Leaning to oblivion

The importance of recording and digitally preserving abandoned buildings before they too succumb to the elements is indisputable.

Dinyarrak Hall in March 2013

This was no more obvious than approaching the Dinyarrack Hall to find it collapsed onto itself.

Remains of the Dinyarrak Hall in December 2016

'Border Chronicle' 4.4.1933

The Dinyarrak Hall was the center of the community for many years, which had a racecourse, a hunt club, the Dinyarrak Bush Fire Brigade was formed in the hall, and the Wild Dog Club was just one group which met in the hall.
It also housed Dinyarrak State School No. 4178. The school opened on a trial basis in October 1923 for the children of soldier settlers (the number of pupils was insufficient to warrant the establishment of a school for the district close to the South Australian border) in the Dinyarrak Hall leased from the Trustees of the Hall Committee from July 1923. In 1926, a proposal to move to a more central site was defeated. It was the opening of the new school at Cove Estate that reduced the number of pupils, and Dinyarrak closed under ministerial direction in November 1930 in favour of the more central SS4457 Cove Estate. The school furniture & equipment went to Cove Estate.

Interior of the Dinyarrak Hall

Further down the road at Diapur, it was a similar situation for the little grain receival/sampling shed at the railway siding. After adopting a definite lean for some years, it finally toppled over.

The Diapur shed in January 2008

Diapur with the Melbourne-Adelaide rail line behind, December 2016

And so it was with some trepidation to continue on to Boyeo, knowing that it was only the sturdy construction with extra rafters and internal bracing that had prevented it from collapsing earlier.

Had the wild weather affected Boyeo too?

Boyeo School in March 2013

And in December 2016

Fortunately not, apart from a greater degree of incline it was still upright. A few more weatherboards were missing, the door was no longer swinging on its hinges and someone had propped it against a wall, but essentially it was much the same - for now.

The message though is don't expect abandoned or neglected buildings to remain or be saved and restored. Capture them while you can because tomorrow may be too late.