Grace Plains, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grace Plains South Australia
Pinery Fire Memorial, Grace Plains
Grace Plains Location in South Australia
Postcode(s)	5502
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+10:30)
Location	64 km (40 mi) north of Adelaide
LGA(s)	Adelaide Plains Council Wakefield Regional Council
State electorate(s)	Frome Narungga
Federal Division(s)	Grey
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 23.6 °C 74 °F 9.7 °C 49 °F 389.0 mm 15.3 in
Localities around Grace Plains: Pinery Pinery Owen Barabba Calomba Grace Plains Barabba Calomba Mallala Barabba
Footnotes	Location Coordinates Adjoining localities Climate

Grace Plains is a small country area in South Australia. It is located on the northern Adelaide Plains, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of Adelaide, the state capital. This area is special because it is managed by two different local councils: the Adelaide Plains Council and the Wakefield Regional Council.

Discovering Grace Plains

Grace Plains is a quiet rural spot. It's known for its open spaces and farming land. The area's official boundaries were set in 1997 and 2000. This helped define which parts belonged to each local council.

How Grace Plains Got Its Name

Grace Plains was named after a remarkable woman called Grace Montgomery Farrell. She was the wife of Reverend C. B. Howard, who was the first Colonial Chaplain in South Australia. Later, she married James Farrell, who became the Dean of Adelaide. The community decided to name the area in her honor.

A Look at Grace Plains History

Grace Plains has a simple but interesting history. Like many small towns, it once had its own school and church, which were important gathering places for the community.

Early Education and Faith

The first school in Grace Plains opened in 1865. It was a special building that served as both a school and a church for the Primitive Methodist community. Later, a dedicated Grace Plains School opened in 1894. This school taught local children for many years before closing its doors in 1969.

The area also had a Methodist Church, which started as a Bible Christian Church. It opened in 1868 and was a place of worship until 1971. Today, this old church building is a private home. Sadly, the former school building was destroyed in the 2015 Pinery bushfire.

Community Life and Post Office

Behind the old church, you can find the former recreation reserve called 'Moquet Lee'. This was likely a place where people gathered for sports and fun. There is also the Grace Plains cemetery nearby.

Grace Plains also had its own Post Office for a time. It first opened in October 1879 but closed a few years later in April 1884. It reopened in September 1897 but closed again permanently in September 1903.