Quorn was built in 1878 as a railway town, part of the line that would eventually push north to Alice Springs. It was named after Quorndon in Leicestershire, UK. Between 1917 and 1937 it became the crossroads of Australia when the Trans-Australian Railway linked Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie, making it an important and prosperous town – as you can see from the numerous large hotels on the Main Street! By the 1980s, most rail services had gone from Quorn, however the historic and hugely popular Pichi Richi Railway continues to this day for tourists.

FAST FACTS!

• The area has been the traditional home of the Adnyamathanha (‘rock people’) for tens of thousands of years
• Enthusiasts started the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society in 1973 to preserve the bridges and stonework built through the Pichi Richi Pass
• Former Australian of the Year Lowitja O’Donoghue spent a portion of her childhood at the Aboriginal mission in Quorn
• A walking tour takes in Quorn’s many heritage-listed buildings, including the railway station, the flour mill and the four hotels
• Quorn has been a location for major films including Gallipoli, Wolf Creek, The Sundowners and The Water Diviner