Watervale, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Watervale South Australia
The Watervale Hotel, Watervale
Watervale Location in South Australia
Established	1847
Postcode(s)	5452
Location	120 km (75 mi) north of Adelaide 15 km (9 mi) south of Clare
LGA(s)	District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys
Region	Mid North
State electorate(s)	Frome
Federal Division(s)	Grey
Localities around Watervale: Spring Gully Penwortham Mintaro Kybunga Watervale Manoora Hoyleton Leasingham Auburn

Watervale is a small town in the beautiful Clare Valley region of South Australia. It's located on the Horrocks Highway, about 9 kilometres north of Auburn and 15 kilometres south of Clare.

Watervale is surrounded by many small wineries and cozy places to stay called B&Bs. The famous Riesling Trail, a path for walking and cycling, runs right past the town. You can also see many old buildings from the 1800s here. One of these is the former Stanley Grammar School, which is now a private B&B.

A Look Back: Watervale's History

Watervale is built near Eyre Creek, which flows into the Wakefield River. The land where the town now stands was first given to a pioneer named David Davies in 1847. This was done by Governor Robe, and Davies decided to call this area Watervale.

Early Settlers and Churches

Many Protestant families settled in Watervale. They started a Bible Methodist Church in the town. The current Uniting Church and its hall are good examples of the buildings from this early time.

The Start of Winemaking

Watervale is known for its wines, and winemaking started here a long time ago. The second vineyard in the Clare Valley was planted by Valentine Mayr in 1852. He planted four acres at a place called 'Pomona' in Watervale. He made his first wine in 1856. Later, he had thirty acres of grapes like shiraz and verdelho. Today, this land is where Crabtree Watervale Wines is located.

Quelltaler Estate: A Historic Winery

The historic Quelltaler Estate started in 1865. A former miner named Francis Treloar bought land near Watervale in 1851. He wanted to start a winery, which he named Spring Vale. Treloar built the Springvale wine cellars in 1868. Parts of these old stone cellars, dug into the hillside, are still there today.

In 1890, two people named T. G. H. Buring and Carl Sobels bought the Spring Vale vineyard. This winery later became known as Quelltaler, and more recently, Annie's Lane. In 2017, the winery and its vineyards were bought by Seppeltsfield.

Hughes Park Estate

Hughes Park Estate is a very large property, over 3,000 hectares, located about three kilometres from Watervale. The first stone house there was finished in 1860. It was built by Sir Walter Watson Hughes. He owned copper mines and used his profits to start Adelaide University. The Duncan family still owns the estate today. Many Watervale residents have worked there over the years. The main house is now used for weddings, and old worker's cottages are rented out as B&Bs.

The Railway's Journey and End

A railway line was built from Riverton to Clare in July 1918. This line helped connect Watervale to other towns. However, the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983 caused a lot of damage to the tracks. Because of this damage, the railway line closed in April 1984 and was taken apart in 1989. The path where the railway used to be is now the popular Riesling Trail.

Watervale Today: What's Here?

Today, Watervale has a general store and Post Office, a Hotel, and a Primary School. It also has a CFS unit, Anglican and Uniting churches, and a garage. You'll find a few local businesses and wineries here too.

The "Watervale Soldiers' Memorial Park" offers fun activities. It has a tennis club, tennis courts, and a bowling green. If you want to stay overnight, there are several Bed and Breakfasts and Holiday Cottages available. These include Watervale Retreat, Battunga B&B, and Quince Cottage. It's easy to reach the town from the Riesling Trail. The old Grandstand overlooking the town oval was fixed up in 2010.

Wines and Events

As part of the Clare Valley, Watervale is especially famous for its Riesling wines. Other types of wine like Cabernet and Shiraz are also made here. Some local wineries include Crabtree Watervale Wines, Stephen John Wines, and Annie's Lane.

A local artist named Harry Sherwin is also from Watervale.

Watervale hosts a big annual concert called 'Day on the Green' at Annie's Lane. This event brings in up to 6,000 people!

Foresters Hall

The Watervale Foresters Hall used to be a community building. It was used for meetings, art classes, and a children's playgroup. By 2009, it was in bad shape. After some discussion, the Watervale Community Association sold it, and it is now privately owned.

How Watervale is Governed

Watervale is part of the District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys. For state government, it is in the electoral district of Frome. For the national government, it is in the Division of Grey.

Images for kids

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  Joseph Bennett's home and saddlery shop, 1853 to 1873. Bennett was also postmaster and a special constable.