A license to build the only hotel in Ceduna was granted to Charles Mudge in 1901. The building was completed in 1902. After many years of private ownership, in 1949 a group of businessmen resolved to purchase the hotel off J L Madigan, to be owned by the community by raising debentures. This hotel was one of the first in South Australia to be owned by the local community.
In 1901, an Anglican minister whose base was at Streaky Bay, began visiting Murat Bay, where he preached at Bett's Store. In 1907, the site for an Anglican church was purchased and the building was dedicated on 18 September 1909. The Methodist congregation also met in halls and private homes until a church was built by Mr D Wiese in 1910. The Lutheran Church in Ceduna was built in 1927. Previously, Lutherans worshiped at the Denial Bay Lutheran Church 20 kms out of town. Catholic masses were also held in private homes and were held as far back as 1895 at Bookabie. The Catholic Church was built in 1929.
The following churches are represented today:
Anglican Church 56 Poynton St Ph 08 8625 2054
Assembly of God 19 Smith Rd Ph 08 8625 3048
Catholic Church 31 Bergmann Drv Ph 08 8625 3615
Greek Orthodox Thevenard Ph 08 8625 2427
Jehovah's Witness 50 Seaview Tce Ph 08 8625 3961
Lutheran Church 23 East Tce Ph 08 8625 2010
Uniting Church 68 Poynton St Ph 08 8625 3505
The fruit fly is the world's worst fruit pest and before roadblocks commenced, commercial consignments of produce were checked by motorcycle police throughout the Riverland and around Mt Gambier. In 1957, a Roadblock was opened at the bridge at Pt Augusta, but because of the number of Eyre Peninsula people travelling through who did not carry contaminated fruit, it was decided to transfer to Ceduna. In 1958, a Roadblock was set up on the street opposite the Ceduna Hospital, on the Eyre Highway.
The Fruit Fly Block was relocated 1 km north of the original site in 1971 and all vehicles travelling into South Australia must stop here. Vehicle figures for 12 months 1965/66 - 9680 1969/70 - 24,558 1996 - 66,645.
If you are travelling to Western Australia or South Australia, there are laws concerning the movement of fruit, vegetables, plants, soil and animals to stop the spread of pests, diseases and weeds to areas free of these problems. Today there is also an extensive quarantine roadblock on the border of WA/SA and all vehicles going into Western Australia are thoroughly checked.
For further information, on what you can take across the border, please see our page on quarantine.
After four years of fundraising, the building of the Far West Senior Citizens Village, situated on the foreshore near the hospital, was completed in August 1972. Today there are four types of accommodation to cater for individual needs, with 26 hostel rooms and 34 cottages available.
The first councillors were appointed by a government proclamation and their first official meeting was on 21 July 1925. For the first few years Council occupied the Memorial Hall and in 1929 moved to the present location. In 1970 the present premises were built. See more information on the District Council of Ceduna's website http://www.ceduna.net/.
The Ceduna Area School was opened in May 1927. Several other small schools were in the district before this one. Today there are 45 teachers, 20 support staff and around 500 students, who have access to a very high standard of equipment and technology. It also supports a community library, swimming pool, tennis courts and gym. Other places of education include Possum Corner Child Care Centre, two kindergartens and schools at Koonibba, Penong, and Yalata.
Situated on Smith Road, Ceduna, the Crossways Lutheran School was opened in 1983, with further stages opened in 1986 and 1995.This rapidly expanding Christian school is committed to Aboriginal reconciliation and provides education for children from all cultures, in a warm, caring and safe environment.
In 1919, after reports from missionaries about medical difficulties in outback settlements in Australia, the Anglican Church in Sydney formed a Bush Church Aid Society (BCA). Sister Doris Percival from Sydney was sent in 1925 to open a small cottage hospital in a galvanised iron house a mile and a half from Ceduna. This house is still standing today at the Ceduna Airport Caravan Park. In 1931 a second BCA hospital was opened in East Tce to replace this one. Work began in 1936 to build a new hospital at the site of the current one. This hospital opened on 1 Feb 1937 and was staffed by the BCA until 1968 when the District Council of Murat Bay took over. As the township grew, a Hospital Board of Management was formed by way of public elections. Over the years since, the Hospital has had many renovations, additions and improvements.
5CCR FM broadcasts on the FM band on 94.5, twenty fours hours a day, seven days a week. A blend of local information and contemporary music is produced by a team of local presenters with assistance from the national Community Radio Satellite network, (ComRadSat). It always welcomes new volunteers to be part of the team as a presenter or to help with a wide range of management duties. Contact can be made by phone 08 8625 3945 or fax 08 8625 3544. "5CCR FM Ceduna Community Radio - the best on Eyre".
A small building near the Ceduna Hotel was the original post office. That building was taken to a block diagonally across from present one, and was the post office until 1938. The Post Office's name was changed to Ceduna from Murat Bay in 1921. In August 1938 a message sent via radio by Senator McLachlan, Post Master General, announced the opening of the current Post Office.
In February 1989 the District Council of Ceduna formed a working committee made up of St John Ambulance, Country Fire Service and State Emergency Service. After many meetings, a joint complex housing the ambulance and fires services was opened on 4 April 1992. The building, opposite the Foreshore Caravan Park, had two vehicle bays for both sections, plus offices and storerooms, a kitchen, lecture room and ablution areas. In 1996, Government policy saw the State Emergency Services relocated to this building with the addition of two more vehicle bays and a storeroom, opened in August 1997. All three services now operate as the Ceduna Emergency Services and always welcome new members.
In the days when you didn't need to get permission to "do anything"... a group of Ceduna men bulldozed some rocks from the cliff into the sea to make a landing platform for their power-boat club. Later, after their efforts did not seem to be getting anywhere, a "little gelignite" produced the landing - and a beach as well - the start of the Rock Jetty! In the early 1980s volunteers put tyres and rails up. Over the years, grants from the Tourist Bureau and the District Council have further developed the boat ramp. It is now named the Puckridge Rock Jetty and is regularly used by professional and recreational fishermen and boating enthusiasts. A boat ramp permit is requied and can be purchased either, daily, weekly or monthly from the Visitor Information Centre, Ceduna Foreshore Caravan Park, Smoky Bay Caravan Park, Ceduna Council office or Mozzie's Truckstop. Annual permits are also available from the Council Office.
The hill where the railway line is, on your way out of Ceduna to the west, is known as Hoppe's Hill. Charles Hoppe was the foreman of the roadworks building the road over the hill during the 1920s and the hill has been known locally as Hoppe's Hill since then. Ten kilometres to the west, out of Ceduna, the sweeping right hand bend is known as Juke's Corner, as Gordon Jukes, a local mechanic, had a large sign advertising his business on this bend for many years.
