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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
Laura Folk Fair Inc
Hughes Street LAURA. Phone: 08 8663 2221
Laura Information Centre
Shop 2/38 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2260
Sport & Recreational Clubs
Laura Wirrabara Football Club
East Terrace LAURA . Phone: 0409 470 941
Northern Areas Football Assoc.
31 Garden Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2334
Education
Laura Preschool Centre
6 Booyoolie Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2252
Laura Primary School
East Terrace LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2543
Medical
Laura Hospital
Mill Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 3100
Laura Doctors Surgery
Laura Hospital, Mill Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 3124
Spencer Gulf Podiatry
Mill Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 3127
Grow Groups (SA Branch)
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2459
Accommodation
Alder House
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2329
Laura Brewery Bed & Breakfast
8 West Terrace LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2251
Laura Caravan Park
Mill Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2296 www.laura.saaust.com
Laura Hotel
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2426
North Laura Hotel
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2421
Smith's Farmstay
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2576
Talyala Hills Camp
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2576
Agricultural Services
Rocky River Enterprises
LAURA . Phone: 08 8662 2340
Northern Machinery Pty Ltd
24 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2504 and 8663 2117
Seed Cleaning Drying & Grading
Hannaford David & Tracy Smith
LAURA . Phone: 0428 847 949
Auto Engineers & Repairers
Stevens Motors
Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2303
Building Contractors & Materials
Bradley Alm Carpentry
LAURA . Phone: 0408 422 646
Sargent Constructions Pty Ltd
53 West Terrace LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2328
Excavating & Earth Moving
J M & K E Schultz Pty Ltd
1 Main North Road LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2658 . 0427 237 557
Building Designers
Crispin Design
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2156
Cafes & Restaurants
North Laura Hotel
25 Mill Street Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2421
Laura's Country Kitchen
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2332
Churches
Uniting Church in Australia
11 North Terrace LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2444
Engineering & Machinery
Blackmore's Power & Water
LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2284
Retail
Australia Post
23 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2331
Creative Treasures
18 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2497
Flinders Shoes
40 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2292
IGA
47 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2255
Laura Hair Affair
29 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2462
Laura Meat Store
Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2432
Laura Newsagency
31 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2564
Laura Soap & Gift Shoppe
22 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2535
Limberlost Antiques
63 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2234
Mid North Builders Supplies
57 - 61 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2467
Monday - Friday 8.30 - 5.30 Saturday 8.30 - 12 Sunday 10 - 1
The North Paddock
Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2495 . 0417 846 251
Ramsey Pharmacy
25 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2406
Service Stations
Northern Machinery Pty Ltd
24 Herbert Street LAURA . Phone: 08 8663 2504
Laura is a peaceful, charming town, provided with shops, a hospital, doctors, a pharmacy (containing a BankSA Agency), a Post Office and primary school. It is home to an annual Folk Fair and Golden North Ice Cream. 230 Km from Adelaide, it is only 40 Km from the large regional centre of Port Pirie, either driving on good bitumen roads, or well maintained dirt roads, winding through the crests of the Southern Flinders Ranges. It is surrounded by magnificent scenery.
Click here to see the Laura website (opens in a new tab)
Click here to see the Laura Folk Fair website (opens in a new tab)
Trees beside the road from Laura to Warnertown and Crystal Brook
