The Barossa Valley has a rich history and we have a strong connection for us as our family have lived in the region for a few generations. I grew up in the Barossa, my parents were the licensee of the Light Hotel in Eudunda then the Barossa Hotel in Angaston and finally the Duke of Yorke hotel in Adelaide (from the 1950s to early 1970s). I attended Eudunda Area School, then Angaston Primary School then Nuriootpa High and finally Pultney Grammar School in Adelaide. While living at the Barossa Hotel in Angaston we owned a farm near Eden Valley called ‘White Fields’. My wife Jan grew up in Adelaide and we met in the late 70’s when we both worked at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), I was training as what was then known as a Surgical Instrument Maker and Jan was a nurse. We moved to Sydney in the late 80’s were I continued my career and Jan continued nursing and we raised our two daughters.

We found this house we now call Whiterocks in Julius street Tanunda in 2015 and fell in love with the house and location. The house was built in 1935 we believe by a couple who also had a few other houses built in Julius street, if you look at the bricks you will notice distinctive marks derived from the bricks being hand stacked in layers with each layer spaced and angled to the lower row so as the bricks were fired a partial impression of the brick on top and below appears. Look at other houses in Julius street and you will see the same hand fired reddish bricks in about 4 other houses. We are reliably told that those houses were built by the same couple and our house was the last they built and lived in.

As you can see the house is beautifully built by quality builders of the period with glazed brick fire places, all different in most rooms. The external walls are uniquely designed with a finely pointed sandstone lower third then kiln fired red brick middle third and stucco top third with high pitched gable ends facing both street frontages. The front facing rooms all have unique and differently designed bay windows. The front street facing corner features a curved porch with columns. Internal high ceilings are set with dark timber trim and cornicing along with a dome in the entrance hall. All in all we think a quirky and charming design and decor.

Our intention is to preserve all the original features and ensuring the house’s heritage value is preserved for future generations to enjoy.