Connor's Mill, Heritage museum in Toodyay, Australia.
Connor's Mill is a steam-driven flour mill on Stirling Terrace in Toodyay, built of brick with a shingle roof in its original form and no turret. A slide once ran from the first-floor doorway down to wagon height so bags of flour could be loaded onto carts waiting below. The original grind mill now stands on the lawn outside, and the big wheel drive mechanism came from the mill at Northam.
Built in 1870 by George Hassel for store owner Dan Connor, it was the third mill in the Toodyay district. Charles Marris leased and then bought it in the 1880s, and its flour won an award at an 1870 Melbourne exhibition. In 1917 Charles Lukin converted it into a town power station; a 1921 fire destroyed the machinery, and the charred top-floor roof beams remain visible.
The mill's name comes from Dan Connor, the store owner who commissioned it, and its flour won an award at an 1870 Melbourne exhibition. Visitors can see the original grind mill on the lawn outside, a grindstone machine from Newgain donated by Langley Lefroy, and a big wheel drive mechanism brought from the mill at Northam.
The building is easy to reach and visitors can explore the machinery across different floors. Comfortable shoes are recommended since you will need to climb several flights of stairs to see all parts of the mill.
After years of grain milling, the building was converted into a power station and supplied electricity to the town for many years. This second role in the community is often overlooked by visitors today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,583 contributors worldwide.