Mount Burr was a “stable and fantastic little town” according to former resident Dr Linda Walker.

Her childhood memories were shared for an hour at the September monthly meeting of the Millicent-based South East Family History Group.

She was born to Mount Burr couple Jim and Joan Walker in 1950 at the Thyne Memorial Hospital in Millicent.

Mount Burr was to be her home until graduating from Millicent High School around 16 years later.

Her later studies earned her a Doctor of Philosophy in literature from the University of Western Sydney and she subsequently lectured architectural students at tertiary level.

Nowadays Dr Walker lives in Mount Gambier but her affection for her hometown remains strong.

This branch of the Walker family lived in Brown Street in a house which still stands.

It was located near the baker’s shop, police station, lock-up, playground and Methodist Church.

“My grandmother Mulshine used to clean the Methodist Church and I was allowed to go there and play the organ,” Dr Walker said.

“I was back at Mount Burr around 20 years ago and the same playground equipment of my childhood were still there.

“The Mount Burr lock-up has gone but there is an example at the forestry museum at Nangwarry.”

She recalled her day starting at 6.30am when the mill’s whistle would sound.

“It would sound throughout the day to signify meal and tea breaks.

“My dad worked at the mill and we would go there on weekends to the kilns which dried the timber.

“This area was always warm.”

Dr Walker explained that large plantings of pine plantations were begun locally by the State Government in 1907 with the overall aim of making Australia self-sufficient in its milled timber needs.

With no private sector interest in milling the mature pines, the State Government was obliged to build its own sawmill on a greenfield site at Mount Burr in 1931.

Within a few years, its Woods and Forests Department began constructing houses for the mill workers and their families from the locally-milled timber.

With an interest in architecture, Dr Walker was able to circulate copies of house plans which she sourced from the Woods and Forests Department archives held by the State Records Office in Adelaide.

Photographs of Mount Burr houses and scenes were displayed on a power-point presentation.

“There was a hierarchy of housing at Mount Burr,” Dr Walker said.

“You had the single men’s quarters, the mill employees’ houses, the mill staff houses and the mill superintendent’s house.

“The houses would be painted in two-tone colours every few years.

“You would have dark blue/ light blue and dark green/ light green.”

Among the 20 in attendance was retired Rendelsham farmer Cliff Elton.

His association with Mount Burr dates back to its very beginnings as he moved there with his two brothers and parents in the 1930s.

The Eltons were the town’s storekeepers and he recalled many of the early families.

Another interested attendee was 43-year mill employee Murray Walker who is a kinsman of the guest speaker.

The SEFHG will next meet on October 28 when its guest speaker will be its librarian Sanra Edlington.