Kangaroo Island, South Australia, is home to the Parndana Soldier Settlement Museum, which showcases the history and development of the Soldier Settlement Scheme on the island. Established in 2001, the museum is located in the Returned Service’s League Hall, dedicated as a memorial to Soldier Settlement. Visitors to the museum can explore memorabilia, photographs, and stories relating to the development of Parndana and surrounding districts, agricultural equipment used by the soldier settlers, and the personal and social history of the returned servicemen who signed up for the War Service Settlement Scheme, with an emphasis on farming, community, and domestic objects.
The Kangaroo Island War Service Settlement Scheme was a government-led farming development that took place from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. The scheme involved clearing around 200,000 acres of virgin Crown Land in the central and western sections of Kangaroo Island for sheep and pasture production. This initiative doubled the island's population within a few short years and significantly boosted the local economy. The Parndana Soldier Settlement Museum offers a fascinating insight into the lives of the soldier settlers and their families, who worked tirelessly to establish viable farms and vibrant communities out of virgin land. The museum's collection provides a tangible representation of the working and living conditions faced by these pioneers, showcasing their hard work, dedication, and neighborly cooperation.