The history of Tantanoola and district was recently put under the microscope when 30 members and friends of the South East Family History Group made an inspection on foot and in vehicles.

Tantanoola resident and history buff Robert Randall outlined the program for the day with the first stop being an examination of the heritage-listed railway station ticket office, goods shed and waiting rooms.

Nearby is a plaque honouring the memory of wartime RAAF pilot Flying Officer Baxter Watson who died after his Mount Gambier-based Avro Anson plane crashed near Tantanoola 80 years ago.

The walkers then passed the old Post Office and the bakery and went inside the Tantanoola Institute Hall, which was built in 1910.

A house now occupies the land where the All-Saints Anglican Church stood between its erection in 1899 and demolition in the early 1970s.

SEFHG member and Millicent/Penola Anglican parish secretary Michael Bleby displayed the original All Saints baptismal register and one of the tour participants was delighted to see that her name was recorded therein.

Mr Randall explained the old showground became the school oval in 1913.

Back at the railway station, all participants formed a vehicle convoy.

They were led on a tour around the district, stopping at various locations where there had been a dolomite crushing plant, the one-time Buchan’s Creek School (built in 1915), the old cheese factory (1893 to 1965) and former German Flat School (built in 1872).

History group tour participants then attended the Tantanoola Tiger Hotel for lunch.

During lunch the rain arrived but the vehicle tour continued in the afternoon.

The first stop was the Tantanoola Cemetery on Kennedy Road then on to Rifle Range Road where there used to be a defence rifle range in 1901.

One of the SEFHG members was able to show some of the old black powder cartridges recovered from the area in recent times.

Next stop was Haines stone quarry, located just off the Princes Highway.

Stone from this quarry was used to build one of the churches in Glencoe plus other homes locally.

The final destination was the old inn near the Tantanoola Cave at what is known locally as Up and Down Rocks.

Access to the interior of the building was not permitted but some of the original bark shingles could be seen under the iron roof.

It is understood the present owner has been trying to get a grant to restore it but without success to date.