Mt. Dutton Bay

As the swell rolls into the bottom tip of Eyre Peninsula it's not hard to see why a surfer, or anyone for that matter, wouldn't fall in love with this idyllic stretch of South Australian coastline.

Craig Brown did ten years ago, and he stayed, and now he and his wife Jacqui and their two children call this portion of paradise, home. Craig spotted the historic Mt Dutton Bay Woolshed near Coffin Bay, while returning from one of his regular surfing trips up the coast. Now the restoration and maintenance of this classic piece of South Australiana is a family concern.

"Over a hundred thousand fleeces would have been shorn in this shed and ended up in bales going out to the jetty".

Built in 1875, the Mt Dutton Bay Woolshed was the coastal link with wool growers for more than a hundred kilometres further up the peninsula. The ketches would come in daily during shearing season to take the wool clips to markets in Adelaide. Over the years, Craig has collected artefacts, like native oyster dredges and cockle rakes which reflect this building's unique links with both land and sea.

Like any ingenious cockie he's managed to restore a primitive but effective ventilation system in what was once the main storage shed. "There we go, we're starting up the old winnower with a barbecue spit motor". Craig Brown's a carpet layer by trade, now he's adding layers of history to a building which was once in a sad state of disrepair. "Why did you do this?" "We love the peace and quiet and we bought it for a song". "You can't get a mobile phone service out here, there's no phone in here so there's no stress really".

The Woolshed was built by pioneer pastoralist Price Maurice, whose lease stretched from Mt Dutton Bay to Elliston. At its peak, 20 thousand sheep were shorn here in a season, which kept the shearers, classers and shed hands pretty busy.

And they all bunked out here in the old shearer's quarters, which has now been converted into bed and breakfast accommodation and sleeps a family of six for one hundred a night. There's also backpackers accommodation at the rear of the woolshed, while the main complex is open daily as a museum.

For details contact Craig or Jacqui on 8685-4031 or you can email info@postcards-sa.com.au