Blyth, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blyth South Australia
Main street of Blyth, looking north
Blyth Location in South Australia
Established	1875
Location	132 km (82 mi) north of Adelaide
Localities around Blyth: Condowie, Snowtown Brinkworth Hart Bungaree, Benbournie Lochiel Blyth Armagh, Clare Bowillia, Everard Central Kybunga Boconnoc Park, Spring Gully

Blyth is a small town in the Mid North region of South Australia. It is about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) west of the famous Clare Valley. The town was built on the lands of the Kaurna people. They are the first people who lived there before Europeans arrived.

Blyth is home to 306 people. It is a farming community located between the Clare Hills and the Barunga/Hummocks ranges. The town is 189 metres (620 ft) above sea level. It usually gets about 400 millimetres (16 in) of rain each year.

The town is about 132 kilometres (82 mi) north of Adelaide. The local climate and soil are great for farming. Farmers here grow wheat, barley, and legumes. They also raise sheep, cattle, and pigs.

Blyth has many useful places for its residents. You can find a General Store, a Post Office, and a Pub. There is also a Gallery/Studio. The town has great sports facilities too. You can play football, netball, bowls, cricket, tennis, and golf. The Blyth Cinema is in an old building that used to be a Masonic Hall.

Blyth's History

The town of Blyth was officially started in 1875. This was 15 years after the area, known as the Hundred of Blyth, was first named.

The Railway in Blyth

In 1876, Blyth was the end point for a narrow gauge railway line. This line connected Blyth to Port Wakefield. Later, the railway was made longer to reach Gladstone. In 1927, the tracks were changed to a wider size of 1,600 mm (63 in). This railway was called the Gladstone railway line. The train service stopped on March 29, 1989. The tracks were removed soon after.

Other train stations nearby were Brinkworth to the north. To the south were Hoyleton and Halbury.

Famous People from Blyth

Many notable people have connections to Blyth. Here are a few:

• Bruce Bowley - a well-known cricketer.
• Jack Cockburn - an Australian Rules footballer.
• Clem Mitchell - a motorcycle speedway rider.
• Mike Pratt - a person involved in politics.
• Penny Pratt - also a person involved in politics.
• Ian Roberts - a talented painter.
• Andrew Thomas - another person involved in politics.
• Frederick William Young - a politician and a lawyer.