Day 207 - Around Port Pirie

It was a beautiful day again today, perfect for soaking up some of the history of Port Pirie. It commenced life in 1848 but was resurveyed in 1871 to provide the city's current site on the Port Pirie River.  The town benefited initially by the presence of Italian fishermen and their families.  While it does have a fishing history, it now relies on exporting grain, lead and zinc ore and concentrates and smelting.

Its port played a significant role in its history and it has the distinction of having loaded more wheat ships than Port Adelaide. This is not surprising given the extent of grain farming to its east. Today Port Pirie's grain silos have a capacity of 158,000 tonnes.   

301014 The grain silos in Port Pirie with the wharves at their front
and the "bridge to nowhere" in the foreground

Port Pirie was also a major link in the rail line to Broken Hill and the sea link for the mines at Broken Hill and Silverton.

The smelter commenced operations in 1889.  The original BHP precursor companies were instrumental in the development of a smelter at Port Pirie.  On 2 June 1915 a new company, Broken Hills Associated Smelters Co Ltd, set about protecting Australia's lead-zinc-silver interests, in the face of German worldwide dominance of the smelting industry, spurred on by political tensions in Europe.  The smelter was a primary lead smelter, with flexibility to treat a small range of other metal bearing feed material.  There have been several changes of ownership by major Australian mining companies until, in 2002, Zinifex became the owner.  Zinifex merged with Umicore from Belgium, to form its current ownership under the name of Nystar.  It has ceased operations at the moment following an announcement in May 2014 that Nystar would redevelop the site, at a cost in excess of $500million, into an advanced poly-metallic processing and recovery facility.  Environmental considerations influenced this decision in part, but the original facilities, around 60 years old, had exceeded their economic life. The new plant will incorporate a state of the art oxygen enriched enclosed bath smelting furnace and include a new sulphuric acid plant.  Here endeth the lesson.

301014 The Nystar Smelter in Port Pirie.  This gravel area
is "nowhere", refer below

Port Pirie is full of buildings demonstrating its history and they have been preserved very well.  We visited the National Trust Museum housed in the old Port Pirie Ellen Street Railway Station.

301014 Port Pirie Railway Station and Post Office

301014 Ellen Street Railway Station, home of The National Trust Museum

301014 Not quite gargoyles but reminiscent of such. Pig, cow and sheep heads.
Not surprising it was a family butcher shop way back when.

The township is on the Port Pirie River and they have built a city beach at nearby Solomantown, not far from the Caravan Park.  All in all it is not a spectacular town but it is well presented and the locals are proud of it.  They are also proud of their "Bridge to Nowhere".  It crosses the river from the city to an undeveloped area directly opposite the smelter.

301014 Solomantown Beach in Port Pirie

301014 Coming back from 'nowhere" over the "bridge to nowhere"

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