I had found on the Aussie Towns website that Port Augusta had a Heritage Walk that seemed worthwhile doing. I printed out the map and information and off we headed. The brochure said that the walk would take between 1 - 1.5 hours at a leisurely pace. It took us three hours! The walk wanders in and around the CBD and the total distance that we walked was 6km. We commenced the walk at the Port Augusta Visitor Centre and we had 38 points of interest that we would stop at. I won't go into detail about all those stops as it is information overload but I can tell you that every stop was a worthwhile stop.
Our boys went to boarding school at St. Josephs Convent in Julia Creek for their primary education and the boys learnt that Sister Mary McKillop (now a Saint) founded the St. Josephs schools. The beautifully restored building that we looked at on our walk was the first of many schools that were spread out right across Australia and played an important role in the education of our children.
Pichi Richi Railway Station was our fifth stop and although it is no longer operational as a railway stop the building is rich in history. It is how home to a stylish cafe. This is also the place to purchase tickets for the Heritage Train Journey but it now only runs on Saturdays so we will re-visit Port Augusta next year and ensure that we are here on a Saturday.
The next part of our walk took us past the Port Augusta Primary School, opened in 1878 and the old Police Station and Courthouse. Almost all of the buildings we walked past were built in the late 1800's and all lovingly restored.
We came across the Port Augusta Meat Store that has been in the same location since the 1890's making it the oldest continuous business in Port Augusta. Apparently the head above the entrance is a plaster cast of a long-horn bull that the 1927 proprietor butchered.
Gibson Street was named after the first Mayor of Port Augusta when it was proclaimed in 1875 and the street is home to some beautiful terrace houses that are among the oldest residences. No 4 Gibson Street is one of the more significant dwellings in Port Augusta and was build in 1864 by Alexander Drysdale Tassie, the first British settler in Port Augusta.
There are many hotels in the Port Augusta CBD, as there are in many towns, but these old establishments really tell a story of past history. The Hotel Flinders is one such building. Old meets new in this photo.
We have now arrived at the Wharf area of Port Augusta. The wharf is very long and reminds us that Port Augusta was indeed a thriving port. This ended in the early 1970's when the last Japanese ships carrying copper concentrate departed the port.
The old wharf is closed off and as it is very unsafe to walk on. The foreshore is undergoing re-development and will be a well utilised area. Shaded paths, lush lawns, tables and chairs and bbq areas line the waterfront and it is a very inviting area. We came upon the swimmers memorial and this walled memorial garden was built to honour its members who had made the supreme sacrifice in WW11.
Our walk was almost complete when we stood in front of the very grand Seaview House that was constructed in 1881 at a cost of Four thousand five hundred pounds ($9000) by the Bank of SA. The Union Bank took it over in 1892 but closed its doors in 1894. In later years it became the Seaview Hostel, a boarding house for railway employees, and now it houses the Department of Primary Industries.
The final part of our walk took us through Gladstone Square where there were many people lazing around on the lawns and soaking up the sunshine. The Rotunda was built in 1890 and the Drinking Fountain was relocated to Gladstone Square in the 1930's and is a tribute to James Beatton, postmaster of Port Augusta from 1882 to until his death in 1905.
This building (below) was not on our Heritage Walk but we both wondered why there were so many tanks sitting on top of the roof and what they were used for. A google search has not come up with anything.....
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