TDC Livestock & Property and PPHS, Naracoorte Community News

In 1894 the Monbulla School was opened 7km West of Penola on Clay Wells Rd. The School was situated in a building used as a polling booth to service the closely settled community and at peak educated 34 students. The School later closed in 1944 and children were transferred to the Penola Area School. Monbulla Hall was built as an addition to the site in the 1950s and would become the primary meeting place for the Monbulla community. The Hall is said to have one of the best dance floors in the South East as it would host Cabaret events, the annual June Ball, the Monbulla Xmas tree gathering and countless birthdays, bush dances and community meetings. The parcel of land was also home to the Monbulla Tennis and Monbulla and Ramblers Cricket clubs for over 40 years.

The Hall and School site have now been idle for many years and the Monbulla Community Committee in recess. Recently, members of the original committee, together with new members met to plan for the future and it was decided to sell the 2.1 hectare site by public Auction.

To leave one last legacy the committee unanimously decided that the money (after costs) from the sale would be donated to the Stand Like Stone Foundation Funds.

Dedicated funds will be set up so that community members (and students in particular) can apply to the fund for assistance with travel and accommodation costs when selected to play sports outside of the region. The committee felt that this would be a very positive use of the money, and would ensure those with financial struggles do not miss out on sporting opportunities.

“We will all be sorry to see the Hall site sold, but time moves on and the demand for these types of buildings becomes limited. This next step will be a very positive one for our community” Peter Balnaves, Monbulla Hall Committee Member.

The land offers 2.1 hectares of productive land ideal for those seeking a lifestyle allotment less than 5 minutes from Penola. The perfect site to build your dream home (STCA) with historic significance and power available. Fencing is of good quality (currently fenced into 5 paddocks) and stock water is available.

TDC Livestock and Property’s Mark De Garis and PPHS’s Jo O’Connor will join forces to facilitate the sale. The auction will be held on site, 68 Heywards Lane, Monbulla (off Clay Wells Rd) on the 3rd of February at 10am.

Selling agents:

• Mark De Garis 0428 372 124, TDC Livestock & Property
• Jo O’Connor 0429 854 910, PPHS

Monbulla Hall representative:

• Peter Balnaves 0428 838 702

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.