Kingston On Murray, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kingston On MurraySouth Australia |
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Houseboats on the Murray River
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 Kingston On Murray
Location in South Australia
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| Established | 21 November 1918 (town) 28 September 2000 (locality) |
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| Postcode(s) | 5331 | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | ACST (UTC+9:30) | ||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | ACST (UTC+10:30) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | District Council of Loxton Waikerie | ||||||||||||||
| County | Albert | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Chaffey | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Barker | ||||||||||||||
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| Footnotes | Adjoining localities | ||||||||||||||
Kingston On Murray is a small town located on the south bank of the Murray River in the Riverland area of South Australia. It was once called Thurk and Kingston O.M. The town's name comes from Charles Kingston, who was a very important leader (called the Premier) of South Australia from 1893 to 1899. In 2006, about 257 people lived in the town.
A Look Back: The History of Kingston On Murray
The area where Kingston On Murray now stands was first mapped out in January 1915. It was officially named Thurk on 21 November 1918. The town's size was made smaller a couple of times in the 1930s. The name Thurk came from Thurk Homestead. This word, Thurk, actually comes from an Aboriginal word, tharko, which means "the mouth."
On 19 September 1940, the town's name was changed from Thurk to Kingston O.M.. This new name came from the Kingston Village Settlement Area. This settlement was started in 1896 and was named after Charles Kingston. He was the Premier of South Australia at that time.
Later, on 31 March 1994, the people living there asked for the name to be changed again. They wanted it to be Kingston On Murray. This change was made official to reflect the town's location better.
The official borders for the area of Kingston On Murray were set on 28 September 2000. These borders include the places known as the Kingston Ferry Shack Site and the government town of Kingston On Murray.
What's Kingston On Murray Like Today?
The Sturt Highway now goes around the town, crossing the River Murray over a large bridge. Before this bridge was opened in 1973, there were two special cable ferries in the town. These ferries would carry cars and people across the river.
Kingston On Murray is part of the District Council of Loxton Waikerie for local government. For state government, it's in the state electoral district of Chaffey. For federal government, it's in the federal Division of Barker.
You can find wineries near Kingston On Murray, like Kingston Estate and Accolade Wines' Banrock Station brand. There's also a special place called the Banrock Station Wetlands. This area is very important for nature and is listed under the Ramsar Convention, which protects wetlands around the world.
The historic Kingston On Murray Pump Site and Feeder Tank Ruins are also in the area. These old ruins are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register because they are an important part of the region's history.
