The broad main street of Laura

Laura
Pleasant small township where Australian poet, C. J. Dennis, spent his childhood
When the evening sun slants through the gums,
By my forest-rimmed abode
Once more the old clear picture comes,
And my mind drifts down the road;
Back to the town by Beetaloo,
Where the rocky river strays;
Back to the old kind friends I knew
In the dear dead Laura days.

This poem, 'Laura Days' was written by C.J. Dennis to celebrate the town's Golden Jubilee (fifty years) in 1932.

Laura is a small and attractive township located on the eastern slopes of the lower Flinders Ranges 218 km from Adelaide. It is a town characterised by one of the widest main streets in South Australia with stands of peppercorns and gumtrees enhancing the street. The town's major claim to fame is that it has the boyhood home of noted Australian vernacular poet C. J. Dennis whose creations included 'The Sentimental Bloke'. Dennis's father was the licensee of the Beetaloo Reservoir Hotel from 1892 to 1910. C.J. worked as a barman for his father in 1898 but they soon fell out and he left and went to Broken Hill.

The actual township of Laura didn't come into existence until the early 1870s when a section of what had been Booyoolee Run, a pastoral holding which was leased by the pastoralist Herbert Bristow Hughes, was surveyed and subdivided. In 1872 the new town was named Laura after Laura Hughes, Hubert's wife. Prior to the establishment of the town the area had a number of large pastoral holdings most of which dated from the 1840s. Beetaloo Station had been established as a cattle run in 1844.

The town grew as it became an important supply post for the workmen building the Beetaloo Reservoir

Today the shopping centre is quite unusual in the sense that there are little blocks of two or three shops separated by a few houses, then a few more shops - all this is in the long main street. In recent times its future has been tied to a proliferation of gift and craft shops which have breathed new life into the town.

Things to see:  

Rocky River Historical & Arts Society Building

Walking tour of Laura
Old Brewery (1874)

This is a prominent local landmark. It was built in 1874 and operated as a brewery for the next twenty years until it was closed in 1894. It became a private residence in 1907.

Court House
The Old Court House, built in 1877, is now part of the local Rocky River Historical & Art Society. It operated as a Court House for 90 years and was only closed down in 1968. It is used for art exhibitions during the Laura Folk Fair.

C.J. Dennis Sculpture
Outside Dick Biles Gallery is a large metal statue of C. J. Dennis designed by Dave Griffiths. It is a fitting tribute to a poet who was born in 1876 and spent his formative years in the town. Dennis remembered his time in Laura with affection. In 1932 he recalled his childhood writing 'In sifting through these memories I can discover nought that could be set down in malice, but a very great deal that gives me constant happiness to recall.'

Outside Dick Biles Gallery, a large metal statue of C. J. Dennis designed by Dave Griffiths

Beetaloo Reservoir
Located in rugged country only a few kilometres from Laura, the Beetaloo Reservoir was South Australia's first regional reservoir. It was built between 1885-1890 (thus bringing men and work to the area) at a cost of £700,000 to supply water to Port Pirie, Moonta, Wallaroo and Kadina. Most of the water was required for the mining and smelting works in the Copper Triangle. Beetaloo now provides water for local agriculture and grazing.

Laura Folk Fair
The Laura Folk Fair, a two day folk festival, is held every April and attracts thousands of people to the town. This is much more than a folk festival with food, art and craft stalls, bush dancing, fireworks and music and literary awards. For details contact (08) 8663 2582 or (08) 8663 2221.

	Hotels
	Laura Hotel Mill St Laura SA 5480 Telephone: (08) 8663 2421
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Alder House 37 West Tce Laura SA 5480 Telephone: (08) 8663 2329
	Caravan Parks
	Laura Caravan Park Mill St Laura SA 5480 Telephone: (08) 8663 2389 Rating: **
	Cafés
	The Old Brewery Cafe Laura SA 5480 Telephone: (08) 8663 2251