Blanchetown (including Moorundee)
Small township on the Murray River
Located 133 km north east of Adelaide, Blanchetown is a tiny township on the Murray River which was an important transportation centre during the nineteenth century. It is now a strange mixture of historic buildings and temporary shacks built by holidaymakers on the banks of the river. The Murray River at Blanchetown is only 3.6 m above sea level and it is 274 km from the sea.
Approximately 5 km south of Blanchetown on the banks of the Murray lies the site of the historic settlement of Murrundi. This settlement was named after a local Aboriginal tribe and parts of it were later surveyed and named the village of Sturt. Edward John Eyre, famous explorer and Protector of Aborigines, established himself at Murrundi in 1841 in an attempt to quell the growing conflict between the overlanders and local Aborigines. Eyre returned to England in 1844 and was replaced at first by E. Nation and then by Edward Bates Scott who acted as Sub-Protector of Aborigines and Police Inspector.
Between 1841 and 1856 Moorundee served as an important Aboriginal contact point, rations depot, experimental irrigation settlement and military and police outpost. The settlement also included a port, later to become the final resting place for the Government Survey Cutter, the 'Water Witch'.
Continual flooding eventually put an end to Moorundee and Blanchetown was established high on the cliffs overlooking the river. Blanchetown was surveyed in 1855 and named after Lady Blanche, wife of the colony¹s sixth governor, Sir R. G. MacDonnell. The site of Murrundi has been placed on the Register of State Heritage Items because of its historical and cultural significance.
Blanchetown grew as a riverbank location where goods could be loaded on the paddlesteamers which plied the river. The town grew with the arrival of the Customs House which dealt with produce which was being sent to Victoria and New South Wales. By 1858 a hotel had opened and there was a punt to carry supplies across the river. Shortly afterwards the town gained both a telegraph office and a Police Station.
Unfortunately from that point everything seems to have gone wrong for the town. The railway line went to the upstream town of Morgan. It attracted a lot of the river traffic as well. Progress in Blanchetown halted.
In 1922 Blanchetown became the site of the first lock on the Murray River. This was hoped to give the town a much-needed boost. Unfortunately it had little impact. It was the first of the Murray River's 15 locks and today is noted as a place where the local birds gather.
Today Blanchetown is a sleepy town with an attractive park on the water's edge. There are a number of impressive historic buildings all of which date from the 1850s and 1860s when it seemed as though the town had a real future.
Things to see:
Moorundee
Approximately 5 km south of Blanchetown on the banks of the Murray lies the site of the historic settlement of Moorundee. This settlement was named after a local Aboriginal tribe and parts of it were later surveyed and named the village of Sturt. Edward John Eyre, famous explorer and Protector of Aborigines, established himself at Moorundee in 1841 in an attempt to quell the growing conflict between the overlanders and local Aborigines. Eyre returned to England in 1844 and was replaced at first by E. Nation and then by Edward Bates Scott who acted as Sub-Protector of Aborigines and Police Inspector.
Between 1841 and 1856 Moorundee served as an important Aboriginal contact point, rations depot, experimental irrigation settlement and military and police outpost. The settlement also included a port, later to become the final resting place for the Government Survey Cutter, the 'Water Witch'.
Continual flooding eventually put an end to Moorundee and Blanchetown was established high on the cliffs overlooking the river. Blanchetown was surveyed in 1855 and named after Lady Blanche, wife of the colony¹s sixth governor, Sir R. G. MacDonnell. The site of Murrundi has been placed on the Register of State Heritage Items because of its historical and cultural significance.
Blanchetown Post Office
The National Trust Blanchetown Post Office is located on top of the hill above the town. It was built around 1860.
Blanchetown Bridge
The Blanchetown bridge was opened in 1964 by Sir Thomas Playford. The bridge's main claim to fame is that it was the first major prestressed concrete girder highway bridge built in South Australia. It replaced the Blanchetown ferry crossing which had been used since 1869. It cost £510,000 to build.
Shack City
There is a Blanchetown Shack Owner's Association which, presumably, looks after the interests of all the owners of the shacks in the region. There is a sort of Shack City downriver of the town. It is an extraordinary collection of shacks which have been built out of bits of corrugated iron, fibro and anything which came to hand. The way the houses have been built defies description. They have names like Dad's Den. It is unique and worth seeing. Some of the blocks of land in Shack City have absolute water frontages.
Golden Crest Gardens
Located on Murbko Road 8 km from Blanchetown the Golden Crest Gardens are a profusion of exotic fruits and unusual plants including wax flowers. They exploit the fertility of the region. To visit the gardens contact (08) 8540 5049.
Brookfield Conservation Park
Located 11 km west of Blanchetown is the entrance to the conservation park which was created in the early 1970s as a habitat for the southern hairy-nosed wombat. The countryside is characterised by red mallee, mallee box, yorrell, false sandalwood, oil bush and blue bush. There are picnic facilities near the Rangers Office. For more details contact (08) 8595 8010.
Hotels
Blanchetown Hotel
Sturt Hwy
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8540 5017
Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
Portee Station Bed & Breakfast
10km south
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8540 5211
Rating: ****
Cottages & Cabins
Blanchetown Caravan Park
River Dve
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8540 5073
Facsimile: (08) 8540 5377
Rating: ***1/2
Riverside Caravan Park
Sanders St
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8540 5070
Facsimile: (08) 8540 5278
Rating: ****
Salters Station Cottage
Paisley Rd
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8289 0303
Rating: ***
Caravan Parks
Blanchetown Caravan Park
River Dve
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8540 5073
Facsimile: (08) 8540 5377
Rating: ***1/2
River Palms Holiday Park
Sturt Hwy P.O. Box 10
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8540 5035
Rating: **
Riverside Caravan Park
Sanders St
Blanchetown SA 5357
Telephone: (08) 8540 5070
Facsimile: (08) 8540 5278
Rating: ***1/2
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