49-417: The BHP Whyalla Tramway is a 1067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) gauge heavy-haul railway, 112 kilometres (70 miles) long, on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia . It runs from haematite mines at Iron Monarch , Iron Baron and Iron Duke in the Middleback Range , about 50 kilometres (31 miles) west of Whyalla , to company steelworks at the coastal city of Whyalla . Opened in 1901, it
98-414: A mineral sands mine at Jacinth- Ambrosia which relies on Ceduna as a service town. A major residential development called Ceduna Waters was developed by Carramatta Holdings, a significant South Australian property developer in early 2010. Ceduna Waters is approximately 3 km from the town centre and is approximately 30% occupied as of May 2013. Prospectively, the development was projected to result in
147-502: A branch opened from Middleton Junction to Iron Baron . The latter closed in 1947 and reopened in 1958. In 1990 it was extended 32 kilometres from Iron Baron to Iron Duke. After iron ore production ceased at Iron Baron in 1991 and Iron Duke in 1998, the line from Middleton Junction closed. With the reopening of the Iron Baron Mine, in mid-2012 the line reopened to Iron Baron. In the 1960s, the internal Whyalla Steelworks network
196-786: A cage with southern bluefin tuna, with a colony of Australian sea lions , or enter a shark cage to observe great white sharks offshore near the Neptune Islands . Ceduna lies to the east of the Nullarbor Plain , which is crossed by a stretch of the Eyre Highway running parallel to the Great Australian Bight . Oyster farm tours can be experienced at Smoky Bay , allowing visitors to see where oysters are grown. Recreational fishing for species such as King George whiting and blue swimmer crabs does not require
245-405: A key activity in the region. In recent years deep sea fishing and tuna fishing have attracted industries from Port Lincoln to the region. In 2012, BP commenced the ability to seek approval for oil drilling off the nearby Great Australian Bight . BP is currently investing $ 20 million into a study of the region's ecosystem and social and economic potential. Ceduna has a radio telescope that
294-453: A licence, although size, bag, and boat limits may apply. On the west coast, tourists can snorkel with Australian sea lions and bottlenose dolphins in the sheltered waters of Baird Bay and observe southern right whales (and occasionally humpback whales) from the shore or by boat from Fowler's Bay from May to October. Murphy's Haystacks are a unique geographical feature located between Streaky Bay and Port Kenny . Artifacts from
343-562: Is a jetty for walking, fishing and small boats. In the 2011 census , the Ceduna urban area had a population of 2,289, and the Ceduna council area a population of 3,480. Ceduna has a number of Indigenous homelands situated within 20–30 minutes of the town. The council area has 911 Aboriginal residents who make up 24.8% of residents, the highest proportion of Aboriginal people of all local government areas in South Australia. Ceduna
392-443: Is a local Aboriginal Wirangu word, alternatively phoneticized as Chedoona , thought to mean a place to sit down and rest. The town is a fishing port and a railway hub. The Wirangu people once lived over the area including Ceduna. Sea level rise 18,000 to 7,500 years ago completely displaced inhabitants of previous coastal areas and resulted in dramatic changes in distributions of peoples. Matthew Flinders , on his voyage in
441-787: Is also a service centre for a number of Aboriginal communities in adjacent unincorporated areas. Very few of the indigenous inhabitants of Ceduna speak the local Wirangu language . As the regional service town, Ceduna attracts people from many indigenous groups in western South Australia. The Far West Languages Centre (FWLC) was established in 2006 to maintain three local Endangered languages including Wirangu, along with Mirning and Kokatha . The two schools in Ceduna are Ceduna Area School (CAS) and Crossways Lutheran School. CAS has approximately 600 students, from Reception to Year 12, with approximately 25% of Indigenous students. Crossways has around 150 students from Reception to Year 10, approximately 80% of whom are Indigenous. Iluka Resources developed
490-562: Is considered prospective for a variety of minerals, including graphite , coal , and uranium , with many deposits being proven in recent years. The 2000s saw increased mineral exploration activity on the peninsula. In 2013, some of the more advanced mine development projects included: Ironclad Mining's Wilcherry Hill , Centrex Metals 's Fusion Magnetite Project and Iron Road Limited 's Central Eyre Iron Project . Existing rail, power, and water supply infrastructure shortfalls continue to hamper new project development. The Eyre Peninsula
539-631: Is integrated into the CSIRO radio telescope network. Telstra donated the dish to the University of Tasmania in 1996 for use as a radio astronomy observatory. It is still in active use. Ceduna is also a hub for research on southern bluefin tuna and is ideally located data collection through methods including aerial spotting. Ceduna's annual Oysterfest is a major attraction held on the South Australia Labour Day long weekend. It
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#1732786774717588-432: Is located 200 km north west of Ceduna. According to the 2021 census of Population, there were 1959 people in Ceduna. The town is the last major settlement before crossing the Nullarbor Plain from east to west. It is set on Murat Bay and the sandy coves, sheltered bays and offshore islands of the bay make it a popular base for a beach holiday. The foreshore at Ceduna is lined with Norfolk Island pine trees. There
637-629: Is mined by Arrium in the Middleback Range near Iron Knob , inland from Whyalla . Some of the product is smelted to produce feedstock for the Whyalla Steelworks . Increasing volumes of iron ore are also being exported from Whyalla directly to customers in Asia. There is a commercial nephrite jade mine near Cowell , and jade souvenirs can be purchased in the town. The peninsula has many small inactive mines and quarries. It
686-531: Is now operated remotely and used as a radio astronomy observatory by the University of Tasmania . On 4 December 2002, Ceduna received international attention when the path of totality of a solar eclipse passed directly over the town. Though the day had at times been partly cloudy, and although mere kilometres away in Thevenard the view was still clouded over, the southwestern sky where the Sun and Moon were located
735-699: Is promoted by Regional Development Australia Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula as the 'Seafood Frontier' due to the variety of seafood species in the region, both farmed and wild-caught. Key species are the southern bluefin tuna and yellowtail kingfish , which are farmed in Port Lincoln and Arno Bay , and Pacific oysters , which are grown in Coffin Bay, Cowell, Denial Bay, Smoky Bay, and Streaky Bay. Other seafood offerings include abalone , King George whiting , mussels , western king prawns and blue swimmer crabs . Many natural heritage attractions can be found in
784-641: Is scarce on the peninsula. Presently, water is pumped several hundred kilometres from the Murray River to the town of Whyalla through the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline . Underground water resources are suffering from gradually increasing salinity. The only reliable surface flows are from the Tod River and its main tributary, Pillaworta Creek, which are captured by the Tod Reservoir . The reservoir
833-566: Is visible from the Lincoln Highway . Fishing charters are offered to depart from many coastal towns, including Whyalla, Cowell, Tumby Bay , and Port Lincoln. Major population centres on the peninsula are connected by a network of highways. The Eyre Highway (Route number A1) runs east–west across the north side of the peninsula, while the Flinders Highway (Route number B100) and Lincoln Highway (Route number A100) follow
882-568: Is within the extent of the following two South Australian government regions - the Eyre Western and the Far North . As at 2016, the following protected areas were located within the peninsula: The peninsula coastline is littered with shipwrecks from the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1920s, seven people were killed during the construction of the Tod Reservoir , north of Port Lincoln. In January 2005, nine people were killed in
931-982: The Coffin Bay Tramway from Coffin Bay to Port Lincoln. The BHP Whyalla Tramway operated from the iron ore mines in the Middleback Ranges to the smelter and port at Whyalla . The Whyalla railway line to Port Augusta are also connected to the national rail network. A car and passenger ferry links the Eyre peninsula at Lucky Bay to the Yorke Peninsula at Wallaroo. To facilitate prospective mines, new freight corridors and ports have been proposed to export minerals via Spencer Gulf. New port proposals are in place at Port Bonython , Lucky Bay , Cape Hardy and Sheep Hill ( Lipson Cove ). A proposal to export iron ore from Port Lincoln by Centrex Metals
980-618: The Investigator , anchored in Fowlers Bay on 28 January 1802. He went on to explore the coast and named Denial Bay , Smoky Bay and the islands of Nuyts Archipelago . He was disappointed to find no river and gave the name Denial Bay because of the deceptive hope we had formed of penetrating by it some distance into the interior of the country . French expedition leader Nicolas Baudin visited Murat Bay after meeting with Flinders and named it after Joachim Murat . He also named
1029-509: The National Highway its traffic flow is over 240,000 vehicles a year. The township has five caravan parks, four motels and one accommodating hotel. The tourism industry is driven by the nearby conservation parks, beaches and fishing opportunities. Ceduna experiences a cold semi-arid climate ( Köppen: BSk , Trewartha: BSal ), with warm, dry summers; mild to warm, dry springs and autumns; and mild, relatively dry winters. June
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#17327867747171078-948: The Peninsula's pioneer and, to a lesser extent, indigenous heritage can be seen at a network of museums operated by the National Trust of South Australia , which include the Mount Laura Homestead Museum in Whyalla, the Tumby Bay National Trust Museum and the Koppio Smithy Museum. The Whyalla Maritime Museum's nautical theme commemorates the former Whyalla shipyards . Its displays include the World War II corvette HMAS Whyalla , which sits in dry-dock and
1127-593: The area and recommended that the necessary surveys be started at once. In 1889 the Government in Adelaide formalised the Far West with survey lines. In June 1901, the town of Ceduna was proclaimed. For many years, locals called the township Murat Bay and it was not until the railways came and called the siding Ceduna in 1915 that locals adopted the name. The Ceduna Jetty was built in 1902. The Tod Water pipeline
1176-405: The common sense choice would be to draw a straight line from Yorkey Crossing to the northernmost point of Denial Bay ." As at 30 June 2010, the peninsula had a population of 58,700 people. The peninsula is home to 3.6% of South Australia's population. An estimated 2,500 people, 4.4% of the population, is indigenous . The major industry is farming — cereal crops , sheep , and cattle in
1225-496: The contract was included in the sale of One Rail Australia , as ASR had become, to Aurizon . Many of the steam locomotives used on the tramway were transferred from BHP's Broken Hill operations. By 1941, the fleet comprised 12 locomotives. A petrol-electric locomotive was purchased from the Davenport Locomotive Works , Iowa in 1928 for use at Iron Knob. DH and DE class diesel locomotives replaced
1274-421: The drier north, and more water-intensive activities such as dairy farming and a growing wine industry in the south. Many coastal towns have commercial fishing fleets, the largest at Port Lincoln. The town has previously harbored a large tuna -fishing fleet, which is gradually transforming its practice to fish farming with the growth of sea cage aquaculture for tuna and yellowtail kingfish . Oyster farming
1323-521: The growth of the population of Ceduna by over 10%. The development will allow for the provision of additional residential accommodation in Ceduna to meet the needs of workers at the Jacinth-Ambrosia mine. The Thevenard port of Ceduna is a high-frequency deep sea port which exports grain , salt , mineral sand and gypsum , all which are found within the local region. Aquaculture remains a major industry in Ceduna with pacific oyster growing
1372-467: The hinterland was 'waterless', thereby stalling European interest. There was a whaling station on nearby St Peter Island during the 1850s before settlement. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, faced with widespread agitation to open West Coast lands for agricultural settlement, invited three farmers in July 1887 to inspect the lands between Streaky Bay and Western Australia . They were optimistic about
1421-624: The major Eyre Peninsula Bushfire . The area is also known as the Eyre Coastal Plain , is part of the Eyre Yorke Block bioregion , and is a distinct physiographic section of the larger Eucla Basin province, which in turn is part of the larger West Australian Shield division. Ceduna, South Australia Ceduna ( / s ə ˈ dj uː n ə / sə- DEW -nə ) is a town in South Australia located on
1470-487: The mining industry exclusively. The existing plant is located at Whyalla and is operated by Arrium , and plants are proposed for Point Lowly and Lipson Cove to serve BHP and Centrex Metals , respectively. The peninsula includes the local government areas of Ceduna , Cleve , Elliston , Franklin Harbour , Kimba , Lower Eyre Peninsula , Port Lincoln , Streaky Bay , Tumby Bay , Wudinna and Whyalla , as well as
1519-485: The peninsula's three national parks, numerous conservation parks, and along the peninsula's extensive coastline. Ecotourism operators offer visitors opportunities to experience many of the peninsula's iconic marine species either in or on the water. From Whyalla , visitors can snorkel or dive off Point Lowly to witness the mass breeding aggregation of giant Australian cuttlefish , which occurs there from May to August each year. From Port Lincoln, tourists can swim in
BHP Whyalla Tramway - Misplaced Pages Continue
1568-408: The peninsula. Peaking at 777 kilometres in 1950, radiating out from the ports at Port Lincoln and Thevenard , today, only one 60-kilometre section remains open. It is operated by Aurizon . It has always been isolated from the main network . A proposal to link it with the rest of the network at Port Augusta was rejected in the 1920s and again in the 1950s. From 1966 until 1989, BHP operated
1617-531: The point of Thevenard after the Admiral and Minister of Marine Antoine-Jean-Marie Thevenard , and Decres Bay after Denis Decres , duke of the First French Empire . The first European exploration of the hinterland was during August–September 1839 by John Hill and Samuel Stephens , using the chartered brig Rapid as a base. Hill reported to Governor Gawler that although the bay was 'valuable',
1666-617: The same voyage. The peninsula's economy is primarily agricultural, with growing aquaculture , mining, and tourism sectors. The main towns are Port Lincoln in the south, Whyalla and Port Augusta in the northeast, and Ceduna in the northwest. Port Lincoln ( Galinyala in Barngarla ), Whyalla and Port Augusta ( Goordnada ) are part of the Barngarla Aboriginal country. Ceduna is within Wirangu country. The peninsula
1715-593: The shores of Murat Bay on the coast, west of the Eyre Peninsula . It lies west of the junction of the Flinders and Eyre Highways around 786 km northwest of Adelaide . The nearby port of Thevenard lies 3 km to the west on Cape Thevenard. It is in the District Council of Ceduna , the federal electoral Division of Grey , and the state electoral district of Flinders . The name Ceduna
1764-534: The steam locomotives in the 1950s. With the reopening of the line to Iron Baron, five GWNs were delivered in 2013. In July 2019, five former Queensland Railways 2250 class locomotives were repatriated from South Africa to replace the GWNs. Eyre Peninsula The Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia . It is bounded by the Spencer Gulf on the east, the Great Australian Bight on
1813-583: The west and east coasts, meeting at Port Lincoln in the south. The Tod Highway (Route number B90) bisects the peninsula, running south–north from Port Lincoln through the town of Lock to meet the Eyre Highway at Kyancutta . The Birdseye Highway (Route number B91) bisects the peninsula from Elliston on the west coast and Flinders Highway through Lock and Cleve to the Lincoln Highway near Cowell. The isolated Eyre Peninsula Railway serves
1862-462: The west, and the Gawler Ranges to the north. Earlier called Eyre's Peninsula , it was named after explorer Edward John Eyre , who explored parts of the peninsula in 1839–41. The coastline was first charted by the expeditions of Matthew Flinders in 1801–02 and French explorer Nicolas Baudin around the same time. Flinders also named the nearby Yorke's Peninsula and Spencer's Gulph on
1911-650: The western portion of the City of Port Augusta . The area at the northern end of the peninsula is within the Pastoral Unincorporated Area of South Australia where municipal services are provided by the Outback Communities Authority to communities, including Iron Knob . The peninsula is within the boundaries of the federal division of Grey and the state electoral districts of Flinders and Giles . The peninsula
1960-463: Was a key setting for the factual drama Black and White although the township was not used as a filming location. In 2012 Ceduna was featured in the independent feature film Nullarbor Nymph which achieved cult status around the country. The Cashless Welfare Card began a trial there in March 2016, attracting media attention. Ceduna is known as the gateway to the Nullarbor Plain and being on
2009-406: Was approved but abandoned after strong public opposition. Port Bonython Fuels , a future fuel distribution hub, has been approved to be constructed at Port Bonython to aid the development of the mining industry. Once constructed and operational, fuel will be delivered to towns and mine sites by road tankers up to A-triple class. Sheep Hill/Port Spencer will be completed by 2023. Potable water
BHP Whyalla Tramway - Misplaced Pages Continue
2058-546: Was built by, and until 2000 operated by, BHP . As of 2021 it was owned by Liberty Steel Group and operated on its behalf by rail operator One Rail Australia , which was sold in 2022 to Aurizon . In 1899, BHP was granted a lease to mine iron ore from the Middleback Ranges . The Hummock Hill to Iron Knob Tramways and Jetties Act 1900 authorised BHP to build a 54 kilometre line from Hummock Hill, Whyalla to Iron Knob that opened on 28 August 1901. In 1930,
2107-512: Was built to augment the groundwater supply of Port Lincoln and was constructed in the early 1920s. It was taken offline in the early 2000s due to concerns over rising salinity and contamination from agricultural chemicals. SA Water has investigated potential locations for seawater desalination plants to address future water security problems. As of January 2014, no plants are proposed to be built for domestic or agricultural supply, though one currently exists and two have been proposed to serve
2156-566: Was clear from Ceduna itself at the time of the total solar eclipse, late in the afternoon. In the 2007/2008 State Budget, Premier Mike Rann (who had opened the new Ceduna TAFE campus in the early 1990s) announced a commitment of $ 36 million for Stage 1 of the Ceduna Hospital Redevelopment. It was opened in 2011. In February 2010 Premier Mike Rann opened the world's largest mineral sands mine, Jacinth-Ambrosia Mine , operated by Iluka Resources . The $ 390 million mine
2205-532: Was converted to standard gauge to allow large 200 ton capacity torpedo ladles to be used. It also allowed standard gauge trains from interstate to access the steelworks when the Whyalla railway line opened in October 1972. In 2000, operations were contracted out to Australian Southern Railroad (ASR), with locomotive maintenance taken over by Clyde Engineering and track maintenance by Transfield . In July 2022,
2254-426: Was established in 1991. Attracting over 6000 people, it celebrates the oyster industry in the clean waters of SA's far-west coast, with a wide variety of activities, including a gala dinner, celebrity chefs, live concerts, children's amusements and a street parade. The finale is marked by a fireworks display. Ceduna was used as a major filming location for the 1997 film Kiss or Kill starring Frances O'Connor . It
2303-461: Was established in the 1980s and occurs in several sheltered bays, including Coffin Bay , Franklin Harbour (near Cowell in Spencer Gulf) and Smoky Bay off the west coast. Since 1919, gypsum has been mined at Lake MacDonnell , the largest deposit of gypsum in the southern hemisphere, and is shipped from Thevenard . As of 2022 , production is over 1 million tonnes per annum. Iron ore
2352-419: Was named after explorer Edward John Eyre on 7 November 1839 by George Gawler , the second Governor of South Australia . The peninsula's coastline boundary was defined in 1839 as "Spencer's Gulf in its whole length, to the southern ocean from Cape Catastrophe to the western point of Denial Bay ." Its northern boundary was described in 1978 as follows: "no official boundary [has] ever [been] proclaimed but
2401-535: Was officially opened by Mr M McIntosh, Commissioner of Public Works, June 1928. Ceduna was the site of a major satellite telecommunications facility operated by the Overseas Telecommunications Commission . It was a major employer in the town until made redundant by technological change. It was built in 1969 and by 1984 almost half of Australia's International telecommunication traffic passed through Ceduna's Earth Station. The dish
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