily accessed from the Riesling Trail. The iconic Grandstand has recently been renovated, standing majestically overlooking the town oval.
As part of the Clare Valley, the area is renowned internationally for its grape growing prowess, and is particularly well known for Riesling. High quality Cabernet and Shiraz wines are also produced. Local wineries include Crabtrees, Stephen John Wines, Annie's Lane
and Olssen Wines.
Local artists of note are Murray Edwards and Harry Sherwin. Murray has a delightful studio perched on a ridge to the western side of the town.
Watervale hosts an annual 'Day on the Green' concert at Annie's Lane, attracting up to 6,000 concert-goers. Many have a great experience camping nearby on the town oval.
The hall for the town houses children's playgroup, Agricultural Bureau meetings, and other local functions. There is a subsidiary of the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council library in the township that opens for limited hours.
, the state electoral district of Frome
, and the Australian House of Representatives
Division of Wakefield
.
Clare Valley
The Clare Valley is one of Australia's oldest wine regions, best known for Riesling wines. It lies in the Mid North of South Australia, approximately 120 km north of Adelaide. The valley runs north-south, with Main North Road as the main thoroughfare....
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, approximately 9 kilometres north of Auburn
Auburn, South Australia
Auburn is the name of a small town in the southern edge of the Clare Valley, in the Mid North of South Australia.-History:Often considered the Gateway to the Clare Valley, Auburn was originally settled by William Tateham, who lived in a dugout along the Wakefield River and was first named...
and 15 kilometres south of Clare
Clare, South Australia
The town of Clare is located in South Australia in the Mid North region, 136 km north of Adelaide. It gives its name to the Clare Valley wine and tourist region.-History:One of the first settlers in the area was John Horrocks, in 1839...
. It is surrounded by a number of small wineries and several B&Bs. The Riesling Trail
Riesling Trail
The Riesling Trail is a 35 kilometre walking and cycling track located in the Clare Valley, South Australia. It runs between Auburn and Clare, passing through several towns and villages along the way, including Leasingham, Watervale, Penwortham and Sevenhill. A recent extension now extends 8km...
runs past the town to the west, between the Main North Road
Main North Road
Main North Road is the major north-south arterial route north of the city of Adelaide, South Australia.From the Adelaide city centre, it passes through the Adelaide Parklands and the suburbs of Thorngate, Medindie, Medindie Gardens, Nailsworth, Prospect, Sefton Park, Blair Athol and Enfield before...
and the Skilly Hills
Skilly Hills
The Skilly Hills is a range of hills which make up part of the Mount Lofty Ranges and forms the Clare Valley, in South Australia's Mid North region. The name comes from the Skilly Creek, which was named by explorer John Horrocks, who was forced to live off skilly, a basic porridge made from flour...
. The town has a number of 19th century heritage buildings, including the former Stanley Grammar School
Stanley Grammar School
Stanley Grammar School was a school for boys and girls, located in the South Australian Clare Valley town of Watervale. It was opened in 1863 by teacher, educator and former temporary headmaster Joseph Cole...
, which is now a private residence.
History
Watervale is located on a creek of the same name which is a tributary of the Wakefield RiverWakefield River
The Wakefield River, is part of an estuary located in South Australia. It is an ephemeral river that usually flows only when there are significant rains. The town of Balaklava is located along the lower reaches of the river....
. The area on which the town was settled was originally granted to a pioneer named David Davies in 1847 by Governor Robe
Frederick Robe
Major-General Frederick Holt Robe CB was the fourth Governor of South Australia, from 25 October 1845 to 2 August 1848....
, and he named this section of land Watervale.
The area was settled by a number of Protestant families who founded a Bible Methodist Church in the township. The current Uniting Church and accompanying hall are examples of such colonial constructions in the area.
The town today
The townhship boasts a general store and Post Office, hotel, primary school, CFSCountry Fire Service
The SA Country Fire Service is a volunteer based fire service in the state of South Australia in Australia. Many parts of Australia are sparsely populated whilst at the same time they are under significant risk of bushfire. Due to economics, it is prohibitively expensive for each Australian town...
unit, Anglican
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
and Uniting
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
churches, a garage, a small number of local businesses (nursery, antique shop, wineries, artist studio) and a variety of recreational facilities (oval, tennis courts and a bowling green). Several Bed and Breakfast and Holiday Cottages are available for rent, including Watervale Retreat, Battunga B&B, Quince Cottage. The town can be readily accessed from the Riesling Trail. The iconic Grandstand has recently been renovated, standing majestically overlooking the town oval.
As part of the Clare Valley, the area is renowned internationally for its grape growing prowess, and is particularly well known for Riesling. High quality Cabernet and Shiraz wines are also produced. Local wineries include Crabtrees, Stephen John Wines, Annie's Lane
Annie's Lane
Annie's Lane is a winery in the Clare Valley, South Australia.Annie’s Lane wines were launched in 1996, so-named at the turn of the 20th century when Annie Wayman's horse and cart got bogged along the boundary of a Clare Valley vineyard as she delivered lunch and warm drinks to pruners in the...
and Olssen Wines.
Local artists of note are Murray Edwards and Harry Sherwin. Murray has a delightful studio perched on a ridge to the western side of the town.
Watervale hosts an annual 'Day on the Green' concert at Annie's Lane, attracting up to 6,000 concert-goers. Many have a great experience camping nearby on the town oval.
The hall for the town houses children's playgroup, Agricultural Bureau meetings, and other local functions. There is a subsidiary of the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council library in the township that opens for limited hours.
Governance
Watervale is in the District Council of Clare and Gilbert ValleysDistrict Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys
The District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys is a local government administrative body located in the wine growing central south region of South Australia...
, the state electoral district of Frome
Electoral district of Frome
Frome is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Edward Charles Frome, the third surveyor-general of South Australia. The electorate is based around the industrial city of Port Pirie and the agriculture areas of Clare and Gilbert...
, and the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
Division of Wakefield
Division of Wakefield
The Division of Wakefield is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of South Australia. It is located north of Adelaide, incorporating the outer northern suburbs of Salisbury and Elizabeth, and extending north as far as Clare. It covers the east coast of the Gulf St Vincent north of...
.