Yankalilla District Historical Museum

Yankalilla District Historical Museum History museum preserving the history of the local area. A must see for all age groups Themes include agriculture, mining, maritime, domestic life and trades.

The Museum has an extensive collection reflecting rural and social life of the district. There is also an extensive photographic collection. The Museum is run by a dedicated and enthusiastic band of volunteers. The Yankalilla Historical Museum has an extensive collection reflecting rural and social life of the district. Settlement in South Australia began with a mainland landing by Colonel Light a

t rapid Bay where he planted a garden to provide fresh vegetables after a long voyage. The coast with its rich soil and high rainfall became the grain bowl of Australia in the 1850s and 1860s. It was known as the 'Wheat Era'. Flour was exported to the eastern states from local ports. Yankalilla district has a unique history and has one of the most diverse and extensive collections of memorabilia relating to early country life in the state. Come see out kitchen, bedroom, nursery, shop, church, sheds of farm machinery and much more. We have displays on the farming, mining, and maritime histories of the area as well as a range of memorabilia and photographs depicting early life in the district. The Museum is open 7 days a week, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Weekends and Public Holidays 10am to 4pm. Located on site with the Yankalilla Bay Visitor Information Centre. For group bookings contact the Visitor Information Centre and we can arrange a tour guide for your group. PH 8558 0240.

The Yankalilla District Historical Museum invites you to our wedding display to be held at the Yankalilla Uniting Church...
14/05/2026

The Yankalilla District Historical Museum invites you to our wedding display to be held at the
Yankalilla Uniting Church Hall 121 Main Sth Road Yankalilla
from Tuesday 19th to Saturday 23rd May
from 10am - 4pm. Entry $5.00
The collection of bridal fashion dates from the late 1800’s onwards & includes bridal gowns, bridesmaids & flower girl dresses, veils & headpieces. There are also mother’s of the bride & bridegroom.

All welcome to view this fascinating display.

A very successful day at the Yankalilla Museum Open Day.We had rain just at opening time & were apprehensive that would ...
07/05/2026

A very successful day at the Yankalilla Museum Open Day.
We had rain just at opening time & were apprehensive that would affect attendance.
The rain stopped after about 1/2 an hour & our visitors came in droves!
Thanks to the Myponga walkers who came after their walk for morning coffee & cake & stayed on for various events. Also all the Red Cross group, who came after their morning tea.
Thanks to Rob Kirk for his fascinating Megafauna presentation, Elliott for his blacksmith demonstration, Geoff for his chain sawing
skills to carve a seat out of a huge block of Norfolk Pine.
Thanks to the ladies who gave wool spinning demonstrations & allowing anyone to try their skills, also David with his vintage tools, also allowing the children to try out some of the tools. Thanks also to George with his impressive children’s toys & the wonderful John & Trudy with their great barking bean coffee van, supplying drinks, snacks & lunch all day.
It was great to see people touring the museum in between events.
Thanks to everyone who came, the volunteers & helpers & thanks for the generous donations.

The new shed in the museum will display megafauna of the local district and an indigenous display.We will be holding an ...
02/05/2026

The new shed in the museum will display megafauna of the local district and an indigenous display.
We will be holding an Open Day next Wednesday 6th May from 10am to 4pm.
Events on the day include wool spinning, blacksmith display, old time children’s toys, old tools display,hay baling, wood sculpture demonstration & more.
There will be a presentation by Rob Kirk, local geologist, on Megafauna of the district going back 50,000 years.
The Barking Bean coffee van will be on site selling drinks & snacks.
Come along for an interesting day, all welcome.
Donations to the museum will be thankfully accepted

The finished shed plus the paving for easy access. The  men on the working bees have done an amazing job! When the inter...
14/04/2026

The finished shed plus the paving for easy access. The men on the working bees have done an amazing job!
When the interior cladding is finished, we will be busy filling it with our megafauna & indigenous display & artefacts.
We hope to finish by our open day on Wednesday 6th May.
Come along for a fun day with different displays including old tools,spinning wool, blacksmith, haymaking, using some of the museum exhibits,10am to 4pm.
The Barking Bean coffee van will be there with coffees, drinks & snacks.

Exciting news, the men have finished building the new shed at the Museum!The floor is to  be concreted & the doors fitte...
12/03/2026

Exciting news, the men have finished building the new shed at the Museum!
The floor is to be concreted & the doors fitted .
When finished it will house archeological artefacts & indigenous display. This will give chronological context across the museum .

Toto, the Diprotodon is in a festive mood!The museum is open when the visitor information centre is open & open 10am to ...
22/12/2025

Toto, the Diprotodon is in a festive mood!
The museum is open when the visitor information centre is open & open 10am to 2pm on Sundays. Come and enjoy the display.
The museum committee wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

The museum was fortunate to add these watches to the collection , on loan from John Karran a retired watchmaker & jewell...
15/10/2025

The museum was fortunate to add these watches to the collection , on loan from John Karran a retired watchmaker & jeweller. They are a very interesting selection from his large collection.Thanks John.
We are starting to organise a special display next year in history month, as well as another open day.
Watch this space for more details

The AGM of the Yankalilla District Historical Museum was held yesterday at Meander Cottages Community Centre.There was a...
28/07/2025

The AGM of the Yankalilla District Historical Museum was held yesterday at Meander Cottages Community Centre.
There was a good attendance & we thank Committee member Russell for his contribution over the years. We will miss him.
All other committee members were nominated to continue.
We welcome our new member Rob, who will be a great addition to the committee.

Dr Aaron Camens. Lecturer in Palaeontology, Ecology & Evolution, College of Science & Engineering, Flinders University, gave a most interesting talk on Lake Callabonna a megafaunal necropolis.
Lake Callabonna lies between Lake Frome & Lake Eyre.
His speech was accompanied by a power point presentation with photos of the dig site as well as other information on Megafauna throughout Australia .
We all wished we’d had a lecturer like Aaron at school!
Ken thanked him on behalf of the members. This was followed by tasty afternoon tea.

The museum is very fortunate to have a very skilled member , Don, who has crafted replica models of all the tractors in ...
18/07/2025

The museum is very fortunate to have a very skilled member , Don, who has crafted replica models of all the tractors in the museum, in the machinery & implement sheds.
The models are in a showcase at the back of the machinery shed next to the church.
They are well worth a look & then find the real ones.
On top of the case is a scrub roller.
Top shelf on left is a Fordson Major ( blue) alongside a 1920 grey Fordson.
Next shelf are the two crawler tractors. On the left is a yellow Cletrac TD40 . On the right the International red diesel TD9
Next shelf are the two red tractors in the Implement shed. On the left the Farmall A, which we use to run the stationery bailer on our demonstration days,& next to it the Farmall H.
Lastly on the bottom shelf is the 1950 grey& green Ferguson TE20
Come & have a look! Kids love this display!

The Annual General Meeting of the Yankalilla & District Historical Museum will be held in Meander Cottages Community Cen...
18/07/2025

The Annual General Meeting of the Yankalilla & District Historical Museum will be held in Meander Cottages Community Centre on Sunday 27th July at 2pm Opposite the Visitor Information Centre.
The guest speaker will be Dr Aaron Camens
Lecturer in Palaeontology, Ecology & Evolution, College of Science & Engineering, Flinders University.
Subject “ Lake Callabonna- A Megafaunal Necropolis “
Lake Callabonna is situated between Lake Frome & Lake Eyre.
Afternoon tea provided. All welcome.

The AGM of the Yankalilla District Historical Museum will be held at the Meander Cottages Community Centre, opposite the...
10/06/2025

The AGM of the Yankalilla District Historical Museum will be held at the Meander Cottages Community Centre, opposite the Museum, on Sunday 27th of July at 2 pm.
Senior Palaeontologist at Flinders University, Aaron Camens, will be guest speaker. Afternoon tea will be supplied.
All welcome

Address

163 Main South Road
Yankalilla, SA
5203

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

+61885580240

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