Martindale Hall

Martindale Hall
General information
Architectural style	Georgian
Town or city	Near Mintaro, South Australia
Country	Australia
Coordinates	33°56′16″S 138°43′46″E / 33.9378°S 138.7294°E / -33.9378; 138.7294Coordinates: 33°56′16″S 138°43′46″E / 33.9378°S 138.7294°E / -33.9378; 138.7294
Construction started	1877[1]
Completed	1879[2]
Cost	$72,000[2]
Design and construction
Client	Edmond Bowman
Architect	Ebenezer Gregg
Engineer	Edward John Woods

Martindale Hall is a Georgian style mansion near Mintaro, South Australia which appeared in the film Picnic at Hanging Rock.^[3] It was built in 1879. The architect was Ebenezer Gregg of London, and the chief supervisor was Adelaide architect Edward John Woods. Due to the specialist nature of the work involved, 50 of the 60 tradesmen used were brought from England, and they returned when it was completed.^[1][2]

It was built for a wealthy bachelor pastoralist, 21 year-old Edmund Bowman Jr. However, debt and drought soon forced the Bowmans to sell all their holdings.^[3] William Tennant Mortlock (son of William Ranson Mortlock) bought Martindale Hall in 1892. His son, John Andrew Tennant Mortlock, developed Martindale Station and built up an impressive collection of artwork which was displayed at the Hall.^[1] The Mortlock Family bequeathed Martindale Hall and the estate to the University of Adelaide in 1965.^[2]

The building is currently leased to John Maguire, who has developed Martindale Hall into a heritage museum and boutique hotel. A $A1,600,000 renovation project in 2002 repaired salt damp damage and returned the Hall to near-original condition.^[1] The hall is now located within the 45-acre (18 ha) Martindale Hall Conservation Park, which is itself within the original 11,000-acre (4,500 ha) Martindale Station, still an active sheep station.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Martindale Hall Revisited: Clare Valley". Postcards. http://www.postcards.sa.com.au/features/martindale_hall.html. Retrieved 2009-01-20. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "Martindale Hall South Australian History". http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/martindale.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-20. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Martindale Hall website". http://www.martindalehall.com/. Retrieved 2009-01-20.