Gumeracha
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Gumeracha South Australia |
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Gumeracha Bridge circa 1869.
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 Gumeracha
Location in South Australia
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| Coordinates | 34°49′32″S 138°53′00″E / 34.82556°S 138.88333°ECoordinates: 34°49′32″S 138°53′00″E / 34.82556°S 138.88333°E |
| Population |
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| Established | 1839 |
| Postcode(s) | 5233 |
| Location | 37 km (23 mi) from Adelaide |
| LGA(s) | Adelaide Hills Council |
| State electorate(s) | Kavel |
| Federal Division(s) | Mayo |
Gumeracha (/ˌɡʌməˈrækə/ GUM-ə-RAK-ə) is a town in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, located on the Adelaide-Mannum Road. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area. At the 2006 census, Gumeracha had a population of 731.
Gumeracha is one of South Australia's oldest settled areas. The first Europeans to explore and traverse through the district were Dr George Imlay and John Hill on 24 January 1838. In 1839, the South Australia Company took up a parcel of land, on which the settlements of Gumeracha, Kenton Valley and Forreston developed. The Company established a district headquarters and opened it up for sheep grazing.
In 1839, William Beavis Randell built his home, Tinmath, at Kenton Park and built a flour mill in the 1840s. The estate housed his large family, his workforce and their families. In 1846, Randell donated land and funds for a church, and the Salem Baptist Church was built - the oldest Baptist church still in use in South Australia. The surrounding area, meanwhile, had become an agricultural centre, and the Gumeracha Farmers' Society held annual shows.
In 1855, Randell allocated land for a township and by 1860 the town was laid out. Commercial businesses sprang up on the main street (Albert Street), and many fine buildings were erected, including the Post Office, Police Station & Court House (1864), Institute Hall, Town Hall (1909), a butter factory (1889), a school, a hospital, a coach-house, hotels, churches and business houses. Most of the buildings in use at this time still stand today. William Beavis Randell's son, William Richard Randell, would build the first River Murray paddlesteamer in Gumeracha in 1852.
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