SAPort & river
Noarlunga
A horseshoe bend in the Onkaparinga made a mill town and a river landing.
1843Settlers back a steam flour mill at the Horseshoe
WHAT STARTED IT
The Great Southern Road crossed the Onkaparinga at a horseshoe bend, where a flat alluvial plain is almost encircled by the river. Below the bend the river was deep enough for small barges to reach the sea, so settlers chose the crossing for a flour mill and landing.
WHAT SUSTAINED IT
In 1843 local landholders met at Hollins’s hotel on the Horseshoe and backed a 20-horsepower steam flour mill, which was nearly finished by March 1844 with a 20-ton barge ready to carry its flour downstream. The village became the seat of the District Council of Noarlunga and later drew cyclists and day-trippers from Adelaide.
TURNING POINTS
1843Settlers meet at the Horseshoe on 24 August and pledge £600 towards a steam flour mill.
1844The brick steam mill is nearly complete, with the barge Onkaparinga moored alongside to take flour downstream.
1856The new District Council of Noarlunga appoints its clerk and rate collector.
1866A telegraph office opens in the town.
WHAT IT DOES NOW
Now gazetted as Old Noarlunga, the village keeps its river bridge, hilltop church and stone buildings beside the Onkaparinga. It is a quiet heritage township on the edge of Adelaide’s southern suburbs.