Burra, Gladstone, Laura, Wirrabra, Melrose and Quorn — six picturesque, history laden small towns in the mid-north of South Australia.
Buoyed by several bumper seasons from the mid-1860s, a region bereft of tall timber, drought and depression saw many walk away. Later, towns withered when the trains withdrew. Their legacy is a vast museum of ruined and abandoned buildings scattered across hundreds of square kilometres: sun-drenched stone homesteads and lonely cottages, empty gaols, desolate breweries, old mines and dusty railway stations.
More recent developments in the area include the emergence of cider makers, olive farms even vineyards. The towns that survive and thrive, have a particular charm, their high streets home to an intriguing collection of intact historic buildings. It’s hardly surprising that these evocative settlements are sought-after by filmmakers; just subtract the cars and you have a ready-made period set.
Christine McCabe
