The Wilmington railway line was a railway line on the

South Australian Railways South Australian Railways (SAR) was the statutory corporation through which the Government of South Australia built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 until March 1978, when its non-urban railways were incorporated into Austr ...

network. It opened from

Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

to Laura on 2 June 1884. It was extended from Laura to Booleroo Centre on 13 April 1910, and to Wilmington on 20 July 1915. There were proposals to extend the line towards

Port Augusta Port Augusta is a small city in South Australia. Formerly a port, seaport, it is now a road traffic and Junction (rail), railway junction city mainly located on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf immediately south of the gulf's head and about ...

either through

Horrocks Pass Horrocks Pass is a geographical location in the Australian state of South Australia in the localities of Nectar Brook, South Australia, Nectar Brook and Woolundunga, South Australia, Woolundunga in the southern Flinders Ranges, about west of ...

or via

Quorn Quorn is a brand of meat substitute products, or the company that makes them. Quorn originated in the UK and is sold primarily in Europe, but is available in 14 countries. The brand is owned by parent company Monde Nissin. Quorn is sold as bo ...

, but neither plan was acted upon. With the

conversion Conversion or convert may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Conversion" (''Doctor Who'' audio), an episode of the audio drama ''Cyberman'' * "Conversion" (''Stargate Atlantis''), an episode of the television series * "The Conversion" ...

of the Port Pirie to Broken Hill line from narrow to standard gauge in 1969, the line became an isolated narrow gauge railway. Passenger services ceased at this time, with the line formally closed on 13 March 1990.

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Further reading