Gumeracha

Gumeracha is a township set in the beautiful Torrens Valley region of the northern Adelaide Hills, 36 km north- east of Adelaide City in South Australia.

Set in the rolling hills, the town is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, orchards and farmland. The population of 700 is a mixture of long-standing residents connected to farming, horticulture or viticulture, and commuters working in the metropolitan area.

People of the town are proud of the town’s heritage, community spirit and friendly welcoming atmosphere.

View - Gumeracha

Pre-Settlement:

A perpetual waterhole was much frequented by the Peramangk people, who knew the area as “Umeracha”, meaning ‘watering place’.

Early Settlement:

William Beavis Randell, settled in the region in the early 1840’s, establishing Kenton Park Estate in 1846. He developed thriving pastoral and flour mill businesses, centred on Randell's Mill in 1848.

In 1855 William allocated land for a township and this became known as ‘Gumeracha’.

Over the years successful agricultural activity enabled the Gumeracha district to prosper, and many fine buildings were erected. These included the Post Office, Police Station & Court House, Institute Hall, a school, hospital, the first hotel – Kenton Inn, coach-house and lower Gumeracha hotel, two churches and business houses.

Gumeracha prospered, along with the neighbouring small settlements of Forreston to the north, Kenton Valley and Hartley Vale to the south-east.

Randell’s Mill (1843-1870)

Present Day:

Visitors to the township can take a stroll down the main street of the township; enjoy a coffee at the Gumeracha Café/Take-Away, have a delicious meal at the old Gumeracha Hotel, find a treasure in one of the antique shops, or something special from Maple Cottage Gifts.

Or they may like to stock up on picnic supplies at the General Store, Butchers or Pizza Parlour, and spend a few pleasant hours lazing by Kenton Creek in Federation Park.

Federation Park Gumeracha Town Hall

Federation Park is part of the Civic Centre of the township – across the bridge to the north of Kenton Creek is the Town Hall (built in 1909), Council Library and service centre, the Gumeracha & District History Centre, RSL room and the Torrens Valley Community Centre. The neighbouring Op Shoppe is run by volunteers of the Community Centre, raising funds for local youth projects.

Sport and Leisure Facilities:

For the more energetic the town has several sporting clubs – tennis, netball, cricket, football, lawn bowls, and 2 km east is the Kenton Valley Golf Course.

There is a thriving Kindergym, held two days a week in the Town Hall.

Fitness and Tai Chi classes are held either at the Community Centre or in the Salem Baptist Church Hall. The Salem Baptist Church hall is also the home of the Gumeracha & District Spinners and Weavers (Tuesdays) and a busy and talented Craft Group (Thursday mornings).

Opposite Federation Park is the local Torrens Valley Children’s Centre and up the top of the hill is the local Primary School and the Gumeracha & District Soldier’s Memorial Hospital and Glenview Nursing Home. In the hospital complex is a Day Care Centre, providing services and classes for hospital and nursing home residents and local home-based elderly residents.

The Big Rocking Horse:

And, of course, we mustn’t forget the biggest icon in the Adelaide Hills – The Big Rocking Horse and Toy Factory and wildlife sanctuary which is on the Main Road as you meander north out of town to Birdwood and further east to Mannum on the River Murray.