Leonard’s Mill

This old mill in Second Valley is where we celebrated Paladian’s birthday earlier this week. It now houses an outstanding restaurant.

The story of Second Valley is really the tale of two little towns - the still growing beachside holiday hamlet snuggled out of the wind and, and the old farming settlement up the creek.

Second Valley is sleepy these days - the school's been closed for a half century, the general store's long gone, but its charm is very evident. Some of its cottages go back to the 1840's.

Leonards Mill is a 155 year old former Flour Mill, located on the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula. This historic restaurant and bar is set amongst picturesque gardens. Local fresh regional and seasonal produce is matched with quality South Australian wines.

This nationally listed heritage gem resides beneath the original 1850's timbers and bluestone, and was restored 20 years ago, saving the old boiler and chimney and the millstones that ground more than 4 tonnes of flour a day in the 19th century.

Leonard's Mill secured its name when Irish millers, John and James Leonard, bought it for 500 pounds from the South Australian colony's founding outfit, the South Australia Company.

Present owner Ms Bronnie Linke has resurrected the Mill and given it a friendly, very professional feel after a couple of years of darkness. She recounts the fortunes of the mill after it ceased producing flour.
"After flour milling, they started milling or processing wattle bark for tannin - for the leather industry. That was then sent out from the port here near the present Second Valley jetty to other places in the state".

It has quite a history.

Larger mill.