Paringa
- Situated about 240 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, Paringa is
close to the South Australia-Victoria border.
- Its name is thought to derive from a word meaning ‘land near
the river’ or ‘whirlpool’.
- Because of its proximity to Renmark, the Paringa area was included
in the Chaffey’s irrigation settlement established in 1887.
- In the 1890s Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant worked on a station
at Paringa. He went on to enlist and serve in the South African (Boer)
war and subsequently entered Australian mythology when court marshalled
and executed by the British.
- The town of Paringa was laid out in 1917.
- The Paringa Bridge, constructed in 1927, is one of only two opening
bridges in South Australia. The other is at Port Adelaide. The Paringa
Bridge is technically a ‘lift span’ bridge as it has a
section that lifts up to allow large vessels through. It carries both
road and railway traffic.
- In 1930 construction of Lock 5, near Paringa, was completed.
- Paringa is now a gateway to the Riverland region and home port of
many houseboats and pleasure boats.
Further reading
Pictorial
history of Renmark: celebrating 100 years, 1887-1987 incorporating
the Renmark & Paringa Districts / compiled, produced
and arranged by Elizabeth Storry ... [et al.] Renmark, S. Aust.:
Murray Pioneer, 1987.
The
District Council of Paringa: 50 years of local government, 1916-1966.
[Renmark]: The Council, 1966.
Links
Walkabout – Paringa http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/SAParinga.shtml
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