HERITAGE CITATION REPORT
Name
Address
Place Type
Citation Date
DARTMOOR VILLAGE PRECINCT
PRINCES HIGHWAY, DARTMOOR
Mixed Use Precinct
2006
Significance Level
Local
Extent of Registration - Dartmoor Village Precinct
Recommended
Heritage Protection
VHR No HI No PS Yes
History and Historical Context
In 1836, on his exploration of Victoria's Australia Felix, Major Thomas Mitchell camped above the junction of the
Glenelg and Crawford Rivers at what would become the township of Dartrnoor. He made camp on a rounded hill
above the river, which he named Fort O' Hare, after his commanding officer who died at Badajoz in the Peninsula
Wars (Dartmoor Heritage Trail). Prior to the township, Dartmoor was the place where Pieracle, Kincella, Snizort,
Glenaulin and Woodford runs met. Like most towns in the area, Dartrnoor sprang up where an inn or eating house
was established on a river crossing, on a major thoroughfare. In this case, the river was the Glenelg, and the route
was the Penola- Portland wool route. The first building was the Woodford Inn, run by Conway Ferrers from 1846
(Ibid.), and a later licensee, Thomas Strachan operated two punts to assist crossings of the Glenelg (Ibid.).
The town was surveyed in 1857, and the main streets were laid out, with six allotments, bounded by Miller Street to
the north, Urquart Street to the west, Lang Street to the south and the Glenelg River to the east (map of Suburban
Lands Dartrnoor, n.d.). As is usual, the street names were taken from early landholders and surrounding
pastoralists. The main street, Greenham, is named for George Greenham, who purchased one of the first suburban
allotments surrounding the township (Dartmoor Heritage Trail). The first permanent residence is said to have been
that of George Spencer, blacksmith, wheelwright and hotel proprietor. Hi residence is said to have been constructed
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in 1860 in Wapling Avenue (this building is outside of the precinct boundary). The residence was later licensed,
and known as the Good Woman Hotel. The north side of Wapling Avenue from the comer of Lindsay Road
through to the Golf Course is not located within the Heritage Precinct for Dartrnoor Village, but had some of the
earliest buildings located there. On the northwest comer of Lindsay Road and Wapling Avenue, the first Dartrnoor
Inn was established about 1861 by William McKay, and later was held by George Greenham and Donald
McPherson in the 1860s and 1870s. The original building burnt down in 1983 and was replaced by the modem
structure now known as the Dartmoor Hotel (Ibid.). Adjacent was the Good Woman Hotel, the first residence in the
town, and to the east of that building was Canale's Store, which operated as a general store iTom 1878 until 1917
(Ibid.). The Police complex was also located on the north side of Wapling Avenue, on the northwest comer of
Urquhart Street, originally reserved in 1857 as the Police Reserve (map of Suburban Lands Dartmoor, n.d.).
Although the Police Complex survives with a high degree of integrity, none of the other buildings survive, and very
little archeological potential survives in this area.
The Catholic and Uniting (former Presbyterian) Churches are located on Lindsay Road, north of the centre of the
township, but are outside the precinct. The current Uniting Church was built in 1961 , replacing an earlier 1880
structure. The Catholic Church was constructed in 1889 by a Mr. Farley on land donated by store-keeper, Darby
Canale. This structure remains inside the current church built in 1959.
The Anglican Church was originally located near the Police Station. It was built in 1864 as a community funded
school building, built on the Anglican Church Reserve. This building was officially recognized as a Common
school in 1871 (Dartmoor Heritage Trail). The current church, located in Greenham Street was constructed in 1885
on private land, and in 1952, the owner donated this land to the Church (Dartmoor Heritage Trail). The second
school in Dartmoor was constructed in 1878 on the southeast comer of Greenham Street and Ascot Streets. This
timber building became State School No. 1035 until 1914, hen a new building was constructed. This building
(1914) forms the nucleus of the current school complex. In the 1980s, the Digby School building was moved to the
site and incorporated into the school (Ibid.).
The Postal service began in 1860, and an office was subsequently established that same year, although the Post
Office has only been in its current location since 1947 (Ibid.).
Although many nineteenth century buildings have been lost, and many have been substantially altered, and
although the township is in decline, measured by its falling population and the closure of businesses and
withdrawal of some public services, Dartmoor retains a dignified and well-established character. The Public Hall
still serves as a community centre.
References
Map Suburban Lands Dartmoor, n.d.
Parish of Dartmoor, Counties of Follett and Normanby, Central Plan Office, 1953.
Dartmoor District Progress Assocation (complied by), Dartmoor Heritage Trail, 1999. Discovery Coast and
Hinterland Tourism.
Relevant Historical Australian Themes
Theme 2 Peopling Australia
Theme 3: Developing local, regional and national economies
3.5 Developing primary production
3.5.1 Grazing stock
3.5.2 Breeding animals
3.5.3 Developing agricultural industries
Theme 5: Working
5.8 Working on the land
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Theme 6 Educating
6.2 Establishing schools
6.5 Educating people in remote places
Theme 8 Developing Australia's cultural life
8.12 Living in and around Australian homes
8.14 Living in the country and rural settlements
Description
Physical Description
Dartmoor is a small village, located on the Glenelg River, originally on the route between Portland and Adelaide
over the Glenelg River. The Princes Highway now bypasses the township, and perhaps as a consequence, the
village atmosphere has been retained. Greenham Street and Wapling Avenue are the main thoroughfare for
Dartmoor, part of the Portland - Adelaide route since the 1840s. They are essentially the same street divided in two
by the railway line (Greenham Street to the west, Wapling Ave to the east). As with most villages, the commercial,
civic and religious buildings are clustered along the main thoroughfare, but in this case, so are the significant
residential buildings. The main street is dominated by large carved figures, which have been carved from the
remaining stumps of the Cedrus atlantica (Atlantic Cedar) Avenue of Honour, planted to commemorate those who
served and fell in World War One. The precinct is focussed around Greenham Street, which interestingly has only
one church, St. George's Uniting Church, at 85 Greenham Street. Civic facilities of note include the Moderne
Public Hall and Bowling Green and the Post Office (which is an earlier building with substantial alterations). There
is a concrete road bridge over the Railway Line which appears to date from the interwar period, and the original
Weighbridge in Greenham Street also. An intact two storey bluestone Coach House is located at 90 Greenham
Street. This is one of the most significant buildings within the precinct. In addition, there are a number of
contributory single storey timber dwellings located in Greenham Street, Ascot Street, Lindsay Road.
The following elements contribute to the significance of the precinct:
CONTRIBUTORY PLACES.
Timber Cottage, 54 Ascot Street, Dartmoor
. Timber House, 69 Greenham Street, Dartmoor
. Former school residence, 70 Greenham St, Dartmoor
. Public Hall and bowling green, 73 Greenham Street, Dartmoor
. Timber House, 3 Lindsay Road, Dartmoor
. Post Office and Residence , 84 Greenham Street, Dartmoor
. Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine), road reserve in front of 6 Short Street, Dartmoor
. Hughes Store (former), 6 Short Street, Dartmoor
Road bridge over the Railway Line, Greenham Street, Dartmoor
Weighbridge, Greenham Street, Dartmoor
SIGNIFICANT PLACES
. Avenue of Honour and Carvings
. Dartmoor State School, 76 Greenham Street, Dartmoor
. St. George Uniting Church, 82 Greenham Street, Dartmoor
. Coach House, 90 Greenham Street, Dartmoor
Recommended Management
Protect as a Heritage Overlay area under the Glenelg Planning Scheme.
DARTMOOR VILLAGE PRECINCT
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Comparative Analysis
977 Digby Village Precinct
979 Condah Township Precinct
838 Drik Drik Village Precinct
1154 Merino Heritage Precinct
Statement of Significance
Dartmoor is a small village, located on the Glenelg River, on the Princes Highway. The town itself is small, and
now predominately residential. Greenham Street and Wapling Avenue have long been the main thoroughfare of the
township, and this route follows the original route from Portland to Penola, and eventually Adelaide, over the
Glenelg River. Most of the buildings in the centre of the town are commercial and civic, although most of the
commercial buildings no longer operate. The main street is dominated by large carved figures, which have been
carved from the remaining stumps of the Cedrus atlantica (Atlantic Cedar) Avenue of Honour, planted to
commemorate those who served and fell in World War One. The town started in the mid 1840s, when the
Woodford Inn was established on the banks of the Glenelg River, near the river crossing. The town has been
primarily a service centre for the surrounding pastoral properties, and later a timber town. The heritage places are
mainly clustered in Greenham Street and Wapling avenue, although much has been lost to the east of the village
centre. The precinct is in good condition and retains a high degree of integrity.
How is it significant?
The Dartmoor Village Precinct is of historical, social and architectural significance to the Glenelg Shire.
Why is it significant?
The Dartmoor Village Precinct is of historic significance as a township dating from the mid 1840s, as one of the
chain of small settlements between Portland and Penola and as the focus for the pastoral properties surrounding the
township from the 1840s onward. It is of social significance as the focus for the community's education and
recreation, roles that continue to the present. The architectural significance of the town lies in range of buildings
constructed from local materials over a long period of time, ranging from the larger religious buildings through to
the humble timber cottages which remain.
Recommendations 2006
External Paint Controls
Internal Alteration Controls
Tree Controls
Fences & Outbuildings
Prohibited Uses May Be Permitted
Incorporated Plan
Aboriginal Heritage Place
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
This information is provided for guidance only and does not supersede
official documents, particularly the planning scheme. Planning controls
should be verified by checking the relevant municipal planning scheme.
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