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Okay Read MoreVisit these 5 towns near Port Pirie
7th December 2021
Visiting Port Pirie
The best thing about a Weekend Escape to Port Pirie is that there’s just so much to do in the surrounding region! On the shore of the Spencer Gulf, framed by views of the southern Flinders Ranges and surrounded by national parks, a getaway to Port Pirie comes with endless possibilities. In fact, just outside of the town visitors can find wineries, walking trails, mountains biking tracks, swimming spots and much more. Dotted around Port Pirie you can also find a handful of historic towns. Boasting local pubs, historic jetties, cafes and even a gaol the nearby villages in this area are worth dropping into. In this article, we reveal five small towns near Port Pirie which you may want to visit during your stay in the Mid North.
Read on to find out more! Or, if you’re looking for accommodation in the area, scroll to the end of this post.
Pic credit: SATC/Port Pirie Regional Council
5 Towns Near Port Pirie
Enjoy a getaway in the Mid-North! Whether it’s coastal views, geological points of interest or heritage walks you’re looking for, here is a selection of towns near Port Pirie.
Port Germein
Port Germein offers visitors the best of both worlds; beaches on one side and views of the Flinders Ranges on the other. The small town is known for its historic Jetty (once the longest in the Southern Hemisphere) and is a great place for families to enjoy a day of swimming! Try catching blue swimmer crabs here or just sit back and relax the sea breeze.
Crystal Brook
Amongst South Australia’s wheat and sheep country is Crystal Brook. The story has it that John Eyre passed through in 1839 and recorded the name ‘Chrystal Brook’ for the small township. Later on, this was corrected by when William Younghusband and Peter Ferguson who established a pastoral property called Crystal Brook. In this small South Australian town, find a Crystal Brook Heritage Centre, which was once the first ever two storey building in the area. Today, the centre is home to a range of machinery and farming equipment, an impressive historic exhibition and items used by pioneer families including crockery, dressmaking, knitting, rag and stocking rugs, sewing machines and wedding dresses.
Napperby
Located just east of Port Pirie, Napperby is a tiny town consisting of only 665 people (of which 284 live in its town centre). However the great thing about Napperby for visitors, has to be Napperby Gorge. Enjoy a bushwalk into the rocky gorge along the Napperby Creek to the Hells Gate waterfall. On the way, you’ll find bushland and lots of wildlife as well as a number of small waterfalls. Only a 2.8km return walk, this is perfect for a morning or afternoon stroll.
Laura
The small town of Laura grew in the late 1800s and was an important base for workmen building the Beetaloo Reservoir. You may be interested to know that two Chinese market gardeners settled here and implemented the state’s first irrigation system to grow vegetables and fruit. Today, Laura is a great stop on a Mid-North day trip, boasting a playground, a pub, shops an art gallery and more. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll visit during Laura’s annual fair; a two-day festival when Hughes Street becomes a large mall lined with art, craft, hobby and food stalls.
Gladstone
Gladstone was named after one of the British Empire’s most illustrious statesmen; William Ewart Gladstone. The town’s rich heritage is built upon a mix of farming, railways, military and of course the famous Gladstone Gaol! Gladstone was one a major railway junction in the Mid-North and now it houses the largest inland grain receival facility in Australia. Whilst you’re driving through Gladstone, you may want to check out the gaol. Initially used to house ‘inebriates and debtors’ (both men and women), it opened in the 1920s. Later it was used as an internment camp for Italians and Germans.
SA Weekend Escape’s Top Hotel Pick!
There is no place more convenient and comfortable to stay than John Pirie Motor Inn. Boasting an outdoor pool and an Angus & Co. Restaurant and Grill on site, your getaway is taken care of all year round. John Pirie Motor Inn is rated the best accommodation in Port Pirie and the friendly staff and cosy rooms will show you exactly why!
Looking for more things to do in Port Pirie? Take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Port Pirie and find more attractions, restaurants and much more!