Mannum Scenic and Historical Walks

Mannum Walk Number 1

A scenic walk to the Lookout and a look at some historical features of Mannum.

Walking time: approximately 1 hour
Conditions: good, but the track to the lookout is fair steep but graded
Starting Point: Visitor Centre. Follow route marked on the map along Purnong Road, past the Caravan Park

1 Mannum Motel (opposite) is built on site of original Police Station and Post Office.

2 Old building north of the Caravan Park entrance is 2nd town pumping station, built in 1887. Now pump-house bunkhouse, backpacker accommodation

3 Herman L. Gass Bird Sanctuary. Named in honour of founder who was for many years manager of Mannum Club.

4 Stone cottage on left of walk way was “Tea” stop for coaches.

5 While climbing up walk way take advantage of seats provided to enjoy the river views.

6 Cairn at Lookout gives directions to many places.

7 Return, follow map to Wanke Road and continue along “Donkey Track” passing Lutheran Manse to Cliff Street.

8 Thomas Randell’s House, possibly the first or second stone house in Mannum, probably used as a store and Post Office until he built the Bogan Store.

9 McLaren Street once known as the Woolshed Gully.

10 House on the right built by Thomas for brother William. Then named “Bleak House” after Charles Dickens story, now generally know as Randell House.

11 House on left also built by Thomas for brother, Francis Henry. Shop on other side of McLaren Street first store in Mannum, owned by Thomas Randell and run by his second wife Bella and son Frederick.

12 Woolshed was the original woolshed after which the street was first named.

13 Mannum Dry Dock, once the only Dry Dock in Australia. Bought by William Randell and towed by him to Goolwa to Mannum. Later sold to Captain Arnold.

14 P.S. Marion, built in Milang in 1897. Served as cargo and passenger boat until 1950s. In 1963 brought back to Mannum and entered dry dock. Now restored for a new life on the river.

Walk ends...we hope you enjoyed it!

 The Randell Walk
 The Shearer Walk
 The Arnold Walk

Mannum Walk Number 2

An easy and interesting walk incorporating a look at historical buildings in Randell St, and a pleasant walk through Mary Ann reserve.

1 Mannum Dry Dock. Launched at Milang in 1873 and said to be largest floating dock in Southern Hemisphere and the only one in Australia. Towed by William Randell’s ‘Nil Desperandum’ and installed in present position in 1876. Length 140ft x 40ft x 12 feed deep. Later sold to Captain J.G. Arnold to operate his line of steamers from Mannum.

2 Butter Factory built 1924. Closed in 1956. Now Mannum Old Wares.

3 Pretoria Hotelopened 1900 and named to commemorate a British victory in the Boer War (built by Samuel Hoad).

4 Mannum Bowling Club. This site was Shearer’s storage yard and wharf. The Shearer factory was then immediately opposite.

5 Mannum Community Club. Opened in February 1891 as the “Allgemeiner Deutscher Verein” - the German Club. The name was changed during the first world war.

6 Mary Ann Reserve was previously known as the Recreation Ground (est. 1898) or “the rec”. Renamed to perpetuate the name of the first river boat built and launched by William Randell.

7 Mannum Rowing Club Boathouse built 1910.

7a This was the first Town Pumping Station and was located in the vicinity of the present site of the Rowing Club building on Mary An Reserve. The water was piped up the hill, under the shops on the corner of Twewartha St to tanks which still exist on a home site at 17 Shearer St.

8 Mannum Wharf. The “Murray Princess”, “Proud Mary” and the “Jester” use this wharf regularly.

9 Flood level board shows heights of some of the recorded floods. Note height of 1956 flood.

10 Two cairns in this area record Captain Charles Sturt’s voyage past this spot in February 1830, and the P.S. Mary Ann mentioned in No. 6.

11 Rotunda. Built in 1913 by Mr. William Dahl, a stonemason, paper hanger, electrical contractor, signwriter. A “Jack of all Trades” who became the Town Undertaker. When the Rotunda was destroyed by a falling branch about 1989, Leon Warhurst, a grandson of Bill Dahl, a builder and also the local Funeral Director rebuilt it.

12 Location where original “Mary Ann” boiler has stood for many years. Now in the Mannum Dock Museum of River History, 6 Randell St. A replica boiler now on the site. Although square boilers were in use in various industries, this was the first to be used in a ship. Elliott Randell, given the role of fireman by older brother William Randell is said to have started the fire and then taken refuge behind a gum tree.

13 Early stone building, built in 1883 by F. Schutze as a general store, later bakehouse.

14 The new bakery opposite is the start point for the return walk.

15 Post Office opened in 1913.

16 Old Council Chambers next door to Newsagency, now the Cottage Window, built 1896, it was in use until present chambers were opened.

17 Known as the “Golden Staircase” built 1925.

18 Car Park was originally the Shearer’s Factory. From here agricultural machinery was moved to storage yards opposite (Bowling Club), then loaded onto boats for transport interstate and export. Immediately behind the car park a track led to David and John Shearer’s homes. Buildings on the right were offices. Site where the first Australian Steam Car was built.

19 Building on left was the original Commercial Bank built 1909.

20 The Mannum Institute was built 1882 and renovated 1911. Used extensively as a concert hall, theatre, dance hall, ballroom, church etc.

21 ANZ Bank was originally Bank of Adelaide built 1885. Original bank was opposite. Current building built in 1920s.

22 Temme’s ‘Tru Value’ Hardware was originally Walker’s Flour Mill established 1874. Closed down in 1976. Note flood level markers on the verandah wall.

23 Mannum Hotel was originally the Bogan Hotel. Built 1869 during subdivision of blocks in Mannum. Behind the Hotel’s bottle shop are the ruins of Captain W. Randell’s first four room cottage, also his large two story home built in 1869.

Walk ends...we hope you enjoyed it!

 The Randell Walk
 The Shearer Walk
 The Arnold Walk