Parachilna, South Australia

Parachilna (/ˌpærəˈtʃɪlnə/ PARR-ə-CHIL-nə) is a country town in South Australia. The town was first surveyed in 1863 due to its closeness to a government water well.[8] It is on the railway line and road between Port Augusta and Leigh Creek. Today, the Prairie Hotel, railway station, airstrip and a few buildings remain. The road east into the Flinders Ranges leads through Parachilna Gorge, recognised for its scenic beauty, to Blinman. The town is surrounded by Motpena station pastoral lease.[1]

Parachilna
South Australia
Selection of meats provided at the hotel
Parachilna
Coordinates31°07′S 138°23′E[1]
Population16 (2016 census)[2][lower-alpha 1]
Established1889
Postcode(s)5730[3]
Time zoneACST (UTC+9:30)
 • Summer (DST)ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Location
  • 422 km (262 mi) N of Adelaide
  • 30 km (19 mi) W of Blinman
  • 65 km (40 mi) S of Leigh Creek
LGA(s)Pastoral Unincorporated Area[1]
RegionFar North[1]
CountyTaunton[1]
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)Grey[6]
Mean max temp[7] Mean min temp[7] Annual rainfall[7]
26.4 °C
80 °F		 12.8 °C
55 °F		 223.9 mm
8.8 in
Localities around Parachilna:
Motpena Motpena Motpena
Motpena Parachilna Motpena
Motpena Motpena Mount Falkland
FootnotesLocations[3]
Adjoining localities[1]

The town's name is from the Aboriginal patajilnda, meaning "place of peppermint gum trees". The spelling difference is due to an early translation misreading.[9] The railway station was completed in 1881 as part of the line to Leigh Creek through Beltana.[10] The area was one of the set locations for the Australian feature film, Rabbit Proof Fence.

The Prairie Hotel is the only substantial building in the town, dating from the days when the rail was supreme. Away from the highway, the hotel fronts the railway line and the now derelict station building. The sandstone and limestone building has been in part retained, in part restored and extended. There are now no passengers on the line that once ran from Adelaide to Marree and connected with the old Ghan line to Oodnadatta and Alice Springs. The hotel's patrons come by car or bus. Local Aboriginal artwork decorates the lounges and dining room and there are displays of the nearby Ediacaran fossils.

The hotel serves feral animals like camel, goat and pig, as well as kangaroo and emu.

The historic Parachilna Fettlers' Cottages Ruins are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.[11]

Parachilna is located within the federal Division of Grey, the state electoral districts of Giles and Stuart, the Pastoral Unincorporated Area of South Australia and the state's Far North region.[4][5][6][1] In the absence of a local government authority, the community in Parachilna receives municipal services from a state government agency, the Outback Communities Authority.[12]

See also

References

Notes
  1. For the 2016 census, the 'State Suburb of Parachilna' consisted of the locality of Parachilna and land in adjoining localities.[2][1]

Citations
  1. "Search result for "Parachilna, Locb' with the following datasets selected - 'Suburbs and Localities', 'Counties', Government Towns', 'SA Government Regions', 'Gazetteer'and 'Local Government Areas'". Location SA Map Viewer. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Parachilna (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  3. "Postcode for Parachilna, South Australia". postcodes-australia.com. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  4. "Electoral district profiles - Giles". Electoral Commission SA. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  5. "Electoral district profiles - Stuart". Electoral Commission SA. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  6. "Profile of the electoral division of Grey (SA)". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  7. "Summary (climate) Summary statistics LEIGH CREEK AIRPORT (nearest weather station)". Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  8. "Parachilna". Flinders Ranges Research. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
  9. "Place Names of South Australia - P". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
  10. "Parachilna". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
  11. "Parachilna Fettlers' Cottages (Ruins)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  12. "Parachilna". Outback Communities Authority. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
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