Wellington, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wellington South Australia
Crossing the Murray River by ferry at Wellington
Wellington Location in South Australia
Established	November 1840
Postcode(s)	5259
Location	105 km (65 mi) from Adelaide
LGA(s)	Rural City of Murray Bridge
State electorate(s)	Hammond
Federal Division(s)	Barker
Localities around Wellington: Brinkley Jervois Mulgundawa Wellington Wellington East Nalpa Lake Alexandrina

Wellington is a small town in South Australia, Australia. It is located on the Murray River, which is also known as the River Murray in South Australia. The town is just a short distance upstream from where the river flows into Lake Alexandrina. Wellington's postcode is 5259, and it is part of the Rural City of Murray Bridge. In 2006, about 295 people lived in Wellington.

A Look Back in Time: History of Wellington

Early European settlers thought Wellington could become a very important town. They compared its location to New Orleans in the USA, which is also on a big river. In 1839, a group in London called the Secondary Towns Association decided to plan a new town here. They even got permission from the Duke of Wellington to name the town after him!

The people planning the town had never actually seen the land. But they hoped Wellington would grow into a major city. The plan included 700 building plots in Wellington (on the west side of the Murray River) and 300 plots in Wellington East (on the east side). The land was surveyed in November 1840, and the first plots were sold in July 1841.

The Wellington Ferry Crossing

Wellington on the bank of the Murray River, close to Lake Alexandrina

For many years, Wellington was the main place to cross the Murray River. People, farm animals, and goods all used this crossing when traveling between Adelaide and Melbourne. This was true until a bridge was built at Murray Bridge in 1879. Today, a free government ferry still operates here, helping people cross the river.

In 1852 and 1853, a lot of gold was found during the Victorian gold rush. Police from South Australia helped bring this gold across the Murray River right here at Wellington. Even though the Murray River often has low water levels, and Lake Alexandrina is usually only a few meters deep, the river at Wellington is surprisingly deep, about 25 meters! The river's surface is often less than one meter above sea level.

Life in Wellington Today

After it was first settled, Wellington became a very busy place for several decades, from the 1840s to the 1870s. It served the local farming areas and soon had a school, a police station, and hotels. However, it never grew into a large city, remaining a township.

The government of South Australia has plans to build a special barrier, called a weir, near Wellington. This weir would help manage the water flow in the river.