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Historical and old photos, pictures and images of Whyalla, South Australia

Cities of the World • Countries of Oceania • Cities of Australia

Historical and old photos of Whyalla, South Australia in photos

A small historical reference

Geography: Whyalla - is the third most populous city in the Australian state of South Australia after Adelaide and Mount Gambier. It is a seaport located on the east coast of the Eyre Peninsula. (Wiki)

Date of foundation: 1920

History: The town is known as the "Steel City" due to its integrated steelworks and shipbuilding heritage. The port of Whyalla has been exporting iron ore since 1903.

It was founded as Hummock's Hill in 1901 by the Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP) as the end of a tramway bringing iron ore from Iron Knob in the Middleback Range to sea. Its first shipment was transported across Spencer Gulf to Port Pirie where it was used in lead smelters as a flux. A jetty was built to transfer the ore and the first shipment was sent in 1903. The early settlement consisted of small cottages and tents clustered around the base of the hill. The Post Office opened in 1901 as Hummock's Hill and was renamed Whyalla on 1 November 1919.

The arid environment and lack of natural fresh water resources made it necessary to import water in barges from Port Pirie.

In 1905 the town's first school opened. It was originally called Hummock Hill School, and was subsequently renamed as Whyalla Primary School and Whyalla Higher Primary School. The school's current name is Whyalla Town Primary School.

On 16 April 1920 the town was proclaimed as Whyalla. The ore conveyor on the jetty was improved and ore began to be shipped to the newly built Newcastle, New South Wales steelworks. The town grew slowly until 1938.

Population: 22 654

Sights:

Whyalla. A view of a major jetty, 1904
A view of a major jetty, 1904
Whyalla. An open cut mine at Iron Monarch, near Whyalla, 1930
An open cut mine at Iron Monarch, near Whyalla, 1930
Whyalla. Broken Hill Proprietary Company - Horse and cart, 1910
Broken Hill Proprietary Company - Horse and cart, 1910
Whyalla. Broken Hill Proprietary Company - Shunter No. 4, 1915
Broken Hill Proprietary Company - Shunter No. 4, 1915
Whyalla. Car parked in front of the A. and B. Havelberg general store
Car parked in front of the A. and B. Havelberg general store, 19 September 1928
Whyalla. First office building, 1915
First office building, 1915
Whyalla. Good Samaritan Convent, 1930
Good Samaritan Convent, 1930
Whyalla. Hotel Spencer, 1940
Hotel Spencer, 1940
Whyalla. Kelly Street Church, 1933
Kelly Street Church, 1933
Whyalla. Looking towards Whyalla from Hummocky Hill, 1933
Looking towards Whyalla from Hummocky Hill, 1933
Whyalla. Post and Telegraph Office, 1923
Post and Telegraph Office, 1923
Whyalla. Power House under construction, 1915
Power House under construction, 1915
Whyalla. Primary School, 1902
Primary School, 1902
Whyalla. Primary School, 1933
Primary School, 1933
Whyalla. Processing iron ore, 1910
Processing iron ore, 1910
Whyalla. Unveiling ceremony
Unveiling ceremony for the Soldiers' War Memorial in front of the Institute at Jamieson Street, 1920
Whyalla. Railway track inspection car, 1920
Railway track inspection car, 1920
Whyalla. Railway track inspection car, 1920
Railway track inspection car, 1920
Whyalla. View of Jamieson street
View of Jamieson street, goods sheds, Institute and presbyterian Church, 1933
Whyalla. Whyalla Institute, opening day, 1920
Whyalla Institute, opening day, 1920
Whyalla. Whyalla Institute built 1920, 1932
Whyalla Institute built 1920, 1932
Whyalla. Whyalla Institute built 1920, 1933
Whyalla Institute built 1920, 1933
Whyalla. Whyalla Jetty, 1915
Whyalla Jetty, 1915
Whyalla. Whyalla Jetty, 1932
Whyalla Jetty, 1932



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