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Populating the Mid North: a History of Settlement
Interactive Maps
A timeline of Settlement with a 5-yearly progression of land surveys.
1854-2012 Construction of Railways
The development and decline of the railways.
The Development of Agriculture
Graphics, showing increase in productivity and land use, with early Newspaper articles
A number of articles related to the history of Guano
Extracts from the Parliamentary Act and Newspaper articles
1836-1970 History of Sheep Scab in SA
Excellent Article by W. Stephen Smith, B.V.Sc.,F.A.C.V.Sc. PDF file.
Infrastructure
1895-1999 The Electrification of the Mid North
Timeline and early Newspaper articles showing the development of the electricity grid in South Australia.
A brief description of the creation of Road Boards, etc, with an 1879 newspaper article on the condition of the Main North Road.
A history of the invention of the Telegraph and its introduction to Australia
Whims, wells and the Morgan - Whyalla Pipeline.
Articles from Early Newspapers & Books
1836-1842 Preliminary & Special Surveys
Extract from H. J. Scott's South Australia in 1887 describing how the British Government organised the sale of South Australia
Correspondence between an 'old' settler and a Glaswegian. The last paragraph is a gem.
1841 The first port, Trade, the Financial Crisis, etc:
Contemporary Newspaper article.
Contemporary Newspaper article.
A short extract from Anthony Forster's book 'South Australia, its Progress and Prosperity' 1866
Rainfall chart, maps and articles describing the creation of Goyder's Line of rainfall.
Newspaper article discussing the state of the government dam, a sign calling Warnertown Napperby, and the need for a school
Newspaper article describing the Hundred, the towns of Carrieton and Eurelia, and the problem of water.
Newspaper article describing the condition of the land on the first railway trip from Murray Bridge to Bordertown
1910 Early Farming on the Appila Plain
Newspaper article describing the settlement of the early agriculturalists.
1914 Petersburg. A Dip into History
Newspaper article describing the establishment of the town of Peterborough, the railways and the water.
- Maps+
1828-1874 Routes of Exploration
Contemporary alongside early maps
1850-1920 Progress of the State:
Pastoral, Alienated Land & Infrastructure
Interactive Maps
2012 Map of the Area covered by this Site
showing Terrain, Subdivisions, Roads, Towns, Services, etc
A timeline of Settlement with a 5-yearly progression of land surveys.
1854-2012 Construction of Railways
The development and decline of the railways.
- Documents+
1834-1917 Parliamentary Acts
Parliamentary Acts in PDF format
Books in PDF format
1829 Wakefield's Colonization Proposals
1839 John Stephens' South Australia
1841-2 Edward John Eyre's Journals
- Climate+
Interactive Graphics
Graphics courtesy of the Bureau of Meteorology
Figures courtesy of the Bureau of Meteorology
- Towns+
- Services+
Police
BankSA
Australia Post
Westpac
NAB
- Accommodation
- Galleries+
In the Hills East of Port Pirie
Watercolours by George Angus, 1846
Trees Alongside Pekina Creek at Orroroo
Abandoned farmhouses between Orroroo and Appila
A drive from Port Pirie over the Hills to the Beetalo Valley
Paddock beside the road between Pekina and Booleroo Centre
Aboriginal Fire Trees North of Port Germein Gorge Road - 1 and 2
Trees beside the road from Laura to Warnertown and Crystal Brook
Town Services
Melrose Bowling Club Inc
Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2187
Melrose Caravan Park & Tourist Information Centre
Joe's Road MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2060
Melrose Courthouse Heritage Centre
Melrose Courthouse Heritage Centre
Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2141
Open Daily 2 pm - 5 pm
or by appointment
Education
Melrose Kindergarten
Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2145
Melrose Primary School
29 Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2154
Accommodation
Bluey Blundstones Bed & Breakfast
30 - 32 Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2173
Melrose Caravan Park & Tourist Information Centre
Joe's Road MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2060
Melrose Holiday Units
Whitby Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2021
Mount Remarkable Hotel Motel
Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2119
North Star Hotel
MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2110
Cafes & Restaurants
Bluey Blundstones Coffee Shop
Morning and Afternoon Teas or Lunch
32 Stuart Street MELROSE. Phone: 08 8666 2173
Agricultural Services
Lower Flinders Animal & Plant Control Board
MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2061
Auto Engineers & Repairers
Melrose Motors
Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2017
Stock & Station Agents
Dean Paul Pty Ltd
Nott Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2121
Retail
Australia Post
Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2123
Melrose IGA
24 Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2057
Service Stations
Melrose IGA
24 Stuart Street MELROSE . Phone: 08 8666 2057
The Mount Remarkable Mining Company, which was formed in November 1846 with a capital of £25,000, explored for copper in the region where Melrose was later built. They were unsuccessful, the workings consisting only of a 50 - 60 foot tunnel and a 20 foot shaft.
It is, however, because of this early mining venture that the hundred of Wongyarra was the first to be surveyed in the Southern Flinders Ranges in 1851. The town of Melrose was at the northern end of the hundred and the town of Bangor at the south.
Bangor, at the eastern end of the Port Germein Gorge Road, where its ruins can still be seen, did not survive. Melrose became one of the more attractive of the many attractive Mid North towns.
Backed by the majestic Mount Remarkable with its abundance of walking and cycling trails (the Heysen and Mawson Trails pass nearby) Melrose is close to the health services at Booleroo Centre and the regional centre of Port Pirie. It also has a school and shops. As well as being a centre for walking and cycling, there are abundant historic sites to explore both inland and towards Spencer Gulf. It is a beautiful, thriving little town.
