About this place
What to expect
Luhrs Cottage was built from pug and straw around 1846 by J. H. Luhrs, the first Lutheran schoolteacher in Light Pass. This small, four-roomed cottage became home to Luhrs, his wife Rosina and their five children. Today, it is filled with fascinating items that help tell the story of early life in Light Pass and the Barossa. The front room displays photographs of early settlers, religious paintings and homeopathic items. The bedrooms feature early German clothing and children's toys, while the kitchen is filled with traditional kitchen ware. The small fireplace was used for cooking and heating water for the family's weekly bath. Behind the cottage is the building known as the "Schoolroom." Interestingly, it was never a schoolroom. Built 23 years after the original cottage, it was an additional kitchen. It contains a large bake oven once used to make bread and cakes for the family. Today, it also displays the Luhrs family Bible, photographs, family history and a collection of early German teaching materials, exercise books, baptismal and confirmation certificates. Beneath the kitchen is the cellar, once used to store preserves, meat, butter and other perishable foods. Outside, discover the "outhouse" (long-drop toilet), smokehouse, early farm machinery, an original German wagon and locally made hand tools. Luhrs Cottage is unattended, allowing visitors to explore at their own pace.