The General Store opens its doors for business and the smell of freshly baked bread wafts through the air as children sing in the schoolroom and the blacksmith is heard clanging in the distance.

As you walk down the main street of the Loxton Historical Village it is easy to imagine this happening with over 30 fully furnished buildings and exhibits to explore.

Loxton’s unique Historical Village is situated on the riverfront at Loxton in the Riverland of South Australia, adjacent to Loxton’s main shopping area.

The Historical Village is a must to see, it will bring back memories of an era past and will educate children on how life used to be back in their grandparents and great grandparents time.

The Loxton Historical Village has an aura of old world charm, and when you enter the Village you will feel like you have been transported back to the late 1890’s, early 1900’s, when the Loxton township was just being developed. Foundations for the Loxton Historical Village were laid in 1970 when the Loxton National Trust branch built a pug and pine replica of “Loxton’s Hut”.

There are now over 30 fully furnished buildings depicting and preserving the history and way of life of the early Riverland settlers.

Farm buildings have been modelled on original structures around the district, including a pine slab shearing shed and stable, and a barn made of mallee stumps.

A bank, once operating at Geranium, and a railway station sited originally at Yinkanie together with a barber shop and one of the most comprehensive displays of old dental equipment in Australia, are features not to be missed.

The Clarion newspaper office (Loxton’s first paper) houses antique printing machines.
The 1920’s style garage, designed by the Riverland Vintage and Classic Car Club, is home to some beautiful old cars and motorcycles.

The most recent addition to the Village is a vast area dedicated to the Irrigation Museum. On display here is a Nissan Hut which was the living quarters for the returned servicemen and their families. The Hut gives an authentic account of what living conditions were like in those days.

The Loxton Historical Village has been developed to record the history of the early settlers and offer an educational experience for school students.

The program takes on a practical approach with lots of hands on activities designed for the students.

Information is available on how best to use the Village for study topics in the subject areas of home economics, history, society and environment, pioneer and early settlement, communications, technology changes, social communications, clothing, housing, transport, crafts.

The practical approach involves students partaking of activities such as:

• Cooking damper or buttermilk scones on a woodfire
• Butter and noodle making
• Construction of mud bricks
• Rope making and blacksmithing
• Washing, starching clothes, mangling and ironing
• Darning, sewing, knitting
• Pioneer games
• Using print blocks and old telephones

Throughout the year the Loxton Historical Village holds special ‘Village Alive Days’ which provide working exhibits, adding colour to the static displays, switching on the imagination of being transported to another time.

School Groups

A maximum group size of 50 students is recommended at one time.

Catering of lunches can be arranged if required, and the shop sells souvenirs, canned drinks and ice creams.

Admission Costs

• Adults $12pp;
• Concession $10pp;
• Children $6pp;
• Buses/Tours $8pp;
• Family $30

Note prices may change without notice.

If you are planning a special event and wanting a venue that has character, why not consider the Loxton Historical Village? As the sun sets over the river the Village takes on a new ambience which is filled with nostalgic charm.

The tiny Pioneer Memorial Church has become a favourite for local weddings and the Institute Hall is a ‘Venue with a Difference’, and ideal for wedding receptions, family reunions, Christmas and birthday parties. The Village offers homestyle catering or outside caterers can be arranged.

Costs and booking details available on enquiry.