Bruce McAvaney’s SBS Family Story Puts Peter’s Hill In The Spotlight
Did you know one of Australia’s most iconic sports voices has roots in a tiny Mid North spot you’ve probably driven straight past?
Bruce McAvaney will feature on the SBS show Who Do You Think You Are? on Tuesday May 12, and part of his story leads straight to Peter’s Hill.
If you’re now asking “Where the hell is Peter’s Hill?”, you’re not alone.
Tucked in the Mid North, Peter’s Hill sits about 8km east of Riverton, surrounded by farming country between Saddleworth and Marrabel.
Back in its heyday, Peter’s Hill not only had a church, a school, but a cricket team as well, making it a real little community. Like plenty of Mid North settlements of similar size, time moved on and most of it faded away.
But not all of it.
Keeping Peter’s Hill Alive
The old Lutheran church still stands, thanks to a passionate local group who refused to let it disappear. The Friends of Peter’s Hill Church formed about 20 years ago and have kept the place alive ever since, preserving the church, the nearby school site and the stories tied to it.
For Chris Fisher, a Balaklava local and secretary of the group, it’s deeply personal. Her family has ties to the Marschall ancestors who settled the area, and she and husband Grant got married there too. Her son Karl is also buried there, making the little church and surrounding grounds even more woven into the family’s story.
The McAvaney Connection
Long before she became involved with preserving Peter’s Hill, Chris went to school in Adelaide’s western suburbs with Anne McAvaney, Bruce’s sister. The families got to know each other well, but it wasn’t until much later in life that the shared connection back to the Marschalls and Peter’s Hill came to light.
It’s one of those ‘small world moments’ South Australia seems to produce better than anywhere else.
Even back then, Chris recalls signs of what was to come. A young Bruce had a knack for remembering the smallest details and would practice calling horse races out in the back shed, long before the rest of Australia heard his voice.
When SBS Came To Peter’s Hill
When SBS approached the Friends of Peter’s Hill Church about filming for Who Do You Think You Are? in May last year, Chris had a fair idea who the mystery guest might be.
Filming took place across the site, including inside the church and just up the road at Marschall’s Hut.
The Story Behind Marschall’s Hut
The hut marks the site of the original Marschall home. It’s been rebuilt and restored using stone from the original family home. Chris’s mum would often talk about the ruins adjacent to the hut being the remains of the kitchen and where her grandfather, Christian Marschall was laid out after his death. The hut which is on the Heysen Trail, can be used as a stopover for walkers passing through the region, with a nearby pioneer cemetery also tied to the family.
Local historian Samuel Doering, known for his work on regional church history, features in the episode, helping piece together the past inside St Peter Church.
Peter’s Hill is also part of the Wendish Heritage Trail, reflecting the early Wendish settlers who shaped parts of the Mid North.
It’s the kind of place that could have easily been lost. Instead, it’s been lovingly held together by people determined to see it survive.
And now, thanks to a prime-time TV slot, its story is about to reach a whole lot more people.
The first episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, featuring Bruce McAvaney airs Tuesday May 12 at 7:30pm on SBS.
If you’ve got a soft spot for South Australia’s backroads, and the stories within them, this one’s worth tuning into.
The Friends of Peter’s Hill Church group also welcomes anyone keen to support or learn more, with details shared via their Facebook page.
Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Bruce McAvaney airs Tuesday May 12 at 7:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, with Peter’s Hill among the South Australian locations featured in the episode.
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