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Port Pirie

Boats at Port Pirie jetty, South Australian Tourism Commission

Population 13204

Industry in its splendour greets the visitor at this major industrial and commercial centre. The oil tanks, grain silos and 250-metre-high smokestack all tower over the city, while on the waterfront huge local and overseas vessels are loaded and discharged. Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP) began mining lead in 1889 and various South Australian ports at that time vied for BHP's smelting business. Port Pirie eventually won, and created what is today the largest lead smelter in the world. Wheat and barley from the mid-north are also exported from here. Port Pirie shows great character in its old buildings and attractive main street, and Spencer Gulf and the Port Pirie River offer swimming, waterskiing, fishing and yachting.

Visitor Information

Regional Tourism and Arts Centre, 3 Mary Elie St; (08) 8633 8700 or 1800 000 424

www.piriehasitall.com.au

Nearby national parks

  • Mount Remarkable National Park

    Mount Remarkable National Park, in the southern reaches of the Flinders Ranges, is a beautiful bushland park with pretty creeks, steep...more

  • Lake Torrens National Park

    The 250-kilometre-long ephemeral Lake Torrens is timeless, wild and starkly photogenic. Protected within Lake Torrens National Park, this is...more

  • Flinders Ranges National Park

    Flinders Ranges National Park covers a vast ancient landscape of rippled outback terrain and exposed ridges, culminating in the striking...more

Nearby towns

  • Crystal Brook - Introduction

    Crystal Brook serves the sheep and wheat country at the southern point of the Flinders Ranges. It once formed part of a vast sheep...more

  • Melrose

    Melrose, a quiet settlement at the foot of Mount Remarkable, is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges. Indigenous groups who occupied the...more

  • Whyalla

    Whyalla, northern gateway to Eyre Peninsula, has grown from the small settlement of Hummock Hill to the largest provincial city in South...more

In Town

Regional Tourism and Arts Centre This award-winning centre comprises an eclectic mix of exhibitions, art and information. A lifelike fibreglass model of the largest white pointer shark taken from SA's waters is on display. Local and regional history is presented through a series of art pieces and on the miniature railway, Pirie Rail Express, which replicates the journey from Port Pirie to Broken Hill (runs 1st and 3rd Sun each month). There are local and touring art exhibitions in the art gallery and the centre runs tours to the Pasminco smelter. Mary Elie St; (08) 8633 8700.National Trust Museum: located in historic town buildings, including the old customs house (1882) and the Victorian pavilion-style railway station, the museum houses a local history display and rooms furnished in early-1900s style; Ellen St. Memorial Park: features the John Pirie anchor, memorials, and the Northern Festival Centre; Memorial Dr. Fishing: good local spots include the main wharf. Self-guide walks: including National Trust Walking Tours and The Journey Landscape, a 1.6 km nature trail representing changes in vegetation from Broken Hill to Port Pirie; brochures from visitor centre.

Nearby

Weeroona Island: good fishing and holiday area accessible by car; 13 km N. Port Germein: a quiet beachside town with a tidal beach safe for swimming. At 1.7 km, the town's jetty is one of the longest in Australia; 23 km N. Telowie Gorge Conservation Park: follow the marked Nukunu Trail from the park's entrance to the breathtaking Telowie Gorge on the south-west edge of the Flinders Ranges. Care should be taken on less-formal tracks in the park; 24 km NE.

Fishing spots near town

Point Lowly 30 km

The Point Lowly lighthouse marks the southern extremity of Fitzgerald Bay. Near the lighthouse is a small community of shacks. These lighthouse cottages are cared for by the Uniting Church, and are available for hire. It... Find out more


Fitzgerald Bay 37 km

Snapper fishing has a language all of its own. In Queensland and NSW, anglers talk about small snapper as ‘squire’. In Victoria, small snapper are ‘pinkies’; in SA, they are known as... Find out more


Whyalla 43 km

Whyalla is snapper central for anglers. Every Easter the Australian Snapper Championships are based here and the top ten snapper weighed in are always over 10 kg. As you would expect with a destination where fishing is... Find out more


Port Broughton 44 km

Port Broughton is a favourite destination for anglers wanting to fish from charter boats. The boat ramp in the sheltered harbour is next to a small pier complex and is popular for small fish including salmon, Tommy ruff,... Find out more


Wallaroo 89 km

The small SA seaport of Wallaroo, north of Moonta, offers an excellent base for anglers wanting to catch big snapper, King George whiting, Australian salmon and yellowtail kingfish. Many of the reef systems are close to... Find out more


Ardrossan 137 km

Located on the east side of the Yorke Peninsula, Ardrossan is bountiful water just 150 km west of Adelaide, so is a popular weekend fishing destination. Looking out on the long pier at Ardrossan, it’s striking how... Find out more


Marion Bay 246 km

Situated at the bottom of the Yorke Peninsula, Marion Bay is angler central and offers access to spectacular offshore and beach fishing. Southern beaches from Marion Bay east to Troubridge, such as Butlers, provide top... Find out more


West Coast 250 km

Head to Innes National Park, at the southern end of Yorke Peninsula, to find two noteworthy places for anglers. The first is Pandalowie Bay where boats can be launched and, north of this, Browns Beach. The latter is well... Find out more


Eco-friendly activities around town

Diving with cuttlefish, off Whyalla 46 km

Every year between May and September, thousands of Australian giant cuttlefish converge on the rocky coastline between Fitzgerald Bay and False Bay at Whyalla (on the Eyre Peninsula’s north-east coast) to breed and... Find out more


Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden 80 km

Located at Port Augusta West (at the head of Spencer Gulf) and spread over 200 hectares, this centre showcases the Australian arid landscapes and their vegetation. There are 12 kilometres of walking tracks, guided tours... Find out more


Wine-tasting - Nuriootpa and Angaston 168 km

Elderton Wines near Nuriootpa is a carbonneutral winery. Its cellar door is partially solar-powered and the vineyard is using biodynamic methods of production. Yalumba in Angaston has three organic wines and an... Find out more


Cycling in the Barossa 172 km

In the Barossa, you can hire bikes from the visitor centre in Tanunda and take the paved 7-kilometre cycle path to Nuriootpa. For a guided, multi-day supported bike tour, sampling the best of the region’s cuisine... Find out more


Heysen Trail 192 km

Some 1200 kilometres long, this renowned walking track stretches from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula all the way to Parachilna Gorge in the northern Flinders. It covers a vast range of scenery from coastal cliffs... Find out more


Adelaide Zoo 199 km

With its catchphrase ‘We exist to save animals from extinction’, this is another of Australia’s excellent zoos. The sea-lion display and walkthrough rainforest aviary are particularly recommended.... Find out more


Aboriginal gallery, Adelaide 199 km

The Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery at the South Australian Museum holds the largest collection of Aboriginal artefacts in the world. Some 3000 are on display at any one time.... Find out more


Mountain-biking near Adelaide 200 km

Eagle Mountain, 12 kilometres south-east of the CBD, is well set up for mountain-bikers, with around 21 kilometres of cross-country tracks, a skills development park and a jumps area. You can hire mountain bikes for the... Find out more


Swimming with dolphins off Glenelg 203 km

Since 2002, the eco-accredited Temptation Sailing has offered a ‘swim with the dolphins sail’ on a 17-metre catamaran out of Glenelg, in which the bottlenose and common dolphins reputedly come to the vessel... Find out more


Mangrove walk at Berryman Crescent 221 km

The most southerly mangroves in Australia can be explored at Berryman Crescent in Tumby Bay on the east coast of the Eyre Peninsula, with an excellent boardwalk with interpretive signs.... Find out more


Golf courses around town

The Grange Golf Club (East Course) 193 km

Vern Morcom was working on the final changes to The Grange’s West course redesign when the club announced plans for a second course. Morcom was asked to design it, on 150 acres of adjoining land, and the East... Find out more


The Grange Golf Club (West Course) 193 km

Melbourne’s sandbelt wasn’t the only region in which golf course construction was booming during the 1920s. Various sites in Adelaide’s western suburbs – Kooyonga in 1922, Glenelg in 1926... Find out more


Royal Adelaide Golf Club 194 km

In the city of churches, Royal Adelaide is the golfing equivalent of the Vatican. Every visiting golfer should make a pilgrimage to this Dr Alister MacKenzie-designed layout, one of Australia’s top 10 courses,... Find out more


Kooyonga Golf Club 198 km

Kooyonga is a thinking player’s golf course. One of the game’s greatest strategists, Peter Thomson, gave an insight into what is required to play well at Kooyonga after winning the 1972 Australian Open... Find out more


Glenelg Golf Club 202 km

Glenelg is to Adelaide what Bondi is to Sydney – the city’s most popular beach suburb. The terminus for the City to Bay tram, a Glenelg icon, can be found where Jetty Rd meets the beach, where you will... Find out more


Nearby eco-friendly places to eat

Goodlife 204 km

This innovative restaurant and takeaway not only makes carbon-neutral pizzas, but also places an emphasis on sourcing produce that is organic and local. Takeaway pizzas here even come tied up with string.... Find out more


The Organic Market and Cafe 211 km

This bustling cafe and organic produce outlet in Stirling was the national winner of the best organic retailer award. Something of an institution in the area, it has delicious antipasto platters and great coffee. About... Find out more


The Locavore 211 km

The Locavore (‘local eater’) at Stirling in the Adelaide Hills sticks to the ‘100-mile’ philosophy of sourcing food, which in its case includes the Barossa, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and the... Find out more


Nearby breweries

Knappstein Enterprise Brewery 90 km

History has turned full circle for the Clare Valley’s Enterprise Brewery, which ceased beer-making operations in 1916, but was revived for its original purpose in 2006. In between time, this gorgeous sandstone... Find out more


Coopers Brewery 193 km

More than any other Australian brewery, Coopers has grown significant market share over the past two decades on the back of increased demand for alternative beer styles. It was established in 1862 by Yorkshireman Thomas... Find out more


Brewboys 194 km

One of the country’s newest craft beermaking enterprises, Brewboys is a partnership between Stephen Nelsen and Simon Sellick, who also operate the contract brewing company Fresh Cellars. At present they utilise a... Find out more


South Australian Brewing Company 198 km

Established in 1888, the South Australian Brewing Company became the state’s dominant beer-maker by steadily acquiring competitors like the Kent Town Brewery, West End Brewery and the Walkerville Co-operative... Find out more


Adelaide Hills Craft Brewing 206 km

Located in the former Onkaparinga woollen mill complex at Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills, this brewery/bar is run by Alistair Turnbull and Phil Jones. The pair turned their backs on careers in banking to study brewing in... Find out more


Campsites around town

Telowie camping area (walk-in bush camping) 19 km

Remote areas of the park are available for experienced, self-sufficient bushwalkers to use as walk-in campsites. A permit is required.... Find out more


Telowie Gorge camping area 20 km

Basic facilities are provided at this camping area, 27 km north of Port Pirie from the Princes Hwy. Come equipped with wood, water and a permit.... Find out more


Ippinitchie Campground 24 km

Shady, creek-side camping is offered close to the appealing mid-north town of Wirrabara, with its local forest, bush gardens and views from The Bluff.  The campsite is just off Forest Rd, 8 km south-west of... Find out more


Fitzgerald Bay camping area 39 km

A series of designated camping spots – some with toilets – can be found scattered along the shores of the bay for self-sufficient campers, 32 km north-east of Whyalla. Ocean views and beach access for... Find out more


Mambray Creek Campground 39 km

The park’s largest and most accessible campground is in a classic creek and river red gum setting. It offers a full range of facilities and ready access to the walking tracks heading east. Signposted access is off... Find out more


Sugar Gum Dam camping area (bush camping) 41 km

Secluded walk-in sites are set among the high woodland on the Black Range Trek, 11 km east of Mambray Creek. A permit is required from the self-registration station, and the site is gas/fuel stove only.... Find out more


Redhill Recreation Ground 43 km

This overnight highway stop on the outskirts of the small farming town of Redhill is 50 km south of Port Pirie. It’s just off the Princes Hwy along an access road to the west of the train line.... Find out more


Melrose Showgrounds camping area 43 km

Creekside camping is permitted on the outskirts of the delightful Flinders Ranges town of Melrose, the oldest town in the region. With sites among mighty river gums, this is a convenient base for enjoying the town or... Find out more


Hidden Camp (bush camping) 44 km

This sheltered walk-in site is close to the dramatic ravine of Hidden Gorge, 8 km on foot north of Mambray Creek. The site is gas/fuel stove only, and a permit is required from the self-registration station.... Find out more


The Racecourse camping area (bush camping) 45 km

This walk-in site is near the junction of the Racecourse and Mungola Hut tracks. A permit is required from the self-registration station and the site is gas/fuel stove only.... Find out more


Caravan parks around town

Port Pirie Beach Caravan Park 1 km

This beachfront caravan park is just 1.5 km from the town centre and offers a range of facilities to suit most travellers. Nicely angled drive-through sites, clean amenities and friendly staff make this our pick of the... Find out more


Crystal Brook Caravan Park 24 km

This is a small, neat council-owned park just on the edge of town. It is a very pretty park with large red gums, a creek alongside, and lawn sites. We find it good value.... Find out more


Discovery Holiday Parks – Whyalla Foreshore 44 km

Now part of the Beston Group, this large park close to town has most amenities for tourists. Bookings are required at Easter.... Find out more


Port Broughton Caravan Park 47 km

A large park on the waterfront at the small town of Port Broughton, this is ideal for a quiet break or for fishing and crabbing. Bookings are required in peak periods, and a minimum-length stay period applies at Easter... Find out more


Peterborough Caravan Park 80 km

This is a tidy park located off the main road in a quiet part of town, adjacent to the town’s swimming pool. The park has modern amenities and is conveniently positioned for an overnight stop between Broken Hill... Find out more


Port Augusta Big4 Holiday Park 83 km

With very good facilities, this place is strategically based at the junction of the Eyre, Princes and Stuart highways. It can get quite busy here, even in the low season. The park is about 1.5 km from the town centre.... Find out more


Shoreline Caravan Park 83 km

This park has good facilities in a quiet, offthe- highway location. It has sea frontage and views of the Flinders Ranges. Bookings are required in peak periods.... Find out more


Nuttbush Retreat Caravan Park 83 km

This park adjoins the huge Pandurra sheep and cattle station, 40 km south-west of Port Augusta on the Eyre Highway. The park has very good facilities, including a licensed bar and restaurant.... Find out more


Burra Caravan and Camping Park 101 km

This picturesque park is situated alongside a creek just two minutes walk from the centre of Burra, a historic mining town. The park has good basic facilities and plenty of large shady trees. It is an excellent base from... Find out more


Cowell Foreshore Caravan Park and Holiday Units 115 km

Located on the foreshore at the end of the main street, this park is ideally situated for those who enjoy walking everywhere. Fresh Cowell oysters are on sale at reception. Bookings are required from January to April,... Find out more


Hotels, motels & B&Bs around town

Sampsons Cottage

This historic former butcher shop is a landmark in the town’s main street, dating from 1864 and preserved by the National Trust. The ornate facade harks back to the days when this was a thriving port. The shop now... Find out more


Eco-friendly places to stay around town

Rawnsley Park Station 179 km

Eight modern strawbale eco-villas with grand views perch on this sheep station, on the southern slopes of Wilpena Pound. Tourism is now the main industry on the property, and the one- and two-bedroom eco-villas are the... Find out more


Clarion Hotel Soho 200 km

Completed at the end of 2008, this five-star boutique hotel was designed with many hidden environmental features, such as water-recycling systems, sustainable building materials and airflow and passive cooling to reduce... Find out more


Willow Springs Station, near Wilpena Pound 206 km

Another working sheep station, Willow Springs on the edge of the national park is home to the legendary six-hour 4WD route Skytrek, passing through Bunkers Conservation Reserve and culminating at the 921-metre-high... Find out more


Rest areas around town

Warnertown Park Area 11 km

Near the hotel Small parking area just off the highway. GPS: S33 14.085 E138 07.106... Find out more


Port Germein South Rest Area 16 km

72 km S of Port Augusta (R) or 23 km N of Warnertown (L) Large area well off the road. Limited shade. GPS: S33 02.738 E138 01.822... Find out more


Ippinitchie Camp Area 24 km

T/O at Wirrabara Small campground located 8 kilometres west of Wirrabara in a natural bush setting in Wirrabara Forest Reserve. Good facilities and shade. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S33 03.996 E138... Find out more


Laura Park Area 26 km

Middle of town Parking area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S33 10.870 E138 18.000 ... Find out more


Point Lowly Camp Area 31 km

T/O 36 km S of Eyre Hwy (L) or 11 km N of Whyalla (R) Small camp area near the foreshore, 23 kilometres east of the highway. GPS: S32 59.590 E137 46.860... Find out more


Gladstone Park Area 32 km

West side of town Parking area adjacent to the highway near the caravan park. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S33 16.119 E138 20.999... Find out more


Murray Town Rest Area 35 km

Middle of town Large area just off the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S32 56.149 E138 14.447... Find out more


Mambray Creek Rest Area 38 km

T/O 48 km S of Port Augusta (L) or 47 km N of Warnertown (L) Large areas just off the highway (on both sides) among the trees. Good shade. GPS: S32 50.765 E137 58.937... Find out more


Mambray Creek Camp Area 39 km

T/O 48 km S of Port Augusta (L) or 47 km N of Warnertown (R) Large campground located in a natural bush setting 5 kilometres east of the highway at the base of the ranges in Mount Remarkable National Park. Good... Find out more


Fitzgerald Bay Camp Area 39 km

T/O 36 km S of Eyre Hwy (L) or 11 km N of Whyalla (R) Small camp area located on the foreshore, 24 kilometres east of the highway. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S32 55.296 E137 44.951... Find out more


Georgetown Park Area 40 km

South side of town Small area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S33 21.634 E138 23.632... Find out more


Goyders Line Rest Area 47 km

17 km S of Wilmington (R) or 4 km N of Melrose (L) Large area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S32 48.06 E138 12.30... Find out more


Hancocks Lookout Rest Area 54 km

T/O 18 km SE of Princes Hwy (R) or 4 km W of Wilmington (L) Large area 7 kilometres south of the highway at the lookout. Excellent views over the surrounding countryside. NOTE: Access road unsealed. GPS: S32 42.20... Find out more


Wilmington Park Area 60 km

South side of town Small area just off the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S32 39.11 E138 06.06... Find out more


Snowtown North Rest Area 64 km

62 km S of Warnertown (L) or 53 km N of Port Wakefield (R) Small area adjacent to the highway. Good shade. GPS: S33 44.870 E138 12.577  ... Find out more


Spalding Park Area 65 km

Middle of town Parking area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. GPS: S33 29.990 E138 36.435... Find out more


Mount Whyalla Rest Area 70 km

11 km S of Eyre Hwy (L) or 36 km N Whyalla (R) Large area just off the highway among the trees. Limited shade. GPS: S32 43.512 E137 30.577... Find out more


Granite Hill Rest Area 76 km

48 km SW of Whyalla (L) or 59 km NE of Cowell (R) Large area just off the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S33 15.954 E137 12.483... Find out more


Information Bay Rest Area 76 km

130 km NE of Kimba (R) or 26 km SW of Port Augusta (L) Large area adjacent to the highway at the information bay. Limited shade. GPS: S32 36.974 E137 34.424  ... Find out more


Tank Hill Rest Area 78 km

126 km NE of Kimba (R) or 30 km SW of Port Augusta (L) Large secluded area just off the highway in the scrub. Limited shade. GPS: S32 37.048 E137 31.647 ... Find out more


Lake Lochiel Rest Area 81 km

82 km S of Warnertown (L) or 33 km N of Port Wakefield (R) Small area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S33 54.807 E138 09.791 ... Find out more


Mount Bryan Rest Area 91 km

Middle of town Town park opposite the hotel. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S33 33.007 E138 53.532... Find out more


Iron Knob Camp Area 96 km

T/O 88 km NE of Kimba (R) or 68 km SW of Port Augusta (L) Quiet camp area well off the highway in the middle of town. Good facilities. Limited shade. NOTE: Donation requested. GPS: S32 43.937 E137 09.017 ... Find out more


Oodla Wirra South Rest Area 101 km

3 km S of Oodla Wirra (R) or 31 km N of Terowie (L) Small area among trees. Reasonable shade. GPS: S32 53.957 E139 02.663  ... Find out more


Tent Hill Rest Area 114 km

36 km N of Port Augusta (R) or 137 km S of Pimba (L) Large area just off the highway surrounded by scrub. Limited shade. GPS: S32 14.531 E137 32.759... Find out more


Cowell Park Rest Area 115 km

On the foreshore Parking area located well off the highway at the end of the main street through town. Good facilities. GPS: S33 41.134 E136 55.746... Find out more


Lake Giles Rest Area 118 km

36 km NE of Kimba (R) or 119 km SW of Port Augusta (L) Large area well off the highway in the scrub behind the truck bay. GPS: S33 02.930 E136 46.167  ... Find out more


Hanson Rest Area 119 km

13 km S of Burra (L) or 28 km N of Manoora (R) Large area among numerous large pine trees. Good shade. GPS: S33 45.158 E138 50.405  ... Find out more


Burra Creek Gorge Camp Area 119 km

T/O 16 km SE of Burra (R) or 69 km NW of Morgan (L) Large secluded campground located 11 kilometres south-east of the highway in a natural bush setting on the banks of the creek. Good facilities and shade. GPS:... Find out more


Port Wakefield South Rest Area No.1 120 km

12 km S of Port Wakefield (L) southbound only Large area just off the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S34 15.327 E138 13.381... Find out more


What's on around town

State Masters Games: even-numbered years, Apr.

Blessing of the Fleet: celebrates the role of Italians in establishing the local fishing industry; Sept.

Festival of Country Music: Oct.

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