Where the Lavender Trail commences

Founded in 1861, Tungkillo is a small quaint township set amidst sweeping hills and meandering valleys with giant gum trees.

Tungkillo is 60 km from Adelaide and starts your Mid Murray journey from the Adelaide Hills and about 25 kms from Mannum.

The Adelaide to Mannum Water pipeline cuts through the township and as you pass through watch out for the frog sitting sedately roadside that never moves as you make your way through the ancient granite rock formations with ‘Bear Rock’ sitting high on the hill before Palmer.

The Soldiers Memorial Hall at Tungkillo is the hub of the town and the War Memorial and the exquisite and intricate War Memorial plaque is outstanding.

Recently the dynamic community built a war memorial near the hall and are proactive in catering for private functions at the hall which is a well equipped function centre.

Tungkillo is where the Lavender Federation Walking Trail commences and you challenge yourself to do many miles through our region or the loop walk as detailed on the website.

The mine located south of Palmer was originally named Tungkillo which was surveyed in 1848.  The township was settled by Samuel Patten in 1861 who called in ‘South Petherton’ (after the Somerset town of South Petherton from which is family originated).

This name was officially changed in 1906 to Tungkillo and the town nestled in the Adelaide foothills is somewhere you stop, look and listen and embrace the amazing sweeping landscape that surrounds you.