Anyone been to Port Pirie SA?

Very nice spot didnt spend enought time there.

All the best
Eric

Cape york connections

Port Pirie is a nice city of reasonable size, with a fairly stong industrial background. This is a range of amenities there depending on what you want to do.

From Adelaide, we spend a fair bit of time in the lower flinders ranges, and prefer to stay at Melrose, (not far away from Pirie) which is much smaller and has a quaint feel about it. Lots of opportuniteis to do the things we enjoy includes mountain bike riding (the town is establishing itself as an off-road cycling hub, and doing a very good job of it) and bush walking/camping. The North Star Hotel is a great modern pub with excellent quality food.

From Pirie, you can get there by driving through some nice Gorges. I guess it depends on what you like doing.

Hope this helps a bit. Cheers

Sorry, I didn't read the second half of your post. I haven't been there for a number of years, and that was just a pass through. I have relatives at Pt Germain, hence that's where we stop first coming up from Adelaide (& then onto Melrose, Quorn Hawker etc.) Apologies.

I only call into Port Pirie if I need a coffee or something and can't wait until Pt Augusta. Pirie only has one redeeming feature IMO and that is it gave us Mark Bickley.

Sorry Jayco, i lived in Whyalla for years and did numerous trips to Adelaide and back, i always tried to avoid Pirie. It is close the the southern flinders but apart from that it doesn't have a lot going for it.

Any town with a lead smelter will struggle to attract tourists.

Even worse is that Pirie always beat us at inter-city cricket.

Barnesy

Im not saying anything
- if youve got nothing nice to say dont say anything at all

It used to have a really good fish and chip shop...but then it turned to bleep .
(In the main street across from a big car park..?)

I was born in Pirie, so there are some good things that come out of there. Still got a couple of friends living there, but no relatives that I know of or care to remember - but I drop in there occasionally to see what has changed. Was working over in Whyalla on a contract job a couple of years ago and managed to get a day in at Pirie. The old railway station / museum in the main street is worth a look. Apart from that, can honestly say that there's not a lot else to attract visitors. You can't even drive down along the wharf any more.

As for entrances to the city - the one from the Port Augusta side always has looked like a side track that somebody pushed through the bush as a short cut years ago with not much thought. The only real entrance (unless you're coming in from Broughton) is the main road in from Crystal Brook.

I stay in the cabin park on the mail road whenever i go that way , is a niece 12 hour drive for me and the place is clean , reasonable rates and a good place to park the car overnight.

the only problem is the hotel accross the rd , 2000 hours and the lights are turned off in the kitchen.

tuff after a 12 hour drive.

JJ, we were through last July and found our way in ok from the Princess Highway, but trying to find our way down towards Kadina seemed challenging. We did get there using my conventional direction control as the direction signs seemed lacking. In was going to comment earlier but thought I wouldn't be too cheeky.

We came back through later in the day after coffee with the mayor of Kadina, well of the NAB anyway and the main road seemed a bit more apparent. It seemed as though the local council didn't want travellers leaving easily! Best to channel them in......

On average we go to Pirie about once every 6 weeks

and visit the following places

Dentist
Some shopping at Wooliies, Coles, KMart, Hardware outlets
Bought 4x4's at Spencer Motors
Sprint Parts
Picture Framing
Camping Store
Waeco repairs
Art Gallery
Centrelink
Fresh Vegie Shop
Transport SA
Smiths Retravision
Pet shop

Have driven all over Pirie including out on the the flats towards the sea. Have lunch down at Solomontown Beach regularly.

Thats about it. Go there for business and then come home

Cheers

Well JJ, we visit a few times a year, being a regular meeting point for the 4wd trips we do north with the rest of the club from Kadina way.
My wife is a Coeliac meaning she has to have (Gluten Free food) and we have discovered a great feeding hole at the Tin Man Roadhouse where they have a great GF lasagna, amoungst other things.
This may seem trivial to some but travelling and trying to eat on the road with a coeliac is a major headace.
One of my DIL's is from there also, and her parents love the joint.
Lets not forget the great bunch from the Southern Flinders 4WD club, seeya next w/e guy's.

Cheers Pesty