Blanchetown

Blanchetown was once an important Murray River terminal where goods were offloaded from paddlesteamers to be cleared through the local Customs House, but the town's prosperity suffered when the railway by-passed it in favour of upstream Morgan.

Where is it?: Murray Riverlands. 135 km north-east of Adelaide, and 275 km from the Murray mouth.





Blanchetown presents an interesting mix of historic buildings and riverside weekenders fashioned largely from corrugated iron, fibro and driftwood.

Although Blanchetown's towering cliffs are famous for the grand views of their changing colours, closer inspection reveals fossilised treasures such as starfish, shells and fish.

Origin of name: This area was called 'Moorundie', the name of the local Aboriginal Tribe. Surveyed in 1855, the town was named by Governor Sir Richard Graves Macdonnell after his wife Lady Blanche Macdonnell.

Natural features: Brookfield Conservation Park (11km); Murray River

Heritage features: Lock No. 1; Haylands Aboriginal rock shelter art site; Roonka Aboriginal occupation site (4 km north on the west bank of the Murray River); Blanchetown Historic Reserve (Aboriginal canoe tree site); Blanchetown Hotel (1850); Post Office (1866)


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