BROKEN HILL SILVERTON BARRIER HIGHWAY PETERBOROUGH SOUTHERN FLINDERS Put away the Sudoku and YUNTA When was Yunta “proclaimed” according to the plaque exercise your grey matter in the Yunta Centenary Park? with the Heritage Rail Trail Scavenger hunt! OODLA WIRRA In the early 20th century, 14 townships flourished as they What is the name of the only pub at Oodla Wirra? supported the mighty ore trains on their journey from plor the mines of to the docks of Port Pirie. x e PETERBOROUGH E Today, each town is dedicated to supporting a different journey – yours! They have stories to tell, heritage to share What “class” of locomotive, numbered 907, is on display and more than a little country hospitality to help you break outside the Steamtown rail museum in Peterborough? RITA up your travels. E GE Here are 14 questions, one for each township. The answers H Broken Hill is a colossus of mining history and Silverton sprang up around the discovery of silver Today’s Barrier Highway makes short work of what Peterborough was a hero of the 20th century, As the land begins its long, steady descent from Port Pirie can rightly lay claim to being part of the YONGALA are waiting to be uncovered in the historic main streets. IL TRA a true oasis of culture in tough, outback country. deposits in 1875, eight years before the Broken Hill the early miners and railway engineers had to contend a hissing, steaming hub of mighty locomotives sitting Peterborough towards the Gulf St Vincent, a sudden remarkable industrial legacy born of BHP and the Who served as the Yongala postmaster between 1916 and 1922? A I They’re fun and they’re challenging. They’re also your R L In January 2015, the entire city was National Heritage deposits were found. with – a plain of dry, barren, flood-prone country flanked at the crossroads of a growing nation. At its zenith, change occurs: the climate cools, the rains become narrow gauge railway line: it was here that the ore was perfect excuse to say g’day to the locals! His surname is the first name on the Yongala Heritage Wall. Listed – the first and only entire city or town to be In 1885 the editor of the local newspaper got together with low ranges. It was quite literally a barrier they had Peterborough was home to over 100 railway movements more reliable and agriculture intensifies. turned into ingots before being shipped to all corners included on the list. to overcome. a day – so much steam action that the local climate was of the British Empire. with early BHP directors and began agitating to build The five railway townships on the route between BROKEN HILL Visit the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum a rail line to the South Australian border. They wanted But don’t be in a hurry to cross it. minutely changed. Peterborough and Port Pirie look noticeably more Pirie is a town of parks and gardens on lovely gulf waters JAMESTOWN How many millions of tonnes of ore were carried by the BROKEN HILL in the beautifully restored former Bond Store to see a way of carting ore to Port Pirie. Today, the spring skies are china blue, the kids no prosperous, with grain production having sustained and although often overlooked, it easily rewards a visitor Who unveiled the commemorative bust of R.M.Williams The highway follows the remains of the narrow gauge rail Silverton Co between 1888 and 1970 according to what it’s all about. Tour the Sulphide St Railway and longer have to wipe the clotheslines clean of soot and them long after the ore trucks stopped rolling. with an eye for something fresh and unusual. situated in Jamestown? Politicians in Sydney were reluctant to build a NSW line line that opened in 1888 (look for the low embankment the information plaque outside the Sulphide St Rail Museum TO PORT PIRIE Historical Museum for exhibits from the remarkable the only whistles are from birds among the wildflowers. to the border and denied South Australian engineers close to the bitumen as well as numerous low bridges Today, towns like Gladstone, Jamestown and Caltowie Its maritime story is well told in the excellent Tourism in Broken Hill? Silverton Tramway – one of the richest railway enterprises permission to cross into NSW. So the ideas men formed to thwart flash floods). Freighting ore to Port Pirie by But Peterborough is still a large town and something are prim and lush with their creeks and green and Arts Centre and beautiful museum but the legacy of its time. Try your hand at a game of two-up and ‘The Silverton Tramway Company’ and took a private steam train required huge amounts of logistical, material of a crossroads for travellers towing caravans from all parklands – places that bring to mind days of picnics, is clearly visible thanks to an extraordinary collection CALTOWIE explore the broad streets lined with stunning period line 50km from Silverton to the SA border. and human support – and inevitably, small agricultural points of the compass. feeding ducks and fishing for yabbies. of late-Victorian port architecture lining the Main Road. What is the licence number written above the front architecture (no small number of them pubs!). SILVERTON Today Silverton is an essential outback experience, a ghost outposts like Yunta, Oodla Wirra, Manna Hill, Olary and Matching a passion for the past with a zest for today, These townships are still home to their railway legacies, A highlight of your visit is the two-hour ‘Outside the door of the Caltowie Hotel? What is the date on the cornerstone of the Municipal When the mines began to close in the 1950s, the artists town that is paradoxically filled with life and colour. Cockburn grew into substantial railway townships. the people of Peterborough welcome you with one of including period stations (don’t miss the Jamestown Gates’ bus tour, telling the story of the town and the Chambers building in Silverton? moved in. Today you can tour galleries of sculpture the nation’s finest heritage experiences, Steamtown rail Do the walking tour of the old streets with photo-signs Some are a shadow of their former selves but all museum in the lovely old railway station), railyards 125-year-old smelter – which is now the largest of its kind and art inspired by the solace, or go further afield to museum. This is where you’ll discover the remarkable GLADSTONE showing how much – and in some instances how little contribute to the story and all are worth exploring. and pubs that watered many a thirsty crew. But you’ll in the world. Former employees conduct the tour three explore the locations embraced by movie directors ‘Roundhouse’ and its powerful collection of diesels and – has changed in 150 years. Visit what remains of the Look for the beautiful steel water tanks (some with also discover agricultural heritage (R.M. Williams was times a week, weaving a fascinating story while visiting According to the information displayed outside the Trend setting the scene for characters like Mad Max, Mission locos – amazing by day and strangely moving at night when COCKBURN train station and see one of the very few sections of period advertising), and the occasional railway station born near Jamestown) and the superb example of local icons including Fisherman’s Wharf, Church Circle, Drinks factory in Gladstone, who changed the name from Impossible’s Ethan Hunt and the ‘girls’ of Priscilla. it’s the setting for an unmissable Sound and Light Show. What former brand of soap is advertised on the overhead the existing narrow gauge steel rails. Drive out to the sporting gorgeous late Victorian design. A few pubs a Victorian gaol at Gladstone, which can be toured. the Bridge to Nowhere and Memorial Park. F.C. Grubb to Trend Drinks in 1965? cast iron water tank at Cockburn? Broken Hill is the largest of the Heritage Rail Trail Historic Day Dream Mine to descend the shafts worked continue to serve – great places to unearth a story or Be sure to enjoy Peterborough’s other historic There’s fine country hospitality (and cooking!) available The townsfolk are friendly and the atmosphere relaxed. towns, home to some 18,000 people. It’s where you’ll for their precious silver. two and enjoy some outback hospitality. collections as well as artists’ galleries, stunning private as well as places to overnight. F.C. Grubb has been Fishing is huge in these parts; if you don’t want to wet a discover popular community markets, a flourishing gardens, superb locally-sourced food, love of country CRYSTAL BROOK The town and surrounds have been used as locations for You might see emus, hawks and kangaroos on the selling its boutique cordials for over 140 years – still line, simply head to Caputo’s to sample the catch of the café (and coffee) culture as well as the kind of and fondness for a good yarn. There’s also plenty of OLARY Which street in Crystal Brook celebrates the early explorers Mad Max, Razorback and Breaker Morant, and artists drive across these haunting plains, but keep an eye out available from a rather quirky tin shed in Gladstone! day and some of the best smoked fish you’ll ever taste. comfortable accommodation you’d expect in a city accommodation including one of Australia’s most What is the colour of the old railway crane at Olary? of Sturt, Horricks and Giles with a dedicated Explorers Trail? with vibrant visions of their own have also established also for the Indian Pacific making its transcontinental that has been welcoming visitors for generations. lovely caravan parks. All reasons to stay a little longer galleries here. Be sure to enjoy a beer in the Silverton odyssey between Perth and Sydney. It’s another Southern Flinders Discovery Centre Port Pirie Regional Tourism and Arts Centre contemporary achievement made possible by the in Peterborough. Hotel – one of Australia’s truly great outback pubs. 14 Gladstone Street, Gladstone, SA 5473 3 Mary Ellie Street, Port Pirie, SA 5540 Broken Hill Visitor Information Centre engineers of the little train line. MANNA HILL PORT PIRIE (08) 8662 2226 (08) 8633 8700 Visitor Information Carriage What is written on the white box situated under the Who reopened the Port Pirie railway station as a museum Bromide Street, Broken Hill, NSW 2880 Beyond 39 Dips Tourist Information Centre Open 7 days, 10am to 2pm (may vary with season) Open 7 days, 9am to 5pm (08) 8080 3560 Main Street, Peterborough, SA 5422 (Saturday 9am to 4pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm) verandah of the old Manna Hill Railway Station? on October 28, 1972? 19 Stirling Street, Silverton, NSW 2880 www.southernflindersranges.com.au Open 7 days, 8.30am to 4pm (may vary with season) (08) 8651 2708 www.pirie.sa.gov.au (08) 8088 7566 Self drive guides www.brokenhillaustralia.com.au Open 7 days, 9am to 5pm (may vary with season) Open 7 days, 8am to 4.30pm www.visitpeterboroughsa.com.au www.silverton.org.au daytrippa.com.au THE JOURNEY Open the door to a whole new Heritage Rail Trail Bimbowrie Conservation Park experience using your In September 1883, seven ordinary working men pooled mobile device. their cash to peg seven mineral leases on a remote, MAP OF THE ragged-looking hill. They set to work on the ‘broken Silverton hill’ with pick and shovel, unaware that within two years “There would always be a tin of We’ve created an exciting online presence for the Heritage baked beans and a tin of creamed their endeavours would give rise to BHP and open up “The tradesmen we were working Rail Trail which can be accessed from all smartphones and rice in the tucker box.” the largest deposit of lead, zinc and silver ever found. BROKEN HILL with, we grew up with, and they were tablets free of charge. Audrey Rann – railwayman’s wife “I had a pinch bar and would give called ‘Mister’.” The world was hungry for these commodities but there Browse through rich photo galleries and listen to a 50 tonne truck of wheat a tap and Don Wilcox – loco foreman Listen to Audrey talk about the life of was a problem: how to get them out of the middle of the TO a railway driver’s wife, recalling how personal accounts from an array of colourful characters away the horses would pull it.” Listen to Don describing his Peterborough’s Steamtown is one of Australia’s most evocative her husband used to cook his meals driest continent on the planet…? Maurice Buttfield – train guard apprenticeship in the Peterborough Broken Hill who contributed to the shaping of this great rail journey. rail museums and a must for the traveller of the Heritage on a shovel over hot coals while driving Cockburn Listen to Maurice discussing the maintenance yards, how far seven The new Heritage Rail Trail offers an outback journey Rail Trail. In the company of passionate guides you’ll tour the the Broken Hill to Port Pirie line. Simply search for “daytrippa rail trail” on Google or go PORT PIRIE use of horses to shunt rolling stock and sixpence could take him, and like no other. You’ll follow the remains of the Broken remarkable Roundhouse (where up to 35 steam locomotives straight to the website www.daytrippa.com.au to bring the at Crystal Brook and the curious how he was taught to swear by the were once stabled), enter magnificent carriages and of course Hill to Port Pirie railway line – a relic of the steam age, moneymaking sideline that resulted. senior tradies. Olary Heritage Rail Trail to life. RAIL LINE get up close to the stars of the show, the mighty steam engines a 400km piece of history that descends from the red Manna Hill “Yeah, I liked the Garratt… themselves. At dusk, be sure to settle in for the Sound and Light dusts of to the shimmering gulf Yunta God, you could thump them!” Show – a Tourism Hall of Fame winner that captures the power and waters of . Ron Seaton – engine driver beauty of a bygone era. The little line was only 3’6” wide but it overcame Listen to Ron describe his experiences Continuous tours run daily 9am-5pm (last tour departs at 3.30pm). Trail highlights droughts, floods, locust plagues, derailments and on the Garratt locomotive outside of Sound and Light Show every evening (except Christmas Day). • Viewing the copy of the BHP incorporation document political ill-will to become one of the busiest stretches Gladstone, working to shake up the Bookings essential. Low season conditions apply. on display inside the Silverton pub over a cold beer townships along the line. • Going underground at the Day Dream Mine in Silverton Bring the Heritage of railway in the world. It helped to transform Australia 395 KM | 245 MILES www.visitpeterboroughsa.com.au | (08) 8651 3355 • Following a Daytrippa art trail in Broken Hill Rail Trail to life from an agricultural outpost to an industrial economy. • The big horizons of the Barrier Highway with fascinating This barely-known chapter of our nation’s history “Well, I couldn’t say to the train • The unforgettable evening Sound and Light Show interviews from rail comes to life as you journey through the 14 Heritage controller, I’m sorry but my at Peterborough’s Steamtown rail museum workers of the era – Bluebird is gone.” Rail Trail townships. • Learning of the R.M.Williams story at his birthplace easily accessed from Maurice Buttfield – train guard near Jamestown your mobile device. Some are thriving, others are mere shadows of their More hijinks on the line, as Maurice • Touring the old Gladstone Gaol “He was always there to help you past glory. All look forward to welcoming you and Peterborough Oodla Wirra describes being left behind on the “Through the dust I could see • The ‘Explorers Trail’ in Crystal Brook Yongala out, a good bloke in all ways.” sharing their tales… Bluebird line and having to scramble the end of the fuel tanker sticking • The ‘Outside the Gates’ bus tour in Port Pirie Doug Perrot – engine fireman in a borrowed Valiant to get to the out… that is all I could see.” Food and refreshment highlights Port Pirie Listen to driver Doug describe his time next stop to rejoin the train. Brian Parry – engine driver “We did have a train examiner with master of the yards, inspector • An icy-cold beer at the Silverton Hotel Listen to Brian discuss his role as a who, when the mood took him, and renowned ventriloquist, Lionel • An outback steak at the Mulga Hill tavern, Broken Hill fireman working to clear a de-railed Bring the Heritage Rail Trail could be a bit awkward.” Noble. Noble served the rail line from • The ‘Mega Toastie’ at the Cockburn Hotel Daytrippa is a self-drive travel website providing daytrip train and cattle truck outside of David Whittle – road car driver the age of 16 until his retirement, • Local Southern Flinders lamb from Mercer’s butchers, to life using your mobile device! Thackaringa, close to the NSW border. itineraries to help you explore the very best of South Listen to David as he describes and documented the development Peterborough Australia. The site supports you as you travel from region Enjoy a series of interviews from the original Caltowie of the line through his photographic • A pie at the Jamestown bakery pranks played around the to region, providing live GPS route maps to help you find rail workers as you travel this world-class shunting yard to teach a difficult collection, www.lionelnoble.com. • A thirst quenching local F.G. Grubbs soft drink at Gladstone your way to the best of a region’s attractions and local journey across South Australia. superintendant a lesson. Trend Drinks in Gladstone Jamestown businesses, including dining and accommodation providers. www.daytrippa.com.au Crystal Brook • Fresh Spencer Gulf prawns in Port Pirie

Caroona Creek SOUTH AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES Conservation Park Bundaleer Photo courtesy of www.lionelnoble.com Forest Reserve Proudly supported by 1875 December 1880 5 September 1883 October 1884 November 1884 May 1885 30 May 1885 17 July 1885 1887 12 January 1888 1892 1911–1934 1923 January 1970 1970–present day The Port Pirie to Crystal Brook line The line – already at Gladstone Boundary rider Charles Rasp Mining begins at Mount Gipps with A Bill is passed by the South The NSW Minister for Mines holds BHP mining interests at Silverton Documents are signed at De Baun’s The narrow gauge line reaches The Silverton Tramway line is BHP acquires the British Broken The line becomes the busiest A record breaking 102 trains pass in From the 1950s, declining ore volumes The course of the old narrow gauge line continues as a key artery in the modern begins development. It’s the first (1876) and Jamestown (1878) – discovers silver ore on Mount Gipps the drilling of the Rasp shaft. The Australian Government outlining out “no hope” that the government form the Silverton Tramway pub in Silverton to establish and float Cockburn from Peterborough officially opened allowing Broken Hill Hill smelting works in Port Pirie; five single- railway in the world, and out of the Peterborough station and improvements in road transport standard gauge Australian Rail network. Only metres from the remains of the section of a narrow gauge railway reaches Petersburg (today called Station and pegs seven mineral township of Broken Hill starts to grow. plans to extend the South Australian will extend the line from Cockburn to Company to build a ‘private tramway’ Broken Hill Pty Ltd (BHP). in January. Shortly afterwards the ore to be shipped by train across the years later it closes down its Broken contributing over 10 million during a single 24 hour period. sees traffic dwindle on the line. The last old line, some 50 trains travel the track each week – including the world-famous line intended to serve grain-growers Peterborough). leases. Joined by six other station line from Peterborough to Cockburn service the miners. South Australia is to Cockburn to connect Silverton and first section of tramway connects border and all the way to Port Pirie – Hill smelting works and erects new pounds in revenue to The South narrow gauge train leaves Broken Hill’s Indian Pacific passenger train connecting Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. and pastoralists in South Australia’s workers, ‘The Syndicate of Seven’ on the NSW border. also forbidden from continuing their Broken Hill to the port at Port Pirie. Cockburn with Silverton and the train-line is complete. smelters in Port Pirie. Australian Railways between Sulphide Street Station on January 9, mid-north. is formed. line into NSW territory. Broken Hill. 1911 and 1934. farewelled by Tramway employees.