NARACOORTE
Naracoorte is a town that is a bit of
a surprise. Not that far from Penola (sleepy) to Naracoorte to what is
a very vibrant town. Lots of hustle and bustle at this community. For
the traveler Naracoorte is a crossroads town. Mount Gambier to the
south, Bordertown to the north a, Kingston to the west and Horsham to
the east. Be sure to have a stopover at Naracoorte.
Naracoorte was formed from the merger of two towns, Kincraig, founded
in 1845 by Scottish explorer William Macintosh, and Naracoorte,
established as a government settlement in 1847. The name has gone
through a number of spellings, and is believed to be derived from the
Aboriginal words for place of running water or large
waterhole. It grew during the 1850s as a service town for people
going to and from the Victorian Gold Rush. The Post Office opened on
22 March 1853 and interestingly was known as Mosquito Plains until
1861. The town has historically relied largely on sheep, cattle and
wheat farming. In recent decades, tourism has become a major industry
with the promotion of the Caves National Park.
Clearly heritage factors are important Naracoorte with many a number
of ‘old’ buildings listed. 
The Presbyterian,
Catholic
and Anglican
Churches are heritage listed 150 plus buildings.
The United and others more modern.  
The hotels likewise a 100 year plus design classics that addressed the
needs that earlier traveler.  
The Naracoorte Merino Museum is a must visit. The story of the yarn is
well told.
The Naracoorte War Memorial is acknowledged within the ANZAC Gardens
on the central median strip.
Naracoorte is a great South Australian town that for most will a bit
of a surprise.
Heritage diary
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