State Library of South Australia

Outside view of Frank Albertoni's original dug-out house, Andamooka [B 74336/4] • Photograph

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Summary

Outside view of Frank Albertoni's original dug-out house at Andamooka, showing the three levels. The photographer comments on the house, "This house was one of the first to be built on the Andamooka Opal fields. It was begun in 1931, at the time of the first discoveries of opal at Andamooka and has seen little alteration or structural change since the time of its construction. The house was built by Mr. Frank Albertoni on a section 189 opposite the main area of town, and is set on the bank of the Opal Creek. Frank Albertoni came to Andamooka with his brother Andrew from Blinman in 1931. Together they worked as opal gougers in the German Gully area. Albertoni died in 1942 and Frank spent the rest of his life living and working in Andamooka. According to those who knew him, Frank Albertoni was a small energetic man who had a knack of improvising and making do - this house bears witness to that. The house was built on three levels and included a living room at the lower level, workshop in the central room and a sleepout on the upper level. The living room and workshop were built in 1931 and the sleepout was built in 1943. The walls are a combination of building techniques, including wattle and daub and dry laid stone construction. Native pine roof members and rafters support a hessian bag and canvas ceiling. The house has been white washed throughout and the floors have, in part, been paved with flagstone. An opal safe has been set into the south wall of the living room and on the opposite wall there is a large stone fireplace, the external flue having been manufactured from kerosene tins. The three rooms are not connected, and access is gained through external doors, the lower of which is protected by a pine and brush verandah. Interconnecting openings through the gable walls provide adequate ventilation."

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Physical description

1 photograph : colour

Dates / Publication details

January 2013

Photographer

Clark, Darren

Collections

Part of Darren Clark Collection
Part of Andamooka Collection

Subject

Albertoni, Frank
Housing -- South Australia -- Andamooka
Andamooka (S.A.)

Catalogue record

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Digitisation information

Date

15/04/2015

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

6,159 x 4,100 pixels (25.3 MP)

Size

151.55 MB

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