Oaklands Estate (240 acres) was bought by Samuel Kearne in 1843, in England site unseen. Samuel Kearne arrived in South Australia on board the 'Joseph Albino', mid-1843. He had his house designed in England and all the components were shipped to Australia. This became known as Oaklands Homestead. In 1951 Oaklands Homestead was sold to the Crown. By 1964 flooding had become a constant problem and vegetation was cleared in preparation for the concrete lining of the river which began in 1968. The Homestead had been leased to Horace Pethick but when he left it remained vacant and was heavily vandalised. The building was finally destroyed by the South Australian Government in 1967 in anticipation of a freeway development that never happened. It was bulldozed into its own cellar and is buried beneath the carpark.
Local notes
In 1951 Oaklands Homestead was sold to the Crown. By 1964 flooding had become a constant problem and vegetation was cleared in preparation for the concrete lining of the river which began in 1968. The Homestead had been leased to Horace Pethick but when he left it remained vacant and was heavily vandalised. The building was finally destroyed by the South Australian Government in 1967 in anticipation of a freeway development that never happened. It was bulldozed into its own cellar and is buried beneath the carpark.