Mar 17

Port Pirie

by in Places we've been, Things we've seen

A week on the Yorke Peninsula. Thought a couple of days would cover it. Not even close and I think we could have seen more still but as someone along the way has said “leave something to come back to”.

We had no idea of the Peninsulas mining heritage – Moonta, Wallaroo, Kadina, predominantly copper, dating back to 1863. Whilst most of the infrastructure has gone now, bits have been preserved to provide some idea of the magnitude of operations. As well as mining farming has as  long a history with some suggestion that it goes back to about 1840. Interesting that one of the early pastoralists, William Hughes I think, started out as an opium dealer out of England into China and funded land purchases here from it, then laid the first claim to copper mining rights on his own property after it was discovered by one of his shepherds in about 1863 around Moonta. Miners were employed from Cornwall, mine timbers were brought in from Queensland and Tasmania and equipment initially came also from Cornwall, but in time a lot was produced here. Mining finally petered out in 1923, but todays Rex Minerals claim to have discovered substantial new copper and gold deposits near Ardrossan on the east coast of the peninsula and are currently assaying their finds with suggestions that there is as much as 1.1 million tonnes of copper and 620,000 ounces of gold. Pull that out of the ground and I’m sure the peninsula will disappear.                                  PICT0001PICT0021 PICT0025 PICT0033

 

 

 

 

The Miners Methodist Church in Moonta is a wonderfully preserved relic dating from 1865. Click on the photo and look at the organ – 600 odd pipes and made in Moonta back then and still in use today.

Wallaroo also coughed up a few historical facts not the least of which was Gary Winders mothers’ prowess as a hockey player…IMGP1464

 

 

 

 

 

One of three photos of the team over 13 years, part of the extensive exhibition in the Wallaroo Natural and Nautical Museum. On advice we hung around in Wallaroo  for 4 days to experience the “best” sunsets, but it didn’t happen for us. But the time gave us opportunity to explore the various museums and other historical sites of which there are plenty. The Kadina Farm Museum was a real corker……..IMGP1491 IMGP1495 IMGP1498 IMGP1514

 

 

 

 

 

and, yes, thats an original “stump jump plow” designed and engineered by  Mays Engineering & Foundry here on the Peninsula. These are but a few of the photos from this exhibition. Much of the display is descriptive or video and provides a fantastic insight to the farming history of  the area.

We’ve headed out today (Sunday) with the intention of skipping through Port Pirie but in passing saw too much to avoid so we are now bedded down here. Had to watch the GP, particularly the drivers parade ….. Great job Greg and AHSDC …PICT0018

 

 

 

 

A sight for bug eyes.

 

4 Responses to “Port Pirie”

  1. From g@z:

    Mum and I tracked down a relative in Adelaide that siad the original inventer of the stump jump plough was someone in our family, but didn’t have the money to patent it. Also there is supposed to be an Adelaide City Mayor in the family that was also a big part in the Adelaide Tram.

    Did you drive onto north beach and put the tail gate down, drinking a beer and eating pizza while watching the sun go down? 🙂

    Got a Cousin in Port Pirie also 🙂

    Regards,
    g@z.

    Posted on 18 March 2013 at 11:05 pm #
  2. From Justin:

    More tractors and trucks! eh

    Payne family came through Wilmington, Dads great grandfather or Great, great Grandfather Albert Payne married Elizabeth Heron in Wilmington on November 9th 1881

    Having fun.

    JP

    Posted on 19 March 2013 at 12:49 pm #
  3. From John & Jan Fowler:

    Wow, that Methodist church in Moonta is a wonderful piece of interior designing that looks magnificent even today.
    That Kadina Farm Museum looks like a fabulous collection of important farm equipment from the drier regions. Thank goodness someone is preserving them and educating the general public about our history and how tough it was in the early years.
    And I just love that old cream coloured Diamond Tee truck – a real collectors piece. They were made extremely well in their time, and I would love it myself.
    You are seeing some wonderful history and countryside. Well done with your reporting.
    John F.

    Posted on 21 March 2013 at 5:20 pm #
  4. From justin:

    Happy Birthday Mum, Enjoy the train Museum!

    Posted on 22 March 2013 at 9:28 am #

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