Carrieton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carrieton South Australia
Carrieton Memorial hall and council office.
Carrieton Location in South Australia
Established	10 April 1879 (town) 16 December 1999 (locality)
Postcode(s)	5432
Elevation	440 m (1,444 ft)
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+10:30)
Location	327.8 km (204 mi) N of Adelaide
LGA(s)	District Council of Orroroo Carrieton
Region	Yorke and Mid North
County	Dalhousie
State electorate(s)	Stuart
Federal Division(s)	Grey
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 25.2 °C 77 °F 10.6 °C 51 °F 308.6 mm 12.1 in
Localities around Carrieton: Moockra Yanyarrie Belton Moockra Carrieton Belton Johnburgh Moockra Eurelia Eurelia
Footnotes	Adjoining localities

Carrieton is a small town in the Flinders Ranges area of South Australia. It's found between the towns of Orroroo (to the south) and Cradock (to the north).

The settlement first opened in 1877. It was known as Yanyarrie Whim. Yanyarrie means "eagle feathers" in the local Aboriginal language. In 1888, the town was renamed Carrieton. It was named after Lucy Caroline, the daughter of Governor Jervois.

Carrieton's Railway History

Carrieton was once connected by a railway line. The Peterborough–Quorn railway line opened in December 1881. Carrieton had a main station, a large goods shed, and a cottage for railway workers.

Passenger trains stopped running in 1969. The railway company, South Australian Railways, ended its railcar service. Over time, fewer goods were sent by train. The last station master left on July 1, 1971. The railway line closed completely in 1981 and was removed in 1986.

Early Buildings in Carrieton

Many important buildings were built in Carrieton a long time ago. A school opened in 1882, helping children learn. A police station was built in 1884 to keep the town safe.

Churches were also important to the community. St Raphael's Roman Catholic Church was built, and a large house for the priest (called a presbytery) was finished in 1889. A small Methodist Church opened in 1882, and an Anglican Church was built in 1888. The railway station itself was built in 1885.

Carrieton Today

The main road through Carrieton is now called the RM Williams Way. This name honors R. M. Williams, a famous Australian who had strong connections to this area. People sometimes call Carrieton "Gum Creek" country.

Today, Carrieton has a community general store, a hotel, and a post office. It also offers places to stay for visitors. The town is part of the District Council of Orroroo Carrieton.

In January 2020, heavy rains caused floods. Many creeks around Carrieton were damaged. The bridge over Yanyarrie Creek, about 10 kilometers north of town, was badly hit. Huge pieces of the road surface disappeared into the creek. The Yanyarrie Creek bridge has since been fixed. There was a temporary detour, but it was also damaged by another flash flood.

Carrieton Rodeo: A Big Event

Carrieton is famous for its annual rodeo. The Carrieton Rodeo is a big event for the Australian Professional Rodeos Association. It happens every year on Proclamation Day, which is December 28. In 2012, the rodeo celebrated its 60th anniversary.