Category: South Australia

Situated on the Willochra Plains adjacent to Lower Flinders Ranges, Hammond was surveyed in 1897 and named by Governor Jervois after his son. The town was planned in the vision of Colonel Light with four terraces surrounded by a belt of parklands. Unfortunately, it never grew big enough to spread to the parklands, but it did boast a population of 600 and had three churches, a butter factory and a farm implement factory. The great drought of the 1880s saw the town’s population reduce dramatically, and today it is a virtual ghost town. Most buildings are private holiday homes such as the hotel, post office, school and station cottages.

American River is a small town tucked into native bushland overlooking Eastern Cove and Pelican Lagoon. Its natural surroundings, lack of crowds or hustle and bustle make it a haven for wildlife and birdwatching. At night the town comes alive with nocturnal animals such as wallabies and possums. The town and surrounds are dotted with self guided walking trails that are the perfect setting for prolific birdlife and native flora. For those seeking peace and quiet amongst nature, American River is an ideal central location for touring Kangaroo Island .

Lyrup is a small horticultural settlement close to Berri. It offers a shady riverbank for picnics, community club and general store. The Lyrup village settlement was established on 22 February 1894. Lyrup was one of the first of 13 village settlements established during 1894 to provide relief for the vast number of unemployed in Adelaide and is the only surviving settlement.

Paskeville is famed as the host town for the Yorke Peninsula Field Days, held every September in odd numbered years. This event is the oldest in Australia and one of the biggest, exhibiting millions of dollars worth of farm machinery. Named Community Event of the Year 2006, the field days also offer fantastic food and entertainment and a chance to mix with the locals. This small town is 131 kilometres from Adelaide and a reception point for grain deliveries.

Seppeltsfield and Marananga are home to one of the Barossa’s most scenic drives. The huge date palms lining the road at Seppeltsfield were planted to provide work for local families during the depression and now provide a stunning landscape popular with photographers. The Seppelt Winery is one of Australia’s best-known and was has excellent facilities for visitors, offering several tours each day. The Seppelt family Mausoleum affords great views across the valley floor and Shakespeare in the Vines has become and annual midsummer performing arts event on the Barossa Calendar. Maggie Beer’s Farm shop on Samuel Road is a must see and there is some great accommodation properties in this area too, offering great views and hospitality.

This charming town thrives as the commercial centre of a fertile farming district. Riverton has preserved many significant buildings and a heritage walk brochure is available from the Riverton History and Information Centre, listing 39 buildings of interest. The Riverton railway station, built in the 1870s, was the first of the buildings along the railway line to be constructed of stone and is a magnificent example of early Australian architecture. Scholz Park, with its cottage, blacksmith and wheelwright’s shop is also historically significant. Holy Trinity Church, built in 1857, was the first church in the valley and today overlooks a nine-hole golf course.

Smoky Bay is an ideal family holiday town with safe beaches for swimming, wind surfing and boating. In this relaxed setting, the fish are plentiful and the oysters are fresh, plump and delicious. Visitors are always welcome on the golf course and at the community club. You’ll find a boat ramp right by the foreshore, a caravan park with cabins, and the friendly general store is open seven days. Smoky Bay is approximately 40 kilometres from Ceduna and is a major area for oyster growing.

Mount Compass is the home of Australia’s only cow race! This fun event, held every February, is a great way of celebrating the dairy heritage of the region. Mount Compass is a rural hub surrounded by hills and a bounty of local produce including delicious red strawberries, cheese, pheasants and venison. Here, you can walk a wetland boardwalk, bird watch, play golf, fish for trout or pick your own seasonal fruit. There are alpaca, deer, assorted berries and protea farms to visit as well. From Mount Compass follow the trail of fresh local produce through Nangkita, Tooperang, Yundi and Ashbourne.

A great little outback town 400 kilometres north of Adelaide. Hawker is the hub of the Flinders Ranges, being the junction of roads from Port Augusta, Orroroo, Leigh Creek, Marree, Wilpena and Blinman. There are numerous heritage buildings here, dating from the 1880s, with evidence that it was once a thriving railway town before the line was relocated further west in 1956. Hawker is now an important tourist centre in the Flinders Ranges and provides all essential services to the visitor. Hawker is a great place to base a holiday in the Flinders Ranges, and enjoy half day and day trips to popular attractions such as Wilpena Pound, the Flinders Ranges National Park, Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Blinman, Parachilna Gorge, Quorn, Pichi Richi Railway and the Moralana Scenic Drive. Many of the buildings around Hawker are of corrugated iron construction together with a number of the present day homes and businesses. Truly this is the first of the outback towns you will come across, on you way into the north of South Australia. A number of small gardens along Elder Terrace have some rock carvings mounted for viewing. These carvings were made in 1997 during the Opera in the Outback week of functions, which took place at Quorn, Hawker and Blinman. Hawker staged a very well received art show during this period, along with other functions.