Old blacksmith at Terowie, South Australia

In the 1880s through to the early 1900s the township of Terowie in the mid-north of South Australia was a bustling place of activity. The town was an important railway centre for many years as the state thrived and expanded. The town also served a growing farming community there and further afield. Consequently, the town blacksmith opened in 1884 and operated by one Thomas Taylor, was an important business in the district.

I find it interesting that the building has been maintained and obviously restored to something of its former state. It shows a certain, commendable level of care and pride on the part of the current owners – or perhaps the community which desires to preserve the interesting history and heritage of the town. One source I found states that the blacksmith building is now a museum. It was closed when we went through recently.

One interesting and significant element of the town’s history occurred during World War 2:

Terowie became a large military camp in 1941 -1946. In March 1942 General Douglas MacArthur gave his first Australian press interview in Terowie after leaving the Philippines. His most famous statement was “I came out of Bataan and I shall return”.

Further reading:

• South Australian History – Terowie
• South Australian Tourism site
• The historic town of Terowie
• Terowie – from the website of The Age newspaper – much information about the buildings and sights of the town.
• Historic photos of Terowie – an extensive collection of photos of Terowie

The photo below shows the interior of the blacksmith in its heyday in 1909: