The Railway Station Museum with the floral display in the median strip

Port Pirie
Large industrial centre on the shores of Spencer Gulf
Located on the eastern shore of Spencer Gulf 229 km north of Adelaide, Port Pirie economy is driven by the huge silver, lead and zinc smelters which process the raw ore brought from Broken Hill and the large port which provides transportation for both the metal and rural industries which dominate the town.

Port Pirie proudly announces itself as 'The City of Friendly People' although the first sight one has is not of people but of the huge oil tanks on the outskirts of town and the grain silos and the chimney at the smelter. It would be easy for the traveller to feel that here was a big smelly industrial city and keep driving but this would be to miss some fascinating buildings and a genuinely beautiful and gracious main street.

Prior to European settlement the district was known as 'tarparrie' (possibly meaning 'muddy creek') by the local Nuguna Aborigines. The area was first explored by Matthew Flinders who came up the Spencer Gulf in 1802. In 1839 Edward Eyre led an expedition from around Port Augusta north to Lake Eyre and in 1846 J. A. Horrocks discovered a pass (Horrocks Pass) through the Flinders Ranges and down onto the coastal plain.

The muddy creek upon which the town's port was based was originally known as Samuel's Creek after its discoverer, Samuel Germein. Around 1845 the schooner John Pirie (it was owned by John Pirie one of the directors of the South Australian Company) made its way up the creek and managed to take on board a flock of sheep which is transported across Spencer Gulf to near Port Lincoln. It was as a result of this that Governor Robe named the site Port Pirie. In 1848 some 85 acres were sold in the area for the modest sum of £85.

Settlement of the town was slow and it wasn't until 1871 that the town was surveyed and five years later it was declared a municipality.

The critical event in the town's history was the construction of the smelting works in 1889. This ensured the town's continuing future. It was greatly compounded by the completion of the Broken Hill Associated Smelters Pty Ltd smelting works in 1915. By 1934 it was the largest single-unit lead-smelting works in the world.

Around the turn of the century the connection between Port Pirie and Broken Hill was so strong that the author Ion Idriess recalls 'lucky families from the Silver City enjoyed their Christmas holidays at Port Pirie ... Dad somehow managed nearly every year to scrape the few pounds together and send us entranced kids and harassed Mum by train to the long-dreamed-of fairy land by the shore of the sea'.

In 1937 the broad gauge railway line to Adelaide was completed and by 1953 Port Pirie was declared South Australia's first provincial city. Today it is South Australia's second largest port and is characterised by a gracious main street and some interesting and unusual historic buildings.

Things to see:  

Port Pirie Regional Tourism and Arts Centre
Located on the corner of Ellen and Mary Elie Streets the Port Pirie Regional Tourism and Arts Centre is an ideal starting point for anyone wishing to explore Port Pirie and the surrounding region. It has plenty of tourist information as well as galleries which have good examples of local, national and international art. It is possible to get a Heritage Walk brochure here which provides a map and information on the town's major historic sites. For more information contact (08) 8633 8700.

The Customs House

National Trust Historic and Folk Museum
By any measure this is an extraordinary building. Located in Ellen Street in a combination of buildings which include the old Customs House, the Victorian pavilion-style railway station and the Old Police Station. It is a good quality National Trust museum which interesting displays of local history and memorabilia.

The old Customs House (1882) has been developed so it looks like a house from around 1900. the old Railway Station (1902) contains a scale model of Port Pirie's smelters and a blacksmith's display. And the old Police Station (1892) has been developed so the south side is a series of miniature shopfronts.

Carn Brae
Located at 32 Florence Street 'Carn Brae' was built in 1905 for W. H. Moyle who named it after Castle Carnbrae in Cornwall near where the Moyle family had lived. It has a number of unusual features including valuable stained glass windows and a tall widow's walk dominating the roof line. It is not open to the public.

Port Pirie looking towards the bulk handling facilities

Memorial Park
Located in Norman Street, and with the anchor of the 'John Pirie' (after which the town was named) as its centrepiece, the Memorial Park was dedicated to veterans of recent wars - the Korean, Malayan, Borneo and Vietnam wars. It is believed to be the first Memorial Park in Australia to commemorate those battles.

Family Hotel
Located at 134 Ellen Street There is a great deal of charm about the small Family Hotel (built in 1904) in the main street. It has some very attractive with well preserved lace ironwork on the verandah.

Port Pirie Festival of Country Music
Each September/October Port Pirie is host to one of Australia's largest and most successful Country Music Festivals which features both local and international artists.

Blessing of the Fleet
On the second Sunday in September the statue of Madonna Dei Martiri is carried to the local wharves by members of the Italian community and the town's fishing fleet is blessed.

	Tourist Information
	Port Pirie Tourist Information Centre 3 Mary-Elie St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8633 8700
	Motels
	Abbacy Motel 46 Florence St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3701 Rating: ***
	Flinders Range Motor Inn 151 Main Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3555 Rating: ***
	International Motel/Hotel 40 Ellen St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 2422 Rating: **
	John Pirie Motor Inn Main Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 4200 Rating: ***
	The Mobil Port Pirie Road House/Motel Highway One Nelshaby Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8634 4270
	Travelway Motel 149 Gertrude St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 2222 Rating: **
	Hotels
	Central Hotel 30 Alexander St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 1031
	Family Hotel 134 Ellen St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 1382
	Federal Hotel 160 The Terrace Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 2654
	Hotel Newcastle 18 Main Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3925
	Hotel Risdon Moppett Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 2663
	Portside Tavern 96 Ellen St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3833
	Warnertown Private Hotel Highway One P.O. Box 563 Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8634 3077 Rating: **
	Cottages & Cabins
	Sampsons Cottage 66 Ellen St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3096 Rating: ****
	Caravan Parks
	Port Pirie Hillsview Caravan Park Broughton Rd P.O. Box 692 Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8633 0577 Rating: **
	Range View Caravan Park Highway One Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8634 4221 Rating: **
	Warnertown Caravan Park Highway One P.O. Box 563 Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8634 3077 Rating: **
	Cabin Park Port Pirie 137 Main Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8633 2666 Rating: ***
	Port Pirie Caravan Park Beach Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 4275 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Abbacy Motel 46 Florence St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3701
	Bungama Roadhouse Highway One Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 1108
	Central Hotel 30 Alexander St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 1031
	Flinders Range Motor Inn 151 Main Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3555
	International Hotel 40 Ellen St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 2422
	John Pirie Motor Inn Main Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 4200
	Junction Express Mary-Elie St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8633 0566
	Port Pirie Chinese Restaurant 34 Main Rd Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 4417
	Symphony On The Park Gertrude St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8633 3044
	Toledo Three Plenties Palace Chinese Restaurant 48 Florence St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 3905
	Travelway Motel 149 Gertrude St Port Pirie SA 5540 Telephone: (08) 8632 2222