American River Hotels and Guest houses

Under construction

Lack of Water May Cut Guest Bookings

Guest houses at American River, Kangaroo Island may have to cancel bookings unless rain comes. Mr. P. Lierich, proprietor of Lyric's Yantoo-Warra Guest Houses, said that for some time he had been forced to cart sea water for sanitation because of the scarcity of rain water. About 700 gallons was pumped from the sea each day, and carted to the house. This occupied two men for half a day. Well water had to be used for showers and baths, and as the only well in the district was shared among the guest houses, guests could have showers only twice a week. His rain water tanks held nearly 100,000 gallons, and very little was left in them. Mrs. J. A. Linnett, proprietress of a neighboring guest house, said she never remembered being so short of rain water.

News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), Saturday 28 April 1945, page 6

Ryberg House and Ryberg Cottage

Nils Ryberg built a little cottage of two rooms, and his first boarders were three men. This was the beginning of Ryberg House.

Nils Ryberg, a Swedish born immigrant, settled at American River in 1884, and ten years later built the original "Ryberg House". It sat on the site of the present Kangaroo Island Lodge, (Mercure, as at 2021) exclusively for tourist accommodation. It was the first guesthouse in American River. It was bought by John Linnett in 1913 who rebuilt in 1928 over the original simpler cottage.

American River Historic Collection. https://ehive.com/collections/8241/objects/1207573/ryberg-house-the-first-guesthouse-in-american-river-photos-over-time

'Ryberg House' and 'Ryberg Cottage', two holiday homes on the western side of American River, Kangaroo Island, where 'fishing, shooting, and boating parties can be arranged' and 'terms are moderate', J. A. Linnett, Proprietor.

SLSA [PRG 280/1/36/348] 1923 https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+280/1/36/348


Yantoo-Warra

Built by Percy Liebelt. Renamed as the American River Motel. Owned later by Joan and Jim Sanderson, and then Des Doig. A fire destroyed it in 1985. Currently Kingsgate Haven, a Christian Retreat.

1941 Yantoo Warra, American River, prop. Percy Lierich. Courtesy Lesley Richards
SRSA GRG7/70/607 Yantoo Warra guesthouse, American River, Kangaroo Island c.1950

1960's postcard. "Greetings from the American River Motel"

Linnett's Guest house

Linnetts Guest House, American River. SLSA [B 26233] c.1930