South Australia · Attraction
The Farm Shed Heritage Museum
A century of Yorke Peninsula farming
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Set on half a hectare of undercover exhibition space just south of Kadina, the Farm Shed Heritage Museum holds Australia's most comprehensive collection of dryland farming machinery. The National Trust-managed complex also incorporates Matta House - an 1863 mine manager's residence - and a restored 1950s schoolroom, making it a multi-layered day out for history enthusiasts.
The museum traces more than a century of agricultural ingenuity across the Yorke Peninsula, from the invention of the stump-jump plough to the hay and grain machinery that fed the nation. Themed galleries cover farm life, early pastoral settlement, and a dedicated exhibition called Her Side of the Story, which documents the largely unrecorded experiences of women on the land. Heritage-grade farm implements, vehicles, and domestic artefacts fill the sheds in a way that is hands-on and accessible to all ages.
Matta House, built in 1863 for the manager of the Wallaroo Mines, stands within the precinct fully furnished in period style. Adjacent is a working classroom restored to circa 1950 conditions, complete with slate boards and wooden desks. The site doubles as the Copper Coast Visitor Information Centre, so it is a natural first stop when arriving in the region. Wheelchair access is available throughout, and the museum will close on any day where the Bureau of Meteorology forecast for Kadina reaches 37 degrees Celsius or above.
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