A thriving region centre for a district which produces timber, livestock and dairy produce. It is the birthplace of the Co-operative known as Southern Farmers.
Where is it?: 209 km north of Adelaide; 29 km east of Gladstone; 72 km north of Clare.
The town is characterised by wide tree-lined streets with the main street being so wide that it seems like a town square. It has parking in the centre of the street. On either side of the street are a number of prominent buildings including the National Australia Bank (1885), the Belalie Hotel (1877) and the Commercial Hotel (1877).
There is a brochure available titled 'A Tour of Jamestown' which includes 27 things in the town including the caravan park, the swimming pool and the council offices. It is particularly interesting and informative about Sir John Cockburn, the local doctor who became the local Mayor and ended up the Premier of South Australia. It was Cockburn who planted the trees in the town's main street. He also laid the foundation stone for the local Anglican Church (1880) and his house (1876) is still well preserved on the corner of Cockburn and Clifton Streets. It is no longer a doctor's surgery. There is also a statue to the good doctor in the town's main street.
Bundaleer Forest Reserve
Bundaleer Forest Reserve is located 9 km south of Jamestown. It was the state's first pinus radiata plantation. It dates back to 1875 when the state declared 9000 hectares a forest reserve. The reserve as a pleasant picnic location and a number of attractive and interesting walks including:
The 'Maple Walk' (1.5 km) through groves of deciduous trees including English elm, ash, poplars, maples, and sycamores. This walk passes through country inhabited by echidnas, possums, kangaroos and euros although it is the lucky walker who sees them.
The 'Scenic Walk' (4.6 km) which offers views across the countryside from Campbells Hill. This walk takes about 1.5 hours and passes through stands of red river gum and forest red gum. This walk passes through country inhabited by echidnas, possums, kangaroos and euros although it is the lucky walker who sees them.
The Conservator's Walk (4.6 km) takes about 1.5 hours. On this section of the trail 'Curnow's Hut', an old timber cutters hut, has been restored for weary walkers.
Jamestown has proud military history, with monuments featured within the township. The Memorial Park features a restored 1907 Krupp SFH02 Cannon. It was captured in Palestine in November 1917 as part of the World War I campaign. In 1918 the Cannon was ceded to the 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment in the initial distribution of captured weapons.
Jamestown Railway Station Museum
Located on the northern side of town (over the Belalie Creek and next to the grain silo) the Museum is in the old Railway Station (1878). It is part of the National Trust and contains local memorabilia and lots of agricultural equipment including an old Furphy water carrier. There is also a railway carriage, a crop stripper and memorabilia from a local emu factory (now long gone). It is located on Mannanarie Road, Open Monday to Saturday 10.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.; Sundays 2.00 p.m to 4.00 p.m. Contact (08) 8665 2036 for additional information.
Brief History:
Ngadjuri Aborigines lived in the district before European settlement which began to occur with the granting of the first pastoral lease in 1841 to a man named John Bristow Hughes who named his property 'Bundaleer'. The town began life in 1870 as a service centre for the surrounding wheat properties. It became an important station on the Port Augusta to Broken Hill railway line. The Emu Brand of products, which included aerated waters, beer and tomato sauce, originated at Jamestown and were manufactured by local Edmund Humphrey's. Jamestown is also the birthplace of Australian bush legend, the late Reginald Murray Williams, better known as R. M. Williams, the bush outfitter.
The collapse of wheat in the late 19th century had little effect on the town. It has continued to prosper and is now the major service centre for an area which relies on wool, a range of cereal crops and the timber from Bundaleer Forest for its prosperity.
Origin of name: in 1870, when the small town was developing as service centre for the surrounding wheat properties, it was known as Belalie, the same name as the nearby creek, which was the location's Aboriginal name. When the township was surveyed in 1871, its name was changed to Georgetown, after the James Fergusson, the Governor of SA, 1869-72.
