Quorn, South Australia: Travel guide and things to do

Located 334 km north of Adelaide, 40 km from Port Augusta and 293 metres above sea level, Quorn is a small service centre at the southern end of the main Flinders Ranges.

Prior to European settlement it is thought the Nugunu Aborigines lived in the area. The first European settlers arrived in the 1850s. The town came into existence in 1875 and was named after Quorndon in Leicestershire. The name was given by Governor Jervois whose private secretary came from the near Quorndon. In 1878 the government sold plots of land in the area and by 1879 it had become an important stopping point on the Great Northern Railway line when the narrow gauge railway reached Quorn from Port Augusta. However its greatest period of importance as a railway centre was between 1917 and 1937 when it was the junction for both the east to west and north to south railway services.

This importance continued through World War II when over 400 people in the town were working for the railways. During this time thousands of troops passed through the town and it has been estimated that the local branch of the Country Womens Association provided over 1 million meals to the servicemen.

The standardisation of gauges, and the establishment of the standard gauge railway to Marree in 1956, saw the town's importance decline.

Because of its location at the edge of the Flinders Ranges and its old style charm Quorn has been the setting for many scenes in many movies. The landscape and the town have been used in films as diverse as 'Gallipoli', 'The Shiralee', 'The Sundowners', 'Sunday Too Far Away' and 'Robbery Under Arms'

Things to see

Historic Walk
There is a pleasant Historic Walk through the town which includes 27 buildings and locations most of which date from the late 19th and early 20th century when the town was an important railway centre. The walk starts at the Railway Station (1916) and goes past the Austral Hotel (1878), Mathews Emporium - Quornucopia (1886), Criterion Hotel (1890), Court House (1879), Town Hall (1891), Anglican Church (1897), the Flour Mill (1878), Trancontinental Hotel (1878), Grand Junction Hotel (1890), Catholic Church (1883), Uniting Church (1879) and Lutheran Church (1890).

Pichi Richi Railway
The Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society Inc. has, since its formation in 1973, been dedicated to the preservation, restoration and operation of the Pichi Richi Railway, the first leg of the old Central Australian Railway to Alice Springs - the old Ghan route. The society has built up a collection of historic narrow gauge rolling stock of the old South Australian and Commonwealth Railways. These are restored and operated on a voluntary basis. The line has been extended through to Port Augusta, so trains now depart from both the Quorn and Port Augusta Railways Stations on a regular basis. For more details contact (1800) 440 101.

Quorn Railway Station
The first Quorn railway station was built in 1860. This handsome limestone building was completed in 1916 and is characterised by a bull-nosed iron roofed verandah with cast iron decoration.