With house prices soaring around the country, you would be hard-pressed to find real estate any cheaper – or with as much historical gravitas – as in Terowie.
The old railway town, which lies around 220 kilometres north of Adelaide, was founded back in the 1870s, during South Australia’s pioneering days.
The town is still home to dozens of historic stone cottages which date back to the late 19th century.
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The cheapest property currently up for sale in Terowie is a four-bedroom stone house with an asking price of $150,000.
Real estate agent John Hogarth, from Raine and Horne in Two Wells, said the property on 55 Packer Street had a lot to offer.
“It’s got a new roof and new rewiring,” Hogarth said.
“There’s a good bathroom,” he said, but conceded the interior of the home needed “a bit of work”.
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While the house was not connected to mains water, there were two rainwater tanks on the property, he said.
The house had been on the market for about six months, with the owner possibly willing to come down in price to $130,000 for the right buyer, Hogarth said.
Another property up for sale in Terowie right now is the old post office at 15 Railway Terrace, which was built in 1882.
“It’s the best of the lot of them, right across the road from the old railway station,” Hogarth said.
“It’s a beautiful building, very sound, and you can get that for $200,000.”
Remote, but no ‘ghost town’
Terowie was once a bustling railway town of thousands.
The town acted as an important staging camp for allied forces during World War II.
A US general, Douglas MacArthur, is often cited as the town’s most famous visitor.
In 1942, MacArthur was changing trains in Terowie when he made a famous speech about the Battle of the Philippines, declaring, “I shall return”.
But one major change to the railway line caused the town’s population to shrink rapidly in the 1970s.
The broad gauge railway line was extended from Terowie to Peterborough, eventually leading to the station’s closure.
These days, there are just 135 people living in Terowie.
Although Terowie was sometimes referred to as a “ghost town” online, that was only by people who didn’t know anything about the place, Hogarth said.
“There’s a great history there and it’s a great little town with wonderful, beautiful stone cottages,” he said.
“In the next few years, the little stone cottages are going to be done up.”
While Terowie once had two pubs, two primary schools and a hospital, the town is much quieter these days.
There are now just two businesses operating in Terowie – a general store and a roadhouse.
Leanne Adams has been running Terowie’s general store for the past 15 years.
Along with selling basic groceries and essentials, the store also operates as the town post office.
Adams said many of the locals who live in Terowie had been there for most of their lives.
“I have been in Terowie pretty well all my life, however, I do currently live in Jamestown with my partner, which is about a 25-minute drive away,” Adams said.
“I still consider Terowie as my home and always will be.”
Adams said there was a cross-section of people from all walks of life in Terowie.
“Some of the residents are retired or semi-retired, some work on the local farming properties in the area,” she said.
“Others travel to the nearby towns for work, some even travel up to work in the mines.”
The town often hosts local events in its historic town hall and every year there is a Christmas parade.
“At times, it can be quiet and quaint, other times it can be crazily busy, especially during our events,” Adams said.
Kathy Aird was born and raised in Terowie before leaving for the “big smoke” of Adelaide when she was 16 years old.
These days Aird runs the Next Stop Terowie Facebook page.
Aird said the town – which featured as a backdrop in scenes from the 2010 movie The Tourist, starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie – held a special place in a lot of people’s hearts, including her own.
“Even though I don’t live there, part of my heart is still there,” she said, adding she still made regular trips back to the town.
“I’ve got such fond memories of it – of then and now.”
Aird said she had noticed a growing interest in houses for sale in the town on her Facebook page.
“There are still things happening there, like events … but what the town does need is a cafe-style shop,” Aird said.
“Even if it’s only open a few hours a day, to offer coffee and old-fashioned afternoon teas.
“I think it would be wonderful to have something like that, and it would give the tourists somewhere to sit as well and take in the buildings.”
Contact reporter Emily McPherson at emcpherson@nine.com.au
This story first appeared on Radio Today