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The Second Methodist Church in Pinnaroo, opened its doors in 1912, moving into a sturdy stone building from the rough shed that the congregation had been using to that point. Pinnaroo has several churches, and this one’s not the biggest, but it does speak to the importance of the Sunday service to the small town as it established itself and its community around the turn of the 20th Century.

Campbell’s family have been involved with the church for a long time, so there is an element to the restoration which is about honoring that legacy for the family, as well as the community as a whole.

The church itself, is a predominantly stone building with decorative brick work in the entry and interestingly in the quoining (corner’s) of the stone volumes, reversing the usual relationship which has stone on the corner and brick as infill. There are some great moments where you can see where the parishioners (the younger ones back in the day) taking a coin, and pushing it onto the sandstone and turning it to create a semi circular divot in the wall. Traces of a history gone by.

Campbell bought the church and then when Carolyn arrived in Pinnaroo both she and Campbell really set to work to make this into their home.

Still holding a conspicuous place of honor in the streetscape on the opposite side of the (disused) rail line now to the main street, the church as its been restored is once again a proud part of the Pinnaroo community.

See these links for more.

Australia’s Christian Heritage, https://www.churchesaustralia.org/list-of-churches/locations/south-australia/n-s-towns/directory/409-pinnaroo-uniting-church-former 

• Book: ‘The Land of the Golden Grain: Pinnaroo, Lameroo, Parilla’ - https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-315297656/view?partId=nla.obj-315312311#page/n0/mode/1up 

• The First Methodist Church in Pinnaroo, 1906: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+17092 

• “First Methodist Church in Pinnaroo was built of pug and pine by Messrs. Gerhard Kraehenbuehl and Wilhelm Lehmann in 1906. The building was later sheathed in iron.” 

• Pinnaroo Street Scene 1911 - https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+11624 

• “Pinnaroo street scene taken in 1911. FH Edwards General Store stands next to the Meat Store. A ditch is running next to the main street. Carts and carriages and horses are waiting on the street. Pinnaroo is situated near the Victorian border and derives its name from the Aboriginal word for "big man". It was first settled in 1869. The railway arrived in the area shortly before this photograph was taken. Wheat growing was the main farming endeavour followed by sheep, and barley crops.” 

• Rail Yards and Pinnaroo Hotel – Photograph: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+22757 

• “In this photograph, the Pinnaroo Hotel stands proudly with its veranda adorned by elaborate iron lacework. Originally constructed in 1911, this two-story building apparently replaced the modest earlier version of the hotel, which had opened its doors in 1910.”  

• Newspaper: ‘Combating Hotel Influences’ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103901056 

• “The newspaper discusses the efforts made by local optionists to prevent the issuance of further licenses. The article reports on Reverend A. Bungey’s remarks during a home mission meeting associated with the Baptist Church Union. Reverend Bungey advocates for the complete abolition of hotels in Pinnaroo, considering alcohol a dangerous threat to a young township like Pinnaroo, as it can corrupt the rising generation. He expresses concern about the prevalence of drinking and gambling in the area and highlights the significant efforts required to steer young individuals away from such activities.” 

• Opening of the second Methodist Church, Pinnaroo, July 1912 - https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+17195 

• Street Scene at Pinnaroo 1923 – Methodist Church on Right: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+280/1/36/102 

• Pinnaroo Railway Sheds – 1912: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+11628