Tailem Bend, South Australia

Tailem Bend
South Australia
Tailem Bend
Coordinates 35°15′0″S 139°27′0″E / 35.25000°S 139.45000°E / -35.25000; 139.45000Coordinates: 35°15′0″S 139°27′0″E / 35.25000°S 139.45000°E / -35.25000; 139.45000
Population 1,665 (2016 census)[1]
Established 1887
Postcode(s) 5260
Location
LGA(s) Coorong District Council
State electorate(s) Hammond
Federal Division(s) Barker
Localities around Tailem Bend:
Monteith Kepa Naturi
Woods Point, Jervois Tailem Bend Moorlands
Wellington East Cooke Plains Elwomple
Footnotes [2]

Tailem Bend is a progressive river town on the Murray River in South Australia and the home of the Bend Motor Sport Park. It is located less than 100 km south-east of Adelaide. It is located on the cliffs above the east (left) bank of the Murray River close to where the river empties into Lake Alexandrina.

First people - Ngarrindjeri inhabitants

Prior to European settlement the area was inhabited by the Ngarrindjeri people. They made bark and reed canoes, and lived on the fish and animals residing beside the river. Once written as "Tail'em Bend",[3][4][5] the origin of the town's name is still argued over. Some attribute it to a corruption of the Ngarrindjeri word "thelim" meaning "bend"[6], associated with the sharp bend that the Murray River makes in this location. Others yet say that original Ngarrindjeri inhabitants called this part of the river ‘Thelum Ki’ which means bent water.

European settlement

In 1884 while building the railway line to the eastern state of Victoria, the track laying gang set up camp amongst some native pine trees and naming that particular site ‘Pine Camp’ from then on the local township began to grow. The town was proclaimed in 1887, the year after the railway opened for traffic. At the 2016 census, Tailem Bend had a population of 1,665.

Industry

Major industries in the area include pig farming, dairying, grain growing, hay exporting and olives. Tailem Bend is also the head office of the Coorong District Council. The other two minor offices are at Meningie and Tintinara.

Transport

Tailem Bend has junctions on both the Adelaide-Melbourne railway and highways linking Adelaide to Melbourne.

The Tailem Bend Ferry, a cable ferry, operates across the Murray River to Jervois.

Railways

Tailem Bend station building in 2010

There are large grain storage silos and bunkers, where branch lines into the Murray Mallee join the main line. The last two branches were the Pinnaroo railway line and the Loxton railway line via Karoonda.[7] The Loxton line was originally one of five branch lines from the Barmera railway line and was the last to remain in service. It was the only branch to be converted to standard gauge (along with the separate Pinnaroo line) when the main line was converted from broad gauge, however they remained as light rail and ballast with low speed limits. They were only used for collection of bulk grain, as the speed limits are too low to be practical for transport of time-sensitive freight. Both closed in July 2015.[8] The Pinnaroo line continues as the original broad gauge into Victoria to Ouyen where it joins the Mildura to Melbourne line. As the South Australian line closed, the Victorian government was upgrading its end of the line for regional freight.[9]

Tailem Bend station was once a significant junction station for passenger trains on the Mallee lines, and home to a locomotive depot.

Highways

Tailem Bend is on the Princes Highway 20 km from the end of the South Eastern Freeway to Adelaide. From Tailem Bend, there is a choice of the Dukes Highway as the direct route to Melbourne, the Princes Highway along the Coorong and coast towards Melbourne, or the Mallee Highway east towards Sydney. There is also a road connecting to the Karoonda Highway leading to Loxton and the Riverland. Tailem Bend is a common stopping point for truck drivers travelling to and/or from Adelaide, as there are no fuel or food outlets with truck facilities on the South Eastern Freeway.

The Bend motorsport park

In March 2016, construction commenced on The Bend Motorsport Park.[10] The first Supercars Championship race meeting at the track was held on 24th - 26th August 2018. The Motorsport park will host the 25th Australian Jamboree for Scouts Australia from 4 to 14 January 2019. [11]

Personalities

See also

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Tailem Bend (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 January 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ↑ "Placename Details: Tailem Bend (LOCB)". Property Location Browser Report. Government of South Australia. 18 May 2015. SA0035164. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  3. ↑ "Country Intelligence". The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 - 1954). SA: National Library of Australia. 14 March 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "From the Metropolis". The Narracoorte Herald (SA : 1875 - 1954). SA: National Library of Australia. 13 May 1884. p. 3. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  5. ↑ ""Augur" in South Australia". The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 11 May 1889. p. 22. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  6. ↑ "Tailem Bend, SA - Aussie Towns". Aussie Towns. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  7. ↑ Mid North & Murray Mallee map Archived 2 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. SA Track & Signal
  8. ↑ Freight Study & Rail Operations Investigation Flywheel Advisory 17 November 2014
  9. ↑ Jones, Erin (18 November 2017). "Campaign to reinstate South Australia's regional rail network to help boost employment and create economic benefits for towns". Sunday Mail. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  10. ↑ Construction underway at SA Motorsport Park Speedcafe 25 March 2016
  11. ↑ http://www.aj2019.com.au/
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