A short lane of restored colonial cottages is the oldest corner of Penola, a window into the town before the vineyards and the saint who made it famous.
The town’s first street
Before Coonawarra was planted and before Mary MacKillop’s story spread around the world, Penola was a small settlement of timber and stone cottages. Petticoat Lane preserves that earliest streetscape, a short, leafy lane that feels a world away from the highway.
Cottages and craft
The restored cottages now house craft studios and small galleries, so a wander down the lane is part history lesson, part browse. The stonework and timber detailing reward a slow look.
A heritage heart
Petticoat Lane sits close to the Mary MacKillop sites and the John Riddoch centre, making it the natural heart of a Penola heritage walk. Pair it with a cellar door or a long lunch, and you have the makings of a perfect Coonawarra day that’s about far more than wine.
