20120404 SA Orroroo to Peterborough

04-04-2012  Over 370ks of wide open space from Wilmington to Broken Hill with the occasional one horse towns which you can view as you drive by, we made it to Peterborough.

I was getting bored when I took this shoot of Australia's beautiful landscape.

One of the many one horse towns we drove through.

Coming into Orroroo the tourist sign said, Big Gum Tree 200 mtrs on right, I took a fly by shoot and Des and I looked at each other, 'was that it' it's just a big gum tree.

The town centre of Orroroo, we might as well check out this town it won't take long.

There R.S.L now that's impressive.

Decorating the side walk for Easter made out of corrugated tin, I thought was very creative.

Peterborough, (or Petersburg as it was once known until 1918) was settled to service the agriculture & pastoral endeavours of the 1870s.  A Mr William Heithersay was the first person to start a business venture, when in 1878 he built a blacksmith shop. Several others ventures by other people soon followed.  Their are two theories as to how the town got it's name.

1. It was named after me Peter Doecke, the original owner of the land on which the town was built.
2. It was named after 'Peters Store', the first General Store in town.

I liked this town with all it's history and old buildings, even the small shops are set back in time and are multi functional, (newsagent, small goods,groceries, toys and cloths).

Entering Peterborough, it's not hard to imagine the history of this town but I could be wrong, naa not me, I'm never wrong, just ask Des.

The Railway; an industry which would provide the lifeblood of the town for the next 110 years officially arrived in town January 17, 1881 when the line from Jamestown opened.  See I knew it would have a train history.

At one stage all these town were mining town (copper,Gold,coal and Ore) now wheat and mostly sheep, with a history to tell.

The Town Hall was built in 1927 at a cost of 13,961 pounds and is claimed to be the largest and most ornate Town Hall in South Australia.  The strange measures 55ft wide, 21ft deep and 24ft high

 In 1925 the National Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association visited and spoke at several meetings & canvassed  the business & the professional men of the town with there support plans to erect a YMCA building with accommodation for 25 young men with gymnasium.  Opened on the 26-05-1927 it was handed over to the local board debt free, thanks to the generosity of  the commissioner of railways.

Bob, railway mascot begins at Terowie, mid north of S.A, reported in the Advertiser's 1936 titles "Owned Bob the Railway Dog-an interview with William Seth Ferry" first saw Bob in a cattle truck with 50 other stray dogs consigned to a rabbiter.  He took a fancy to him & offered to buy him, but the rabbiter refused, he would however do a swap-one dog being as good as another. William went to Pt Augusta, found a stray at the police station, returned & made the swap. Bob graduated from traveling the line with his owner, to free spirit, jumping on & off the train as the mood took him, making interstate & suburban trips on trams, trains & up the river on the Murry Steamers.  Bob went missing for a time; he was stolen by a sheep farmer.  Unfortunately for him he had Bob herding sheep near a railway line, Bob heard the whistle of the train & ran to the engine where the crew recognized him & claimed him.  After this incident a commercial traveler had a special collar made with the inscription “stops me not but let me jog for I am Bob the Drivers’ dog.

The Peterborough Patch worker's Federation Wall hanging took in excess of 1,700 hours to complete & was constructed during 2001 to commemorate the Federation of Australia

The Stobie pole is a steel and concrete pole which carries electricity and telephone lines, invented in S.A by James Cyril Stobie to compensate for the state’s lack of suitable timber for wooden poles.  The Stobie was first patented in 1924 and was first erected on South Terrace, Adelaide that same year; they are termite proof, stronger and lighter than all-steel poles.  They can be manufactured on site when being installed in country areas and have a life span of 50 years.

We camped just outside of Peterbrough for the night, had a couple of drinks along with some music before hitting the sack, we slept like logs. 

05-04-2012  Des made bacon and eggs and we sat out side with the birds and many flys, stuff this to many fly, I went back inside.

Parked up in front of a railway line and wide open space

Some more birds for you Doug I expect you to have all the names by the time we get back.  These little fellows were hanging around chasing water so we were kind enough to help them out.

 Not a great photo but these birds are the one's I saw in Wilmington when I didn't have my camera on me, I have no idea what there called.

Now for that long boring drive to Broken Hill over 270Ks.