Brisbane, QLD


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Quorn

Continuing with our tour in SA we alighted the historic Afghan Express at Quorn, a delightful little town with a big history. Quorn was named after Quorndon in the UK and was surveyed in 1878 as a railhead town for the Central Australian Line (The Ghan). In 1917 the new Trans Australian Line (The Indian Pacific)  stretching across the continent from east to west passed through Quorn also. This caused the town to expand now becoming the crossroads for the north south and east west lines. Many fine buildings were constructed.  By the 8o's both lines had been changed to a wider gauge and to a different location. Trucks took over the freight business and so the town started do die. However , thanks to the Pichi Richi Preservation Society, which renovated the line and locomotives and introduced tourist trips between Quorn and Port Augusta the town has survived. It is also the main town  for the Flinders Ranges region. The Flinders Ranges also attract visitors.
The buildings were really beautiful. The Post Office.

The Town Hall, the stone plaque was laid in 1891.

The second building is a shop called Quornucopia and it sold all sorts of interesting items but best of all was its book collection. I bought a book there for my grandson.

















Lovely house and the old Mill.

We found a lovely old fashioned country cafe for lunch and then returned to the station to catch the histioric Afghan Express back to Port Augusta.

The volunteer train buffs had to take the engine off and take it to the other end of the train so as to travel back in the opposite direction. 

While Bill enjoyed watching all the huffing and puffing of the engine and it connecting with the train, I enjoyed taking arty farty fotos and................ 
...........pictures of wild flowers.
During the trip back we saw a kangaroo spooked by the train and was madly trying to hop away.
Bill was taking loads of video footage .                                                        






29 comments:

  1. Brilliant!!! Love it! I will have to go on the railway!!! Thankyou for this. BTW the caravan park was pretty good too.

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  2. I loved this post of Quorn and the railways. Thanks Diane. (I was unable to open the video; will return later and try again) PS thanks for the BEAUTIFUL Christmas card which I received yesterday, 16 January.

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  3. Beautiful photos, and the buildings look divine.

    Quite the dare devil Camerman there!!

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  4. The buildings are well preserved. It looks like a small town despite being a major railway hub. Looking forward to the rest of your journey!

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  5. What another neat little town and how cool you got to ride that train! I like the b&w photo of the train, just seems some things of that era are meant to be seen in b&w sometimes. Am amazed at the colors in all the buildings you've found too.

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  6. Bill did a great job with the video! I love the mix of music and ambient sound. The editing was great. And I love his choice of music.

    The Quornupacia store sounds like a lot of fun.

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  7. I am sooo jealous, I would really love to see all of this. i like the street with the motel and the whistle in the video

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  8. What a wonderful trip I made with you in this train ! the video is phantastic and your pictures with these cute buildings. It's like in "back to the past"

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  9. I especially love the bookshop called "Quornacopia" which also tells me, I think, how the town is pronounced! It looks to be a charming town.

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  10. Yes I did enjoy the ride. Nice shots of a lovely town.

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  11. Brilliant Diane. I can just visualise Bill running around like the most excited "little" boy in Australia with his camera - whooopee, Billy Boy!
    Now I am really sorry that on the last trip to SA and being so close,well only a day trip away I, with Val, Peter and Margaret didn't drive to Quorn! It really wasn't all that far away!!!!
    Damn. And thanks for showing me what I missed. More damns.
    Well done and so interesting as always Diane.
    Sobs and laments
    Colin (HB)

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  12. Hi Diane, I just love these buildings. The upper balconies remind me of the style in New Orleans. Looks like a great train ride with beautiful scenery. And I love the kangaroo. Great post and photos.

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  13. Indeed, well done Bill. The mill looks like a very interesting building.

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  14. Quorn is a beautiful town. I really like the town hall -- very elegant. The train ride was exciting, complete with an agitated kangaroo. Your wildflower picture was as beautiful as ever, and I like your arty farty fotos of the engine drive rods.

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  15. Wow--what a gorgeous town, Diane. Love the architecture. Great video---makes me want to jump on a train and take a ride...Reminded me of our train ride in West VA.

    Love the kangaroo.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  16. Bill has put together an excellent video - it almost makes up for the times I have been in or through Quorn and never had a chance to ride the rails.

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  17. The video was great, thank you Bill. I really enjoyed the scenery. That is a pretty little town. All of the buildings are beautiful especially the Town Hall.

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  18. Oh,what a cute little town. The architecture of the buildings is wonderful. I would love to live in one of those cute little houses.

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  19. you are lucky, Bill made a great video. The train is like a movie.

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  20. The Ghan! I have that very near the top of my Must Do List for Australia. As always, your photos are wonderful.

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  21. Love the video, now we can ride with you.

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  22. Your photos of the old buildings are lovely! I was amazed at the stone laid in front of the town hall.
    Tell Bill his video was awesome!!
    It was really cool to hear the train whistle as it chugged along.
    Lovely post Diane!

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  23. Thank you for the lovely pictures and the clip. I've enjoyed it.

    For Bill, I have pictures from the steam train Furka-Oberalp in my blog: Please have a look on 10. September 2010, the title is "Rauch, Fauch, Dampf und Russ".
    Greetings from Switzerland
    Angela

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  24. Hi Diane - your new header is fabulous.

    And so is this post. I really enjoyed Bill's video at the end! Love his choice of music for it too.

    Sara

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  25. what a lovely town, thanks for these beautiful shots. i, especially, like the building pictures, and that song is really awesome.

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  26. I loved the train ride! This was a wonderfully done video, Bravo< Bill!

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  27. I got a kick out of having quondongs at Quorn - and also visiting the marvellous bookshop!!

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