Gladstone, SA

Southern Flinders Panorama and Discovery Centre Project

margarbon — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:24:56 +0000

The area on the unused railway land on the eastern side of Gladstone Street in Gladstone, South Australia, is currently being developed into usable public space for the benefit of the local community and the touring public. To date the area contains long vehicle parking and a children’s playground.

The Gladstone Community Development and Tourism Association Incorporated and the Northern Areas Council propose to develop the Southern Flinders Panorama and Discovery Centre on this area to ensure an economically sustainable future for Gladstone, and provide an asset that will bring benefits to the whole of the Southern Flinders Ranges region.

The Southern Flinders Panorama will be a 360° panoramic painting, to scale, of the view as seen from the ‘The Bluff’, in the heart of the Southern Flinders Ranges. It will be 18 metres in diameter and 6 metres high and take in the industrial town of Port Pirie, Spencer Gulf across the sea to Whyalla, the west coast, and the flat mostly treeless plains on the western side of the range. Contrasting will be the wooded ranges of the Wirrabara Forest, the undulating cereal and grazing country of the mid north, with views to the east towards Jamestown and Orroroo, north to Mount Remarkable, into the pastoral country and the Willochra plains.

The artist will be internationally acclaimed panorama artist, Jeff Morgan, who is recognised for his fine art technique.

Jeff Morgan painted the Wilpena Panorama throughout 2003/04 in his gallery at Hawker, South Australia. International acclaim has seen Jeff travel the world viewing and researching panorama paintings, and he has been a keynote speaker at two international panorama conferences. Out of seventy (70) recognised panorama paintings world-wide, there are only three (3) in Australia, with the Wilpena Panorama only one of a few in the world to be painted to scale.

The development of the Southern Flinders Panorama will see two world-class panorama paintings in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia, both very different. The Southern Flinders landscape has not been painted to this scale before and the painting will be three times as large as the painting at Hawker. Jeff’s technique has vastly improved so the finished product will be far superior to his earlier work.

The co-location of the Southern Flinders Discovery Centre with regional tourism information, free internet access, regional produce and local art and craft within the building complex, will create one venue to offer opportunities to those visiting the Southern Flinders Panorama. The panorama will be community owned providing numerous opportunities for administration by local volunteers and school students undertaking tourism and retail subjects.

Geographically, Gladstone is situated on the Horrocks Highway (formerlyMain North Road) at the southern gateway to the Flinders Ranges. The panorama will be a significant icon for Gladstone, fitting into a world-wide niche market and giving visitors a unique opportunity to add to their Flinders Ranges experience. At the same time the boost to the economy will be most beneficial for whole regional area.

A Feasibility Study has been conducted which found that the project would need to be established in stages.

This study outlines the steps to be taken and can be viewed at the Southern Flinders Discovery Centre, 14 Gladstone Street, Gladstone.

Trail Horse Ride 2011

margarbon — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:18:32 +0000

Southern Flinders

Champagne, Steam and Saddle

Trail Horse Ride

Saturday, September 24 2011

Monday, October 3 2011

This will be a slow paced ten day trail horse ride where participants can enjoy the beautiful farming scenery, the Southern Flinders Ranges, food, wine and camaraderi around a camp fire.

The focus on a ‘BLUE’ Day ride supported by the National Cancer Research Foundation will raise money for Prostate Cancer. The horses, the riders and the town of Gladstone will be “dressed up” in royal blue. Day riders welcome.

Following a Community breakfast in the main street, all riders will be handed a Certificate of Participation by the CEO of the National Cancer Research Foundation. Once again, during the street parade, when the horses are gathered in the caravan parking area, they will be blessed by the Anglican Bishop prior to riding out on their journey to Laura.

Gladstone will be alive with festivities, food and drink stalls, a band and activities for all.

Specially stamped commemorative envelopes will be available to be carried in an official mail bag by horse-back to Quorn where the mailbag will then be placed on a carriage on the Pichi Richi Steam Train.

The first day’s ride ends at the North Laura Hotel for a gourmet pie luncheon with a glass of wine or beer. A three-course dinner will follow in the evening with guest speakers telling about “their journey”. A ‘BLUE’ Auction will complete the evening. All proceeds to go to the National Cancer Research Foundation.

After another day’s ride to Stone Hut and a fun filled Quiz Night, the riders head out to the Wirrabara Forest for three days riding in the spectacular mixed pine and eucalypt forest covering the hill sides of the area. A Formal Three-course Dinner in the middle of the Wirrabara Forest at O’Reillys Country Table will round off this delightful section of the Southern Flinders before moving on to Wirrabara and Melrose for over night camps.

On Thursday 29th September, all riders, horses and back up personel will drive to Quorn, set up camp at the Stock Yard Arena and have a ‘lay-day’ on Friday. A two day camp out in more rugged country around Dutchman’s Stern is followed by the really exciting day’s activities on Monday 3rd October of loading the horses on to the cattle trucks behind the Pichi Richi Steam Train. After a two hour journey through Pichi Richi Pass the horses are unloaded at Woolshed Flat and ridden back to base camp in Quorn.

Contact details for further information on The Southern Flinders Trail Horse Riding Club are:

Email: sfthrc@y7mail.com

Phone: Shan Daw 0409 026 333

Kathy Webb 0412 644 665

Railways

margarbon — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:23:28 +0000

Gladstone’s heritage is closely linked to the railways.

Gladstone developed rapidly with the arrival of the railway in 1877. When Port Pirie became the main Spencer Gulf Port, the railway was built to transport grain from the fast expanding agricultural areas to the east. Subsequently the narrow gauge (3′6″) was extended through Jamestown to Peterborough, and north from Gladstone to Wilmington. This also allowed out of town students to attend Gladstone High School, albeit for only a few hours, as the railway timetables were not compatible with school hours. The last narrow gauge to be closed was the line to Wilmington in 1982.

Broad gauge (5′3″) was laid from Hamley Bridge to Gladstone in 1927 to allow goods to be transported from Adelaide. Transhipping then became necessary to shift goods from the broad gauge to the narrow gauge wagons. Passenger trains to and from Adelaide were also introduced.

1969 saw the standard gauge (4′81/2″) completed. Gladstone, Port Pirie & Peterborough all had the three (3) gauges, but Gladstone was unique in that no other railway satation yard had the three (3) gauges interlaid together within the one area (siding).

Progressively facilities were withdrawn, buildings dismantled and rail lines and point systems were removed, with the railway station being officially closed in 1991.

Today various trains still use the standard gauge line, but the largest use is for the transportation of lead and zinc from Broken Hill to Port Pirie.

Over 80 train movements are witnessed through Gladstone SA in any week, with between 10 and 15 freight trains daily depending on the day of the week. This can make for interesting train spotting. Freight consists of ore, grain. steel, intermodals, trailer rail freight and mineral sands, with the privately owned company SCT also using the line for intermodal transport. A number of other trains travel through Gladstone on an ad hoc basis such as ballast trains, heavy track maintenance equipment, the Track Diagnostic Train and the occasional movement of single locomotives.

The world famous ‘Indian Pacific’ train currently passes through 2 times per week (Friday and Sunday). Passengers are able to step on or off the ‘Indian Pacific’ at Gladstone providing arrangements have been made when booking their trip.

Grain Storage Facility

margarbon — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:22:23 +0000

Bulk Handling of grain commenced in 1954 when a group of forward thinking farmers approached government seeking assistance to move the state’s handling of wheat and barley from the labour intensive, back-breaking use of bags into the modern era.

Gladstone complex has grown from its original concrete silo storage built in 1957 to become the largest inland grain storage facility in Australia with a storage capacity of in excess of 600,000 tonnes.

In the last ten years more than $10 million has been invested in capital infrastructure at the Gladstone site. This includes construction of fast loading out-loading system that can load rail at more than 1,000 tonnes per hour.

Viterra (formerly ABB Grain, AusBulk and SACBH), is now the largest employer in Gladstone and where practicable, use local businesses to provide services required by the company. During the peak of 2001/2002 harvest, this site employed 6 permanent staff, 11 permanent part-time staff and over 100 casual staff.

During season 2001/2002, the Gladstone site received 553,163 tonnes of grain, which was made up of 16 segragations of grain grades from Wheat, Barley, Duram Wheat, Peas, Faba Beans and Fiesta Beans.

This grain was taken through 2 sampling offices, weighed on 2 inward weighbridges & 2 outward weighbridges. At any one time there were 6 silo grids & 6 drive-over hoppers operating to place this grain into concrete vertical silos, bulk sheds and bunkers.

Grain storage space is made up of:

Concrete vertical:	Block 1	2500 tonnes barley/cell 2900 tonnes wheat/cell
	Block 2	1300 tonnes barley/cell 1500 tonnes wheat/cell
Sheds	Block 3	50,000 tonnes
	Block 4	5,000 tonnes peas
	Block 5	45,000 tonnes
	Block 6	45,000 tonnes
Bunkers	in excess of	325,000 tonnes
Future Bunkers	in excess of	100,000 tonnes.

Approximately 90% of the grain is out-loaded through 2 x 1,000 tonne bins which are located over a railway line. A majority of this grain is then taken to Port Adelaide terminal to be loaded onto ships for many national and international ports.

Gladstone Art Exhibition 2011

margarbon — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:26:55 +0000

Gladstone Annual Art Exhibition.

The 2011 Art Exhibition came to a close with over 560 visitors viewing the exhibition over the four weeks of its opening.

This year there were 205 individual art works from local as well as State and Interstate artists, and the quality of the work was particularly pleasing.

In addition to the submitted entries, all of the Rocky River Schools provided a display of student art work which added further interest to the Exhibition.

Many visitors took in the Exhibition as part of the ‘Flinders Ranges: a Brush with Art’ programme, following the art trail through the region.

Sales of work were a bit disappointing, but it can be understood given the current economic circumstances.

The exhibition was supervised daily by dedicated volunteers and their interest and time is greatly appreciated.

The 2012 Exhibition will open on Saturday 8th September next year and extend into the first week of October. It is planned to retain the present exhibition format with the broad range of artistic endeavour being encouraged, so the Committee calls upon all artists to consider entering their work in 2012.

Persons wishing to receive direct notification and information by email can register their interest by sending their email address to: sfdiscovery@gladstonesa.com.au

Award Winners 2011 Gladstone Art Exhibition.

Gladstone Community Service Club – Fine Art Prize. $500

Judy Elliott-Maddison. Watercolour. “Basket of Shells”

Bank SA – Photography Prize. $150.

Kate Millard. “One Autumn Day”.

Gladstone Community – Fibre Art Prize. $100.

Nita Beard. Bark picture. “Miners Cottage, Andamooka”

Zander Builders – Applied Art Prize. $100

Paul Smith. Metal sculpture. “Apocalyptic Steam Powered Arachnid”

Gladstone Community Service Club - Quilting Prize. $100.

Ann Gillett. Quilt. “William Morris Friends”

Lions Club of Rocky River – Junior Encouragement Award. 2 Awards at $50 each.

Julia Fox-Donovan. Ebony Rodda.

Merit Certificates. Awarded to works of special merit.

Fine Art: Joan Hancock. Gail Donovan. Helen Pammenter. John Zanker.

Photography: Susan Daw. Paul Watson.

Applied Art: Kevin Clarke. Alicia Piggott.

Quilting: Lyn Duffy. Ann Gillett. Rocky River Stitch and Chat Group.

Quilt Challenge – Sponsored by Scratch @ Itch

First prize: Liz Collinge

Second Prize: Becca Tuckwell

Third Prize: Mary Martin

High Commendation: Sue Olds. Gabriella Rowe.

The GCDTA Panorama Committee wishes to thank
the sponsors who supported this year’s Exhibition
and invite them to be part of the 2012 Gladstone Art Exhibition.