Giles Corner, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Giles Corner South Australia
Turnoff to the Barrier Highway, just south of Giles Corner
Giles Corner Location in South Australia
Postcode(s)	5411
Location	8 km (5 mi) north-west of Tarlee
LGA(s)	District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys
Region	Mid North
State electorate(s)	Frome
Federal Division(s)	Grey
Localities around Giles Corner: Rhynie Riverton Salter Springs Giles Corner Alma Tarlee

Giles Corner is a special spot in South Australia. It's not a town, but it's a very important meeting point for two major roads. You can find it about halfway between the towns of Tarlee and Rhynie.

This place is where the Main North Road (now called Horrocks Highway) and the Barrier Highway cross paths. The Barrier Highway heads north from here towards towns like Riverton and Burra. It even goes all the way to Broken Hill! The Horrocks Highway continues north to places like Rhynie, Auburn, and Clare. There's also a dirt road nearby that goes west for about 20 kilometers. Even though it's just a road junction, Giles Corner has its own sign to mark its location.

Who Was Giles?

Honoring Thomas Giles

Giles Corner is named after a man called Thomas Giles. He was one of many children in his family. His father, William Giles, was a very important person. William was the Colonial Manager of the South Australian Company for many years, from 1841 to 1860.

Thomas Giles was a business partner with George Alexander Anstey. George Anstey was an early pastoralist. A pastoralist is someone who owns or manages large areas of land for raising sheep or cattle. George Anstey is remembered today by a place called Anstey Hill Recreation Park. This park is in the Adelaide Hills, overlooking the suburb of Hope Valley in Adelaide.

A Place of Worship

The Wesleyan Church at Giles Corner

Giles Corner was once home to a Wesleyan church. This church was built between 1867 and 1868. The land for the church was given by Edward Furness. The stone used to build it was donated by Thomas Giles himself. Before the church was built, the people who worshipped there met in a private house.

In 1900, the Wesleyan church became a Methodist chapel. It was made bigger in 1903 to hold more people. Later, in 1927, a school hall was built right next to the church.

The Church's Final Years

The church continued to be used for many years. The very last service held there was on October 4, 1959. Sadly, after the church closed, the buildings were damaged by vandalism. Because of this, they were later taken down. Today, a house stands where the church and school hall once were.

In June 2016, a special memorial was put up by the roadside at Giles Corner. This memorial helps people remember the church and its history in the area.