New book – Bungala House: Historic country home in Yankalilla – available soon.
With more than 160 years of history, Bungala House began in the 1860s with the Butterworth brothers, millers and grain exporters. Extensions by the Graham family created a grand house of 14 rooms, plus gardens and croquet lawn; it became the social centre of the district.
This 100-page book covers the establishment of the town of Yankalilla early in the colony’s history when it became the hub of the wheat-growing district. With it came four mills to process the wheat for shipment to Adelaide and the eastern colonies. While the Butterworth patriarch established a mill at Aldinga, two of his sons went south to Yankalilla and Normanville. Eli Butterworth, who established the mill at Yankalilla, lived in what was the beginnings of Bungala House. His brother John had a grain store at Normanville, alongside ‘Butterworth’s Beach House’, more recently Yankalilla Bay Homestead. The Butterworths also had their own ship, the Centaur, to transport their wheat, etc. from Normanville.
After Eli Butterworth died in 1886, the business was wound up and Bungala House was sold to Harry Graham for the use of his brother Frederick Malcolm Graham, who resided there with his family until his death in 1911, after which Fred’s wife Marion Graham (nee Mayfield) leased the property to relatives Frank Westall Rymill and his wife Mary Anna.
The house subsequently had several owners including Edward Mayfield who ran it as a ‘guest home’ as did ensuing owners, until purchased by well-known artists Mark and Jill Pearse, who used Bungala House as a home and artists’ studio for many years. The property was subdivided and Bungala House was sold to Gary and Jo Brown who ran it as a boutique bed and breakfast and wedding venue.
Subsequent owners have extended and renovated the original home which, over the years, has served as a guest house, family home and art studio, and boutique Bed and Breakfast accommodation. Today, it is again a family home, offering unique accommodation, including breakfast and, with an outdoor swimming pool, it is a relaxing retreat or an ideal function venue.