Abandoned Places in South Australia - Terowie Main Street
Ghost Towns in Australia are mostly found in the outback. Think old South Australian railway towns like Farina and Beltana, or a cattle station killed by drought such as Kanyaka Station.
Driving to the Terowie turn off in South Australia's dry mid north, I had to navigate through a crowd of road crews busily re-sealing the main highway. The Terowie Roadhouse was quiet, but the friendly folk were happy to sell me petrol cheaper than I could buy it in Adelaide. Things went downhill quickly from there.
It soon became clear I'd stumbled across one of the newest South Australian ghost towns.
Once Terowie Coffee Palace, Near the Terowie Hotel
Terowie Coffee Palace 1910 (Courtesy State Library SA B32961)
After turning down the road to the town centre, I parked where it met the Terowie main street to look at an old building on the corner. Weeds sprouted randomly through the footpath and the building was run down but seemed solid enough. I was later to learn that this was once the Terowie
Coffee Palace built some time before 1910.
As I wandered the main street in the late afternoon sun I realised that the only sound was my footsteps. No traffic passed. There was not a person in sight. An eerie calm pervaded the dusty buildings lining the main street.
Tubs of geraniums flourished outside the Terowie Hotel but there was no laughter, chinking of glasses, or smell of a beer soaked carpet. It was closed.
The driveway of Nourse's Lubritorium was empty. Modern Car Service was not doing any better, and the
ES&A Bank building looked much as it did when the bank merged with ANZ Bank 45 years ago.
Former ES&A Bank in Terowie SA
Returning to my car I hear a loud thud and a rattling noise behind me. On turning I saw a young boy scoot down Terowie Main Street, gazing curiously at me as he disappeared around a corner. No words were spoken.
As I slowly cruised to the edge of town voices came from around a corner. After doing a u-turn two men could be seen sitting on a verandah, waving at me in a scarily friendly gesture. I quickly returned to the town centre. After visiting other
abandoned places in South Australia, Terowie was giving me a
creepier feeling than most.
Derelict and Abandoned Places in South Australia
The Terowie Hotel was probably the first building in town, established in 1874.
Terowie rapidly became a busy place with around 700 residents when the railway arrived in 1880. A broad gauge railway ran to Adelaide and a narrow gauge track led to Petersburg (later known as Peterborough), Quorn and Broken Hill.
As Broken Hill prospered with increased mining, Terowie railway station became a massive hub for trans-shipping goods. At one time its goods yards, workshops and storage facilities stretched for more than 3 kilometres. Because all goods had to be trans-shipped from broad to narrow gauge trains and back, there was always work available and the Terowie population peaked at over 2,000.
The Remains of Terowie Railway Station
During the Second World War a large military camp was established near Terowie railway station to expedite transport of men and materials to the north. There were ammunition factories in
Adelaide's north west and an
explosives factory in Salisbury all producing vital materials for the war effort which were transported by rail through Terowie.
While changing trains in Terowie on 20 March 1942, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur made his famous speech regarding the Battle of the Philippines in which he said: "I came out of Bataan and I shall return". He subsequently repeated the line "I shall return" in a number of other speeches, in a number of other places. The event is commemorated by a plaque on the now abandoned Terowie railway station platform.
Interpretive Signage at Terowie Railway Station
By 1970 the line to Peterborough had become broad gauge and the trans-shipping role of Terowie railway station vanished. With a massive reduction in employment opportunities Terowie began its inexorable journey to become just another of the many Australian ghost towns. The population dwindled to just 150 by the late 1970's and the Terowie railway station was closed and tracks removed in the 1990's.
Terowie had joined the ranks of abandoned places in South Australia.
Terowie Railway Station Platform & Goods Yard
The residents fought back valiantly. A heritage trail was created, interpretive signs installed at the site of the derelict railway station, the old Country Womens Association rooms became the Terowie tourist information office, and a Terowie 4WD Park allowed gery nomads and other visitors to stay free of charge. The children's playground and Terowie Arid Lands Botanic Garden are other attractions to tempt travellers to pause their journey.
Tourist Information Office Near Terowie 4WD Park
The town's population stabilised at around 200, and a few businesses remained to service visitors seeking South Australian ghost towns. The old Terowie Hospital became a bed and breakfast, The Terowie
town website proudly shows the photos of the 50th Christmas pageant in 2012.
But in its 140th year, the town Terowie seems to have passed away. It seems that the
roadhouse and motel are the only businesses left in Terowie to keep the name alive. Perhaps the Terowie 4WD Park can attract enough passing travellers to stay and revive the town. Perhaps not.